Making Plans Improving Financial Literacy No matter what stage of life you are in, you should work to have a basic understanding of the state of your financial health.  After all, it is YOUR money.  Ask questions, ask for clarification if you don't understand the answers, ask more questions. 360 Degrees of Financial Literacy is a program created by the AICPA (American Institute of Certified Public Accountants).  It is being promoted to CPAs to assist their clients to better understand how their financial health impacts their lives in general.  The following is a good website to review: http://www.360financialliteracy.org/ Required Minimum Distributions As part of one of the stimulus plans, the requirement for taxpayers over the age of 70 1/2 to take required minimum distributions from their IRA accounts has been waived for 2009.  Please contact us to review your options regarding this availabilty. Business Standard Mileage Rate Please note that the Internal Revenue Service has updated the standard mileage rate for business use of a vehicle effective January 1, 2009.  Read more at: www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=200505,00.html FDIC Deposit Insurance Awareness Campaign The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) recently launched a national campaign designed to help consumers learn more about how this insurance works.  There is an informative website with good information about the benefits and limitations of this insurance.  In addition, there is on online tool, called Edie the Estimator, that can provide customized information about your accounts and how the insurance might cover your funds. Go to myFDICInsurance.gov to access this information.

Business Owner   Articles     Benefits and retirement plans       Group health insurance: a valued employee benefit       Health insurance for the self-employed       Retirement plans for small businesses       Understanding individual 401(k) plans     Starting a business       Hiring your first employee       Record keeping for your own business   Decision Tools     Benefits and retirement plans       Building a retirement plan for your business     Business planning basics       Net worth calculator     Choosing an entity       Comparison of LLCs, LLPs, and professional corporations   FAQs     Employee benefits and other issues       How can I boost the morale of my employees without incurring huge expenses?       What are health reimbursement arrangements?       What benefits should I offer to my employees?     Valuing a business       How can I determine what my business is worth for estate and gift tax purposes?   Education Planning   Articles     529 plans       529 plans and financial aid eligibility       529 plans: The ins and outs of contributions and withdrawals       Opening a 529 account     Education planning basics       ABCs of financial aid       How student loans impact your credit       Sticker shock--creative ways to lower the cost of college       Student loan basics   Decision Tools     529 plans       529 plans: direct-sold state savings plans     Determining how much to save for college       College savings analyzer       Higher education figures at-a-glance     Evaluating college savings options       Advantages and disadvantages of 529 plans       College funding options analyzer       College savings vehicles compared   FAQs     College costs       Are there any ways to lower the cost of college?       What expenses are included in the annual cost of college?     Financial aid       How can my child find scholarships for college?       How do I apply for financial aid?       Is there anything I can do now so that my child can obtain more financial aid later?       What happens if our child's college does not give us all the financial aid we need?     Opening a 529 account       Are there rules on who can open a 529 account?       Can I open a 529 account in anticipation of my future grandchild?       How do I enroll in a state's 529 plan?       Is there an income limit on who can open an account?       What happens if I open a 529 plan in one state and then move to another state?     Paying for college       I've heard that a grandparent can pay a grandchild's tuition directly to the college without any gift tax problems. 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