GasBuddy
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Archived Under: Money Management , New and Notable
Tags: GasBuddy, Money Management, New and Notable
Looking for a friend to help you find the cheapest gas in town? GasBuddy.com, a network of over 180 gas price websites, will help you find low gas prices in your neighborhood.Since gasoline prices frequently change and may vary by as much as a quarter a gallon within a few blocks, it's beneficial to know where to find the lowest prices. The GasBuddy network, powered by local websites, allows motorists to post gas price information.
To get a bird's eye view on gas prices in your area, visit the color-coded map on the home page. Drill down by clicking the map to find the best deals.
As gas prices continue to rise, it is good to know you have a friend working 24/7 to help you find low gas prices.
JD Power
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Archived Under: Financial Services , New and Notable
Tags: Best of Sites, Financial Services, JD Power, New and Notable
J.D. Power and Associates is synonymous with automobile ratings, but you may not know that J.D. Power rates financial services, including insurance, credit cards, and more at its consumer site JDPower.com.Started 40 years ago, J.D. Power and Associates conducts customer satisfaction, product quality and buyer behavior surveys.
As you evaluate financial services, JDPower.com's ratings offer an important point of reference in your buying decision. Financial services rated by J.D. Power include:
- Banks and Credit Cards, Home Financing, and Investment.
- Car, Health, and Home Insurance.
- Home Related Services including Homeowners Insurance and Moving Services.
Major Company Information Update
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Archived Under: Directory Updates , Investing
Tags: Directory Updates, Investing, Investing Research
Information is power, but too much information can be overwhelming. The secret to do-it-yourself company investment research is to find the most reliable and relevant sources of free information.The recently updated Moneysmartz Major Company Information category provides links to market research leaders offering both free and for-fee resources to help you get under the hood of potential equity investments.
A great place to start and meet most of your research needs is Yahoo! Finance. Once on the site, enter the ticker symbol of your target company or do a search to find their ticker symbol, and click "get quotes." For example, here's what you will find after entering GE. The Yahoo! Finance GE page includes charts, quotes, news and information, company information, analyst coverage, ownership, and financial information.
Visit the Securities Exchange Commission Edgar database for free access to financial and related filings by public companies. Stock pickers can roll up their sleeves and dig into the SEC information.
Finally, if you prefer a short and sweet synopsis of your favorite company, then visit the Portfolio.com link.
Once you browse through the Moneysmartz Major Company Information category, you will be prepared to turn your information into power and better investment returns.
Commodities and Futures Investing Update
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Archived Under: Directory Updates , Investing
Tags: Commodities and Futures Investing, Directory Updates, Investing
Commodity volatility is on the rise. Visit your local gas station or try buying rice in bulk and you will see evidence of soaring commodity prices. Should you add commodity futures trading to your investment arsenal?The answer for most investors is a strong and simple no, but for a select few, those with the means, perspective, and training, trading commodity futures is a risky, but viable, investment alternative.
The updated Moneysmartz Commodities and Futures Investing category offers an introduction to commodity futures, including general information, news and market information, and places to start trading.
The Moneysmartz Editor recommends visiting Lind Waldock, an online trading brokerage with everything you need to learn, practice trading risk-free, and trade with your own money. If you are looking for more information, then visit the CNNMoney commodity markets page and Reality Based Trading for a commodity futures primer.
Since the rising and falling cost of commodities should continue to dominate the news, it is a great time to at least learn more about commodity futures and the potential of futures trading in your investment strategy.
Brokerages Update
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Archived Under: Directory Updates , Investing
Tags: Brokerages, Directory Updates, Investing
Brokerages, and the brokers who work for them, bring buyers and sellers of securities together, and receive a commission for facilitating the sale. Unlike the old days, a trade, or sale, does not require person-to-person interaction. So, not surprisingly, technology is becoming increasingly important, and the distinctions between brokerage firms are blurring.The updated Moneysmartz Brokerages category includes the major classes of brokerage firms, including "Premium," "Full-Service," and "Discount Brokers." To help differentiate between brokerage firms, visit the SmartMoney Editor Best Best for brokerage rankings. If you need more information about your personal broker, visit FINRA's BrokerCheck to learn more about the background of your investment professional.
