“Personal finance kits free - Tulsa World” plus 3 more

Personal finance kits free - Tulsa World
Tuesday's Personal Finance stories - Marketwatch
Business, Personal Finance, Technology, Employment news ... - Austin American-Statesman
Pennsylvania Department of Banking: Director of Office ... - Earthtimes (press release)

Personal finance kits free - Tulsa World

Posted: 20 Apr 2010 09:10 AM PDT

Nearly 4,500 free Financial Fitness Kits have been distributed to public libraries across the state, including the Tulsa City-County Library System, by the Oklahoma Society of CPAs.

The kits are being made available in conjunction with Financial Literacy Month in April and Jump$tart Your Money Week, which takes place April 24 to 30.

"If it's something you want to get, I wouldn't wait and put it off. I would try to get one as soon as possible," said Amy Welch, director of communications of the OSCPA and vice president of the Jump$tart Coalition.

The OSCPA is in its sixth year of distributing the kits. Whereas the organization gave away about 300 the first year, last year it distributed 4,000.

The packaging of the kit has evolved over the years, going from a folder filled with miscellaneous brochures into one easy-to-carry, full-color booklet.

This year, a 64-page booklet covers a range of topics including getting out of debt, paying for college, retirement planning, insurance basics, estate planing, buying a home, financial tips for couples and unemployment.

"If you're looking for an all-inclusive kind of piece that's an introduction to a lot of different financial topics that affect you in every part of your life — in every stage of your life — this is a good item to pick up and look through and flag those pages that are of most interest to you or directly affect you or even somebody you love," Welch said.

"Having a good foundation and knowing what

financial goals you want to reach can free you up to better enjoy your life," she added.

To find a distributing library or to download the kit, visit tulsaworld.com/whatcounts . To learn more about Oklahoma Jump$tart Coalition and Jump$tart Your Money Week, visit tulsaworld.com/jump$tart .

Laurie Winslow 581-8466
laurie.winslow@tulsaworld.com

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Tuesday's Personal Finance stories - Marketwatch

Posted: 20 Apr 2010 09:24 AM PDT

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By MarketWatch

Don't miss these top stories:

You can scar your kids for life in a whole lot of ways, sometimes without even realizing it. That's especially true in these days of economic consternation, when extended joblessness and extra pressure on family finances can lead to a lot of unintended psychological consequences for children.

But as dangerous as money troubles can be, they can also provide great lessons that will actually give your kids a solid grounding in financial matters -- if the lessons are taught properly, that is. The key is to be honest about your family situation but to do so in an age-appropriate way.

We know from the 1930s that tough times can shape a generation: The Great Depression babies generally maintained their thriftiness throughout life, especially when compared with the spendthrift baby boomers. How similar an experience is shaping up now is something we won't really know for years.

Hopefully were molding enlightened Great Recession babies who won't repeat our mistakes of personal financial extravagance and runaway Wall Street greed. But there's also the chance we'll turn out nothing but a bunch of embittered Scrooges.

-- Steve Kerch, assistant managing editor

FAMILY FINANCE

Recession lessons that will last kids a lifetime

While my seven-month-old is too young to understand that she's growing up during one of the worst economies in decades, Dan and I do our best to remain upbeat around our baby. For families with older kids, experts say these tough times are a good occasion to teach children about financial realities, and these are lessons that can last a lifetime.
See Diary of a Recession Baby.

The game plan on savings

The Game Plan takes a look at how some individuals and families are saving for retirement -- and then asks financial advisers to comment on those strategies. You're invited to share your own retirement-savings plans by sending an email to reports@wsj.com.
See Family Finance.

Payday loans come under fire

State governments are cracking down on payday loans. MarketWatch.com Radio's Charlie Turner reports that regulators accuse the industry of trapping borrowers in a cycle of debt.
Listen to Radio Report.

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Business, Personal Finance, Technology, Employment news ... - Austin American-Statesman

Posted: 20 Apr 2010 07:01 AM PDT

Home > The Real Deal > Archives > 2010 > April > 20 > Entry

March home sales surge; prices remain stable

By Shonda Novak | Tuesday, April 20, 2010, 10:52 AM

Home sales in Central Texas surged 27 percent in March compared to the previous March, pumped up by buyers seeking to take advantage of a federal home-buyer tax credit that expires April 30, the Austin Board of Realtors reported today.

Real estate agents sold 1,784 homes in March compared with 1,404 a year ago.
The median price remained stable, at $180,000, the board said.

"Though we've seen increases in year-over-year sales volume consistently in recent months, it's likely this substantial increase in volume is related to the impending expiration of the homebuyer tax credits on April 30," said John Horton, chairman of the Austin Board of Realtors. "What's most encouraging, however, is that in the midst of this increase in sales volume, our real estate values have remained steady, which bodes well for the long-term value of real estate in Austin."

The tax credit — $8,000 for first-time buyers and $6,500 for repeat buyers — has been credited with spurring tens of thousands of sales across the country in recent months. Some housing experts have expressed concern that sales could slow when the credit ends.

From January through March, home sales in Central Texas were up 12 percent.

Sales of condos and townhouses were particularly strong in March 2010, with the 215 sales representing a 129 percent jump compared to March 2009. The surge follows sustained increases in demand for condos and townhomes since September 2009, and a year-to-date increase of 86 percent.

"A softer condo market at the beginning of 2010 provided a good opportunity for buyers, and we are now seeing the results with an increase in activity," Horton said. "Condos can be attractive properties for first-time home buyers, so it's possible this increased demand is also related to both the first-time homebuyer tax credit, as well as an increased supply of condos in Austin in recent years."

Horton said March 2010 also marked the second consecutive month of substantially decreased "days on market" — the average time homes remain active in the board's multiple listing service.

In March, homes were on the market an average of 73 days, 16 percent fewer days than in March 2009. During that same time, pending sales increased 31 percent to 2,421; new listings were up by 29 percent to 4,170; and active listings rose by six percent to 10,300.

"These statistics indicate that demand is continuing to outpace supply, which is encouraging," said Horton. "However, no one really knows the full impact of the homebuyer tax credits yet, so we'll look ahead to this summer to determine the sustainability of these conditions."

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Tuesday, April 20, 2010