I have used the netspend visa debit card for a couple of years now.Its very convenient for me and I have no complaints.As far as them sending you a card that was not actually activated... that is explanation in itself.You act as if someone opened an accountin your name!If your personal info was not used to activate the account then what are you complaining for.
I dread getting all my paperwork together and taking everything to have someone do my taxes, but enjoy the return. This year money going to pay down debt.
I loved it as a single college student -- simple to file and I always got a refund check. But as a married with a two person income that is just a little bit above subsistence, who is trying to put a little bit away here and there in her retirement, it's a giant pain to file and an even greater inconvenience to have to pay!
But I actually get a strange thrill out of doing my taxes. I wish my W-2s would hurry up and get here--so I could file and get that nice refund check. I don't think I'd enjoy it as much if I had to pay taxes, though...
Don't really like doing taxes - I have alwys done my own, as I live modestly - but I was late for last year, after filing an extension - & finally did it via efile & got a $1200 refund which will apply to our past tax debt! Efiling was very easy & quick - I did my taxes in @ one hr. Let's see if I get audited!
Hubby insisted we take ours to a tax person one year - & we paid $200+ & didn't get as many deductions as I can get myself! (I did pay $60 for late efiling - but the 2009 taxes can be efiled for the Fed gratis...) Now I know that efiling is so EZ, I won't dread taxes quite as much this year! P.S. I don't mind paying my taxes becaz SOMEONE has to pay for the upkeep of the country! We don't usually pave our own roads or build our own bridges, do we?
We have them done by an accountant so it's not too painful. we pay estimated taxes quarterly and as long as we have money in the bank to pay what we still owe or we get money back I'm happy.
Not too good or bad . . . we try to balance our taxes so the return is small (we'd rather have our money earning interest during the year), but even the small amount we get back is nice. It is there to put toward a vacation or this year, for example, to pay for our daughter's driver education (yikes) that will cost several hundred.
@RJ - Thanks! I'll admit; I don't always know to the cent how much money is in my accounts either...but I usually know to within $10.
@Connie - As long as your accounts are free, and you are using them for effective budgeting, there's nothing wrong with it at all! Many people, however, can be overwhelmed with too many accounts, and if each one entails monthly fees (as so many bank accounts do), it's not economically viable either.
Thankfully, TurboTax, etc. have made doing taxes a LOT easier than back in the day when you had to sit down with a pencil, eraser, and piles of long, boring schedules and forms and such. I'm always glad when I'm done and when I receive the refund.
I actually have a bachelor's degree in accounting, but chose to go in a different path (software development). So every tax season, it's just kind of fun to think about this stuff again - I was always interested in money, and each year, doing taxes refreshes my memory about things like amortization, capital gains, and other fun things.
I wouldn't want to do this for a living, but every year it's kind of fun to take a day and be an accountant again.
I never know if I'm going to owe money or get a refund, so I have a bit of ambivalence toward filing. The process of filling out the return isn't a big deal, because our finances are pretty straightforward.
The best part of this review is the note that the book is an *objective* view of the crisis.
If we can't get beyond "Barney Frank did it!" and "Greedy bankers did it!" and realize that all of us, every single American who had a job, invested in 401Ks, bought a house, a car, even an ice cream cone on a credit card played a part in or benefited from the financial structures that lead to the disaster, we will never learn how to prevent it.
DC's point is valid, but we need to understand that these "bankers" did NOT break the law, they played by the rules of capitalism. Capitalism is good, but a free market economy can be manipulated - legally and ethically - by smart people with disastrous results. Contrast the Enron situation - in that case, people violated regulations and laws. That is not what happened here. The SEC makes regulations based on what happens in the markets. Sometimes it gets things wrong. Was it wrong to relax many regulations (and there were many more than cited in the review) during the Clinton and Bush eras? Probably.
As for the "bankers" (which, by the way, really includes investment bankers, hedge fund managers, venture capitalists, fund managers, lawyers...) vast numbers of them have lost their jobs and the money they invested along with everyone else.
I budget my money in my bank accounts. I have the following:
Bank account #1: Groceries and clothing and monthly stuff
Bank account #2: Hubby's spending account
Bank account #3: Mortgage and check writing account with over draft
Bank account #4: Charity account (so I know how much I have to give)
Bank account #5: Long term savings (High interest...lol not really but higher interest than 0)
Bank account #6: Hubby's tax savings account (High interest)
I know how much is in each account at all times except the charity account. I just put the correct amount to give in that one and when there is money in there, I give it.
I think I have a similar response to other people here. When I first think of taxes, my stomach clenches up and I think "oh noooooo" and feel very put-out and whiny. But then I remind myself I may get some money back, and my gut unclenches and I calm down. But this chronology of emotions takes place every single time I remember it's tax time. I can go through it several times a day. It's an emotional roller coaster, really.
Oh no, not that nasty 3 letter word. The stress and the emphasis on how disorganized and what a horrible record keeper I am. I did take accounting in school but have never seemed to apply what I learned.
3 personal returns, 2 businesses, one rental property. Gets a little tiresome. I have an accountant that looks over my work and he usually comes up with one or two things to do differently. I am one of those lucky people that get audited every couple of years. They haven't found anything yet but they keep trying.
I don't really mind doing the taxes. Well, except for the time I lived in NYC and Michigan-- if I was still a New York resident I would definitely pay someone to do my taxes. It is nice to get a refund back that allows me to pay a chunk of my student loans.
I have no clue what my current interest rate is or how much money I have in savings. I don't really see that as a weakness because it changes so much. As for the rest of the test, I fared pretty well.
