Help! The IRS is Calling to Arrest Me.
By Jon Aldrich Image Courtesy of www.fox13now.com I would venture a guess that I probably get about 6 or 7 robocalls a day on my cell phone from telemarketers or scammers. I have either won a “free” vacation, or they are trying to sell me doors and windows, or I am eligible for a loan…
Read MoreInterest Rates are Up, Are Bonds in Trouble?
Why Bond Investors Shouldn’t Panic by Jon Aldrich Two events occurred in the last quarter of 2016 that many thought may never happen. The first was the Chicago Cubs winning the World Series and the second was, after many years of ultra-low rates, interest rates finally started rising. Since Donald Trump was elected, back in…
Read MoreHave You Checked Your Credit Recently?
By Jon Aldrich Almost daily we hear reports of hackers stealing personal information either from large data breaches at places like Target or Home Depot or via e-mail scams and even with old fashioned phone calls to unsuspecting victims with someone claiming to be from the IRS demanding money or credit card information. More recently,…
Read MoreThe Importance of a Home Inventory
(and adequate insurance coverage) I had just finished up a great round of golf at the Phoenician Resort in Scottsdale in April, when my phone started tweeting about Tornado Warnings. Since it was 87 and sunny where I was, I had to do a double take, but then realized they were for back home in…
Read MoreMyRA – Is It Anything To Be Excited About?
If you watched President Obama’s State of the Union address on January 28th, you may have heard him mention a new type of “starter” retirement savings account, to be known as a MyRA ( rhymes with Tyra, Kyra, Lyra and even Elvira). The President said he was going to bypass Congress and institute the MyRA…
Read MorePeer to Peer (P2P) Lending
Peer to Peer (P2P) Lending A possible alternative to Banks Lara Miller began showcasing her original fashion designs as a student of the Art Institute of Chicago. Six short years, a landslide of favorable press and 17 retail outlets later, the Lara Miller brand needed an influx of cash to keep up with demand and…
Read MoreTAPER, TAPER, TOIL & TROUBLE
Not to be confused with a tapir, which is a large browsing mammal similar in shape to a pig that roams the jungles of South America and Southeast Asia. The word taper or tapering has received a whole lot of attention lately after Ben Bernanke announced at the latest Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting…
Read MoreLegal & Financial Paperwork to Have Ready for an Evacuation
We had been watching the news nonstop for days as the fire raged toward the city line. The smoke plume first appeared Saturday. By Tuesday afternoon, the wind gusts hit 65 m.p.h., and the neighborhoods due west of us were told to prepare to leave. By 4 p.m., as the neighbors and I watched smoke…
Read MoreEstate Planning Update, February 17, 2010
Although we take pride in the fact that we write our own weblog content, we will occasionally post material from outside sources that we have come to trust. The article printed below was authored by Attorney John J. Scroggin. We were granted permission to post it here by virtue of our subscription to LISI (Leimberg…
Read MoreIdentity Theft and the Importance of Monitoring Your Credit
With so many financial transactions being performed online over the internet these days, there are ample opportunities for those with nefarious intentions to usurp your identity, run up huge bills, and ruin your credit score. Since your credit score is a vital part of your financial well being and can dramatically impact your life for…
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