If you are averse to technology, or just feel more comfortable working with an individual instead of a computer, most brokerages offer hands-on trading assistance, both on the phone or in person with a local investment professional.
One final note, to get the best per trade rates, embrace technology and learn how to make your trades online, without human assistance.
Bonds Update
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Archived Under: Directory Updates , Financial Planning , Investing
Tags: Bonds, Directory Updates, Financial Planning, Investing
Boring, vanilla, and without sex appeal, bonds are an important weapon in your personal investment arsenal. Bonds come in many forms with the most basic representing a loan from the investor to an issuer in exchange for a stream of payments and repayment of the loan. Bonds offer inflation protection and help diversity a portfolio, particularly if you are seeking income over a fixed period. As experienced bond investors know, the variety of bonds, including issuers and denominations, is vast.The updated Moneysmartz Bonds category offers primers, market news, rates, and insight to help you understand bonds and incorporate them into your personal investment strategy. For a thorough introduction to bonds, visit the Investopedia Bond Basics Editor Best Bet. The SmartMoney and Motley Fool Editor Best Bets link to bond investing tools and strategies. Finally, TreasuryDirect, another Editor Best Bet, offers information and a way to buy bonds directly from the U.S. Treasury
While not flashy, bonds can play a substantial role in your investment portfolio.
Asset Allocation Update
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Archived Under: Directory Updates , Financial Planning , Investing
Tags: Asset Allocation, Directory Updates, Financial Planning, Investing
The experts say that asset allocation, defined as how you distribute your investments among asset classes like stocks and bonds, is the single most important factor in determining investing returns. According to Investopedia, the experts also say, "your selection of individual securities is secondary to the way you allocate your investment in stocks, bonds, and cash and equivalents, which will be the principal determinants of your investment results." Given this sage advice, asset allocation deserves at least a portion of your financial planning attention.The newly created Moneysmartz Asset Allocation category offers calculators, tools, and strategies to help you understand and exploit the power of asset allocation. For a brief and easy to understand introduction to asset allocation, visit the Securities and Exchange Commission beginners' guide to asset allocation Editor Best Bet. Use the Financial Planning Toolkit asset allocator Editor Best Bet to determine your personal asset allocation strategy. Before implementing this strategy, consider talking with a professional for additional guidance and perspective.
Understanding and implementing asset allocation won't guarantee stellar investment performance, but you will improve your odds for better returns from your investments.
Epinions and Better Financial Services
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Archived Under: Financial Services , The Moneysherpa Pages
Tags: Epinions, Financial Services, The Moneysherpa Pages
The worst time to realize a provider of financial services does not care is when you need their help the most. If you have ever been treated like a number by a testy customer service agent or been caught in the endless loop of a convoluted interactive voice response system, then you know how important it is to choose wisely when looking for financial services like credit cards, banks, and brokers.Epinions, started in 1999 and now owned by eBay, offers user generated reviews about a wide range of products and services to help you avoid poor customer service and get the facts before, not after, you buy.
The following tips should help you get the insight you need from Epinions:
- Visit the Personal Finance find and compare home page.
- Choose the category the fits your need, for example, banks.
- Enter the name of your prospective bank in the search box at the top of the page, for example, Wells Fargo.
- Sort by date to read the most recent reviews first.
- Be wary of firms with a few reviews as the sample may be too small to provide reliable guidance.
