Celebrity, Inc.

What can four drunk airplane passengers, first time parents, and a delightful new book called Celebrity, Inc. do for your wallet?Plenty.Let me start with the drunks and new parents. Monday night I boarded a very delayed flight from Houston to Los Angeles. Behind me were four 20/30-somethings boisterously swigging from "coffee" cups. (Our gate was across from a Cantina and you could practically smell...

Read More..

Pension Red Alert: 70% Of Pensions Are Never Audited

Chances are that your pension or 401k plan has never been audited. No one's checking annually to see if the money's really there. Worried yet? It should freak you out, in my opinion. According to regulators, seventy percent of the nation's pensions have never been audited.Lest you think I'm an alarmist, the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Labor earlier this year in his Semiannual Report...

Read More..

Rate on 30-year mortgage ticks up to 4 pct.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The average rate on the 30-year mortgage stayed hovered above the record low for a third straight week. But cheap mortgage rates have done little to boost home sales or refinancing.Freddie Mac said Thursday that the rate on the 30-year loan ticked up to 4 percent from 3.99 percent. Six weeks ago, it dropped to a record low of 3.94 percent, according to the National Bureau of Economic...

Read More..

End-of-the-Year Checklist for Divorcing Women

Most women wait until after the holidays to move forward with their divorces --and that’s completely understandable. Many don’t want to disrupt family traditions for their children. Some welcome the distraction offered by the hustle and bustle of the season. And, of course, others want to avoid the discussions that inevitably seem to arise whenever and wherever relatives gather.Interestingly, though,...

Read More..

It's Not Too Late: Year-End Tax Moves

Once you’ve reached the last month of the tax year, your options are limited to minimize your income taxes. But there are a few things that could still be done, so don’t give up hope.For example, you could double up your real estate taxes by prepaying next year’s tax during December. Doing this with, for example, a $3,000 per year real estate tax bill could result in a reduction of tax for the year...

Read More..

New Website Takes Social Approach To Personal Finance

The Internet is a great source of information on personal finance, but often this information lacks the personal touch. The new website MyMoneyCircles.com aims to provide that personalized element by taking an interactive, social media-style approach.Though it focuses on the human element, MyMoneyCircles is anything but soft and fuzzy. The website refers to its approach as a "boot camp" for personal...

Read More..

US rate on 30-year mortgage rises to 3.71 pct.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Average rates on fixed mortgages rose this week, the first increase in seven weeks. But mortgage rates remain near historic lows, boosting prospects for home sales this year.Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday that the average rate on the 30-year loan increased to 3.71 percent. That's up from 3.67 percent last week, the lowest since long-term mortgages began in the 1950s.The...

Read More..

US fixed mortgage rates fall to new record lows

 Fixed U.S. mortgage rates fell again to new record lows, providing prospective buyers with more incentive to brave a modestly recovering housing market.Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday that the average on the 30-year loan dropped to 3.62 percent. That's down from 3.66 percent last week and the lowest since long-term mortgages began in the 1950s.The average rate on the 15-year mortgage,...

Read More..

W.Va. teachers to attend 'Finance University'

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia University's business school is teaming up with the state auditor's office and a nonprofit economic literacy group called the West Virginia Jump$start Coalition to present a conference for educators to learn personal finance — and how to teach it to their students.This year's Finance University is the 10th annual event for middle- and high-school teachers. It...

Read More..

Average on 30-year US mortgage stays at 3.55 pct.

The average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage held steady this week, staying slightly above the lowest level on record. Low mortgage rates have aided a modest housing recovery.Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday that the rate on the 30-year loan was unchanged at 3.55 percent. In July, the rate fell to 3.49 percent, the lowest since long-term mortgages began in the 1950s.The average on the 15-year...

Read More..