- If you find bad reviews, then be sure to balance them with the positive attributes of the reviewed company that are most important to you. However, remember that this is the best time to find another provider of services, before you make a long term commitment
Going Green Update
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Archived Under: Directory Updates , Money Management
Tags: Directory Updates, Going Green, Money Management
If you think it's too much effort to fill your recycle container with paper, plastic, and cans, then stop reading. If you already recycle, even reluctantly, then keep reading. Going green requires some effort and a little pain, but the upside can be big, for both your financial situation and the environment. The newly created Moneysmartz Going Green category is all about helping your green transformation put real dollars in your pocket. The best place to start is your home, so be sure to visit Energy Star, an Editor Best Bet, and a place where you learn about how to save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices. Another Editor Best Bet, Frugalist, offers tips, tools, and tutorials to help you save a "boatload of money." The Moneysmartz Going Green category also includes information about socially responsible investments, tools to help you measure your ecological footprint, and a lot more help saving money. If you are still reading, then take the time to learn a little more and do even more good for yourself and the environment.
Assessing Your Financial Situation
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Archived Under: Directory Updates , Financial Planning , Investing
Tags: Directory Updates, Financial Planning, Financial Situation, Investing
You cannot determine where you will be tomorrow if you don't know where you are today. These are simple words, but powerful advice if you want to begin saving and preparing for your future. The newly created Moneysmartz Financial Situation category will help you determine where you are financially today. Assessing your financial situation comes in many colors and flavors, but essentially boils down to determining your cash flow, income coming in less expenses going out, and your net worth, your assets, including investments less you liabilities, like credit card bills. The great news is that the Web offers do-it-yourself calculators and tools to make your job a lot easier. Be sure to visit the category Best Bets, including Mint.com, to create a budget, and NetWorthIQ, to track your net worth. If you prefer pencil and paper, then visit the About.com Financial Planning picks for worksheets. Once you determine where you are today, it won't take long to start achieving your long-term goals.
Feed The Pig
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Archived Under: Money Management , New and Notable
Tags: Feed The Pig, Money Management, New and Notable
Benjamin Bankes has a lot to say to young Americans about taking baby savings steps today for big savings in the future. Who is Benjamin Bankes? He is the spokespig, imaginary of course, for the Feed the Pig™ national public service campaign sponsored by The Advertising Council and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Through commercials and a website, the campaign is encouraging "the 40 million Americans age 25 to 34 to take control of their personal finances." The commercials are offbeat and the website offers podcasts, calendars, tips, and resources to help individuals begin paying off debt and start preparing for a better future.
GreenPrint
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Archived Under: Best of the Personal Finance Web , Money Management
Tags: Best of the Personal Finance Web, Frugality, Going Green, GreenPrint, Money Management
Are you drowning in paper? Is your trash can full of unused remnants of paper from recent print jobs? Have you ever wondered if there is a way to reduce the waste? GreenPrint, a Moneysmartz Best of the Web selection, saves money and helps the environment by preventing waste pages from being printed. According to the GreenPrint website, its product "analyzes the content of each print job for pages that have wasteful characteristics. These are the pages with just a banner ad, URL footnote etc. It also allows you to very quickly add and remove pages from your print job, without having to return to the original application." It's a sleek and simple solution to an insidious problem for prolific printers. GreenPrint offers a free trial and a $29 license for a direct download. Enterprises pay $70. Best of all, GreenPrint saves a lot of trees, while saving you money.
Investment Objectives Update
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Archived Under: Directory Updates , Investing
Tags: Directory Updates, Investing, Investment Objectives
Risk tolerance and investment objectives go hand-in-hand and determine where you invest your money. InvestorWords.com defines an investment objective as "the result desired by an investor or mutual fund, such as current income or capital appreciation." Wachovia identifies four broad investment objectives including income, growth and income, growth, and speculation. The recently created Moneysmartz Investment Objectives category elaborates on these concepts and provides guidance to help you determine your personal investment strategy. For an understanding of the link between investment objectives and risk tolerance, visit the Wachovia listing. The About.com Stocks listing explains how investment objectives define investment strategy. The category is short on listings, only four, but long on insight.
Stagflation Update
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Archived Under: Directory Updates , Economics , Investing
Tags: Directory Updates, Economics, Investing, Stagflation
Investopedia defines Stagflation as "a condition of slow economic growth and relatively high unemployment - a time of stagnation - accompanied by a rise in prices, or inflation." Given the recent drumbeat of negative economic news, it is not a surprise that 'stagflation' has suddenly become a hot topic with depressing implications for your economic well-being.The newly created Moneysmartz Stagflation category will help you understand the meaning of stagflation and find new ways to manage your investments during turbulent economic times. Be sure to visit the National Public Radio listing with a link to a thirty-minute podcast on the meaning of 'stagflation' to you. The Morningstar and Seeking Alpha listings offer 'stagflation' investing tips.
A final word as you prepare for the worst. Media references to impending 'stagflation' have been frequent since 2003. So, as you evaluate your investment strategy through the prism of stagflation, seek professional advice and use caution.
Your Number
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Archived Under: Retirement Planning , The Moneysherpa Pages
Tags: ING, Retirement Planning, Retirement Savings, The Moneysherpa Pages
How much will you need to retire comfortably? It's a question being asked a lot these days by providers of retirement planning services. ING joins the fray with a tool consisting of six questions to calculate your "Your Number." Don't be surprised if your number is shockingly high, particularly if you are nearing retirement and don't have a start on your nest egg. Rest easy, the ING microsite offers links to professional advice. The power of the "Your Number" campaign is that after taking the quiz, it's hard to forget your number, and even more difficult to remain passive about saving for retirement.
Risk Tolerance Update
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Archived Under: Directory Updates , Investing
Tags: Directory Updates, Investing, Risk Tolerance
The market is crashing. What will you do with your investments? Your risk tolerance, defined by Investopedia as "the degree of uncertainty that an investor can handle in regard to a negative change in the value of his or her portfolio," largely determines your reaction. Equally important, risk tolerance, in addition to your investment objectives and experience, time horizon, and financial situation, should play a critical role in how you allocate your investment assets. The newly created Moneysmartz Risk Tolerance category includes links to online tests to help you determine your risk tolerance and articles to help you understand how risk tolerance relates to asset allocation. Be sure to visit the Wikipedia Stock Market Crash listing to learn about situations that are sure to test even the most risk tolerant.
Wallstrip
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Archived Under: Financial Videos , Investing , New and Notable
Tags: Financial Videos, Investing, New and Notable, Wallstrip
"It's 'Squawk Box' meets 'Saturday Night Live'," says The New York Times. At the cutting edge of online financial video, Wallstrip, with the tagline, "where pop culture meets stock culture," features one high-flying stock every day.Launched in 2006 and later acquired by CBS, Wallstrip has an extensive archive of humorous, yet informative videos about your favorite stocks with related commentary from financial bloggers. Julie Alexandria, an actress who has paved the way for other online hosts, including Barely Political's Obama Girl, hosts this daily show.
For a fresh take on the daily stock pick, Wallstrip is an entertaining way to learn about hot stocks.
Travel Insurance
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Archived Under: Insurance , The Moneysherpa Pages
Tags: Insurance, The Moneysherpa Pages, Travel Insurance
On the family cruise of a lifetime, you slip, fall, and break your arm. You require emergency medical attention. Do you have insurance?As spring break travel peaks and preparation for summer travel begins, a review of travel insurance may help avoid catastrophe if the unthinkable happens on your next trip.
According to the Insurance Information Institute, there are four major types of trip insurance, including trip cancellation insurance, baggage insurance or personal effects coverage, emergency medical assistance, and accidental death.
There are a number of travel insurance providers and comparison sites including InsureMyTrip.com, AIG Travel Guard, CSA Travel Protection, Travel Insurance Services, and many others.
For more travel insurance information and links, visit About.com Personal Insurance. If you work with or know a travel agent, then be sure to talk with them for additional information.
Being prepared before vacation, including purchasing adequate travel insurance, will help give you the peace of mind to enjoy vacation.