Ahead of the Bell: Weekly mortgage rates

WASHINGTON (AP) — Loan buyer Freddie Mac reports Thursday on whether mortgage rates are continuing to hold near recent low rates.Last week the average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage held steady at 3.55 percent, slightly above the record low of 3.49 percent that was reached in July. Meanwhile, the average rate on the 15-year fixed mortgage, a popular refinancing option, dipped to 2.85 percent from...

Read More..

David Benowitz Comments On Use Of High-Capacity Magazine By David Gregory On Meet The Press

The Sunday morning talk show host was attempting to make a point about gun control by using a type of ammunition magazine that is not legal in the District of Columbia, where the show is filmed(PRWEB) December 26, 2012According to the Washington Post, David Gregory, who hosts the NBC Sunday morning show "Meet The Press," is facing a potential criminal investigation after he used a large-capacity ammunition...

Read More..

Hermann Ford Partners with Carsforsale.com for Dealer Marketing Solutions

Hermann Ford has selected Carsforsale.com to launch their new custom dealer website, mobile site,dealer inventory listings, with additional access to a plethora of dealer marketing tools.Sioux Falls, SD (PRWEB) December 26, 2012 Hermann Ford, located in Hermann, MO, has a crisp online image and great brand visibility with their new site. Carsforsale.com offers...

Read More..

Superbreak Unveils New Theatre & Event Breaks for 2013

Short Breaks Specialist, Superbreak, Reveal Top West End & Concert Breaks for 2013, including The Book of Mormon and Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, Bruce Springsteen and Robbie Williams, and Chelsea Flower Show 100th Birthday(PRWEB UK) 27 December 2012Short breaks specialist, Superbreak, has unveiled its range of brand new theatre, concert and event packaged breaks for 2013, offering customers...

Read More..

Powder Metallurgy Industry Top 10 Companies Analysis in New Market Research Report at ReportsnReports.com

ReportsnReports.com adds “Top Ten Companies in Powder Metallurgy” new market research report to its store.Dallas, Texas (PRWEB) December 27, 2012The scope of this report is focused on a select 10 companies in the powder metals industry. This is in many ways a selected due diligence of the key companies and drivers in the PM marketplace. An attempt has been made to include top companies in metal powder...

Read More..

ListedBy and Revestor Enter Marketing Agreement

NAPA Calif. (PRWEB) December 26, 2012ListedBy (http://www.ListedBy.com), the first free online real estate marketplace and social network with live bidding public real estate auctions and ‘Best Offer’ functionality, and Revestor (http://www.revestor.com), a real estate platform that enables home buyers and investors to instantly evaluate a property’s likely returns, today announced a co-marketing...

Read More..

Existing home sales rise to fastest pace in three years

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Home resales rose sharply in November to their fastest pace in three years, a sign the recovery in the housing market is gaining steam. The National Association of Realtors said on Thursday that existing home sales climbed 5.9 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.04 million units. That was the fastest since November 2009,...

Read More..

New York City should hike taxes on big business-comptroller

(Reuters) - New York City's top financial officer and possible contender for mayor in 2013, John Liu, proposed on Thursday tax hikes for big businesses and an end to Madison Square Garden's $15 million annual property tax exemption.The proposals by New York City Comptroller John Liu include tax hikes on private equity firms, which would help offset his plan for $500 million in tax breaks and lowered...

Read More..

Republicans push own "fiscal cliff" plan; talks frozen

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republicans in the Congress pushed ahead on Thursday with a "fiscal cliff" plan that stands no chance of becoming law as time runs short to reach a deal with President Barack Obama to avert a Washington-induced economic recession.House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner's "Plan B" to limit income-tax increases to the wealthiest sliver of the population appeared likely to...

Read More..

Canada's seven-month budget gap narrows to C$10.6 billion

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada's federal budget deficit narrowed in the first seven months of the fiscal year to C$10.57 billion ($10.68 billion) from C$13.90 billion in the same period last year as personal and corporate income tax revenues rose and debt charges were lower.The monthly shortfall in October was C$1.68 billion, compared with a gap of C$2.13 billion a year earlier, the Department of Finance...

Read More..