J.K. Lasser
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Archived Under: New and Notable , Taxes
Tags: J.K. Lasser, New and Notable, Tax Preparation
A complex tax code and changing personal life circumstances make year-round tax planning a necessity for many, especially do-it-yourself tax preparers. Fortunately, J.K. Lasser, publisher of Your Income Tax, America's bestselling tax guide, offers tax planning and tax preparation 365 days-a-year at JKLasser.com.The J.K. Lasser website includes everything you need to plan and prepare your taxes, including 1040 essentials, life planning, self-employment, tax news, forms and tools, ask JK, and a lot more. Some of the content is free, but full access is $29.95 per year.
The J.K. Lasser website and publication is edited by an experienced team of tax, accounting, and small business experts.
If you are serious about your personal tax planning, then an investment in J.K. Lasser will help you stay on top of your tax situation 24/7 and 365 days-a-year.
Coinstar
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Archived Under: Money Management , New and Notable
Tags: Coinstar, Money Management, New and Notable
How much is your pocket change worth? If you have a money jar, then you know that pocket change adds up fast. The challenge for many is where to bring the change to convert into cash.Fortunately, Coinstar, the top brand in consumer coin counting, invented self-service coin counting and has locations throughout the United States, Canada, and United Kingdom.
If you want hard cash from a Coinstar machine, you'll pay a commission. To stretch your pennies and avoid a commission use Coinstar for gift certificates at leading stores like Amazon.com, Starbucks, iTunes, and many more.
Coinstar has a charity option where you can donate your change by keying the unique identification number of your charity and pouring your coins into the machine. When Coinstar finishes counting, you will receive a tax-deductible receipt.
To locate a machine near you, visit the Coinstar locator page.
Zecco
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Archived Under: Investing , New and Notable
Tags: Investing, New and Notable, Online Brokers
Do zero dollar trade commissions catch your attention? Zecco.com, a new entrant into the crowded and competitive world of online brokers hopes you find real value in free trading.The free lunch ends after the first 10 trades each month, then you pay $4.50 per trade.
In addition to low cost trading, Zecco has created an online community with a social networking feel, including a blog section, forums, Activity Feed, where you get "an instant snapshot of your friends' and groups' latest activities and trades, right on your profile page," and Performance Scanner where you can find top performers in the Zecco community.
Zecco.com is not a securities broker/dealer. All securities and investments are offered through Zecco Trading, Inc., member FINRA / SIPC.
For a complete list of Zecco's competitors, visit the Moneysmartz Online Brokers page.
The Best Mutual Funds
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Archived Under: Investing , The Moneysherpa Pages
Tags: Investing, Money Magazine, Mutual Funds, The Moneysherpa Pages
During market tumult, investors seek investments that help them look toward the future with confidence. The recent Money Magazine 70 recommends mutual funds that should be of comfort during good and bad times. The Money Magazine selection criteria includes mutual funds with "low expenses, a strong record for putting share-holder interests first, a consistent investment strategy and experienced managers." The result is above average performance, with over 70% of the selected mutual funds outperforming their category average. Leading fund families Vanguard, T. Rowe Price, and Fidelity are well represented with 23, 8, and 4 funds on the list respectively.
Coupons and Online Deals
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Archived Under: Money Management , The Moneysherpa Pages
Tags: Coupons, Money Management, The Moneysherpa Pages
With higher gas prices, lower home values, and a weak stock market, now is a good time to find ways to cut costs. Coupons offer a quick and easy way to begin saving money today. For grocery coupons and online deals, visit CoolSavings, SmartSource, and Valpak. For a complete list, visit the Moneysmartz Coupons page.
Best of Class Financial Services Customer Service
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Archived Under: Banking Services , Financial Services , Insurance , Investing , The Moneysherpa Pages
Tags: Banking Services, BusinessWeek, Financial Services, Insurance, Investing, The Moneysherpa Pages
If you have ever been at the receiving end of a surly customer service agent, then you know the value of great customer service. The following insurance, banking, and brokerage firms are included in the top 50 of The BusinessWeek 2008 Customer Service Elite:
1. USAA (Insurance)
8. Edward Jones (Brokerage)
13. Amica (Insurance)
18. Wachovia (Banking)
19. Smith Barney (Brokerage)
28. Vanguard (Brokerage)
29. Erie Insurance (Insurance)
30. National City (Banking)
Saving Your Tax Rebate
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Archived Under: Investing , Net Worth , The Moneysherpa Pages
Tags: Investing, Net Worth, Tax Rebate, The Moneysherpa Pages
A recent CNN/Opinion Research poll of American taxpayers found that 32% of respondents will save their tax rebate, 41% will use the windfall to pay bills, 3% will contribute the money to charity, and only 21% of those polled plan to spend the money.Checks should range from $300 to $1,200 and even more if you have kids under age 17. For the full details of the tax rebate, visit the Kiplinger Tax Rebate page.
Whether you plan to spend or save, consider the value of a $1,000 investment today, earning 8% annually over 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 years. Your $1,000 investment would be worth $2,200, $4,927, $10,936, $24,273, and $53,878 respectively.
Looking at how the numbers grow, it is easy to understand how saving early and often makes sense and is perhaps the only sure route to building a sufficient nest egg for your golden years.
John Mauldin's Investment Newsletters
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Archived Under: Investing , The Moneysherpa Pages
Tags: Investing, John Maudlin, Newsletters, The Moneysherpa Pages
With an eye popping 1.5 million subscribers, John Mauldin provides investors an insightful view into the economy and Wall Street through his three newsletters:- Thoughts from the Frontline is a weekly economic and investment newsletter with over 1 million readers. Ahead of the pack in predicting the mortgage and credit crisis, this popular newsletter gave readers a unique glimpse into the future and an opportunity to take profits before the crisis became a bloodbath.
- Outside the Box, published weekly, highlights one essay from another analyst.
- The Accredited Investor, published quarterly, focuses on the world of hedge funds and private investors. This letter is for accredited investors who generally have a net worth of $1,000,000 or more, or made $200,000 or more per year in the immediate preceding two years.
IRS Free File
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Archived Under: Taxes , The Moneysherpa Pages
Tags: IRS, Tax Preparation, Taxes, The Moneysherpa Pages
Let the misery begin, it's tax season.To ease the pain and expense of filing, the IRS offers Free File. According the the IRS: "if your adjusted gross income was $54,000 or less in 2007, you can use Free File to prepare and e-file your taxes online. If you normally do not file a tax return but need to file a tax year 2007 return solely to receive your economic stimulus payment, you may now select from the list of companies on the Free File - Economic Stimulus Payment page."
In addition to the IRS and Free File, the Moneysmartz Tax Preparation Guide and Directory offers tax preparation tips and information, including links to tax preparation software and tax forms.
DotHomes.com
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Archived Under: New and Notable , Real Estate
Tags: DotHomes, New and Notable, Real Estate
Dubbed the "Google of property" by Esquire, UK, DotHomes recently launched in the United States after success in the UK and South Africa.According to the DotHome's website, "Consumers use DotHomes to quickly search over thousands of estate agent Websites across multiple countries, with relevant search results taking consumers to property listings on these Websites. Underlying DotHomes' search mechanism is a proprietary data-mining technology which allows for scalable and accurate indexing (aggregation) of property listings directly from estate agency Websites--with zero cost or effort for estate agents."
The benefit to you is blazing fast search results with links to the original listing, Google maps, aerials views, and video tours. The search interface is user friendly and includes tools to refine your search parameters.
If you are looking to buy or rent, a visit to DotHomes should yield fast results.
Retire Stronger
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Archived Under: Financial Calculators , New and Notable , Retirement Planning
Tags: AIG Retirement, Financial Calculators, New and Notable, Retirement Planning
Will you have enough savings to retire? How will your savings be managed? Will you place your savings in an annuity?AIG Retirement's Retire Stronger site, with links to retirement planning, annuity, and mutual fund services and resources, will help answer these questions.
Use the Retire Stronger calculator to determine retirement savings. Don't forget to include Social Security and Pension income for a more accurate view of your needs.
For tips about adding years to your life, download the "live longer retire stronger Playbook."
The answers may be shocking, but knowing needed savings is a start to a stronger retirement.