I'm usually pretty organized with my taxes so that is not a problem. Every year, however, for the past 7 years I work a second job nights and weekends at a local financial office helping them process tax returns for their clients. The positive side is the extra income, the fact that they will do our taxes for free (married with full time jobs, 2 small side businesses and a mortgage so they take a bit of time) and they are always there for any tax advice I need. The negative is that it is a long two months of work in addition to my full time job and by the end I am pretty exhausted!
I have used the netspend visa debit card for a couple of years now.Its very convenient for me and I have no complaints.As far as them sending you a card that was not actually activated... that is explanation in itself.You act as if someone opened an accountin your name!If your personal info was not used to activate the account then what are you complaining for.
I dread getting all my paperwork together and taking everything to have someone do my taxes, but enjoy the return. This year money going to pay down debt.
I loved it as a single college student -- simple to file and I always got a refund check. But as a married with a two person income that is just a little bit above subsistence, who is trying to put a little bit away here and there in her retirement, it's a giant pain to file and an even greater inconvenience to have to pay!
But I actually get a strange thrill out of doing my taxes. I wish my W-2s would hurry up and get here--so I could file and get that nice refund check. I don't think I'd enjoy it as much if I had to pay taxes, though...
Don't really like doing taxes - I have alwys done my own, as I live modestly - but I was late for last year, after filing an extension - & finally did it via efile & got a $1200 refund which will apply to our past tax debt! Efiling was very easy & quick - I did my taxes in @ one hr. Let's see if I get audited!
Hubby insisted we take ours to a tax person one year - & we paid $200+ & didn't get as many deductions as I can get myself! (I did pay $60 for late efiling - but the 2009 taxes can be efiled for the Fed gratis...) Now I know that efiling is so EZ, I won't dread taxes quite as much this year! P.S. I don't mind paying my taxes becaz SOMEONE has to pay for the upkeep of the country! We don't usually pave our own roads or build our own bridges, do we?
I dislike the tax filing process but like it when I get a refund check.
We have them done by an accountant so it's not too painful. we pay estimated taxes quarterly and as long as we have money in the bank to pay what we still owe or we get money back I'm happy.
Not too good or bad . . . we try to balance our taxes so the return is small (we'd rather have our money earning interest during the year), but even the small amount we get back is nice. It is there to put toward a vacation or this year, for example, to pay for our daughter's driver education (yikes) that will cost several hundred.
vgrasdyDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
i do look forward to tax season. we've set up our taxes so that we get a nice, healthy return.
@RJ - Thanks! I'll admit; I don't always know to the cent how much money is in my accounts either...but I usually know to within $10.
@Connie - As long as your accounts are free, and you are using them for effective budgeting, there's nothing wrong with it at all! Many people, however, can be overwhelmed with too many accounts, and if each one entails monthly fees (as so many bank accounts do), it's not economically viable either.
Thankfully, TurboTax, etc. have made doing taxes a LOT easier than back in the day when you had to sit down with a pencil, eraser, and piles of long, boring schedules and forms and such. I'm always glad when I'm done and when I receive the refund.
I actually have a bachelor's degree in accounting, but chose to go in a different path (software development). So every tax season, it's just kind of fun to think about this stuff again - I was always interested in money, and each year, doing taxes refreshes my memory about things like amortization, capital gains, and other fun things.
I wouldn't want to do this for a living, but every year it's kind of fun to take a day and be an accountant again.
I never know if I'm going to owe money or get a refund, so I have a bit of ambivalence toward filing. The process of filling out the return isn't a big deal, because our finances are pretty straightforward.
Tax time is always another chance to learn something new! But it still sucks :P.
I don't mind tax time, I have seven kids...ka-ching!
The best part of this review is the note that the book is an *objective* view of the crisis.
If we can't get beyond "Barney Frank did it!" and "Greedy bankers did it!" and realize that all of us, every single American who had a job, invested in 401Ks, bought a house, a car, even an ice cream cone on a credit card played a part in or benefited from the financial structures that lead to the disaster, we will never learn how to prevent it.
DC's point is valid, but we need to understand that these "bankers" did NOT break the law, they played by the rules of capitalism. Capitalism is good, but a free market economy can be manipulated - legally and ethically - by smart people with disastrous results. Contrast the Enron situation - in that case, people violated regulations and laws. That is not what happened here. The SEC makes regulations based on what happens in the markets. Sometimes it gets things wrong. Was it wrong to relax many regulations (and there were many more than cited in the review) during the Clinton and Bush eras? Probably.
As for the "bankers" (which, by the way, really includes investment bankers, hedge fund managers, venture capitalists, fund managers, lawyers...) vast numbers of them have lost their jobs and the money they invested along with everyone else.
I forgot my utilities account.
I budget my money in my bank accounts. I have the following:
Bank account #1: Groceries and clothing and monthly stuff
Bank account #2: Hubby's spending account
Bank account #3: Mortgage and check writing account with over draft
Bank account #4: Charity account (so I know how much I have to give)
Bank account #5: Long term savings (High interest...lol not really but higher interest than 0)
Bank account #6: Hubby's tax savings account (High interest)
I know how much is in each account at all times except the charity account. I just put the correct amount to give in that one and when there is money in there, I give it.
I think I have a similar response to other people here. When I first think of taxes, my stomach clenches up and I think "oh noooooo" and feel very put-out and whiny. But then I remind myself I may get some money back, and my gut unclenches and I calm down. But this chronology of emotions takes place every single time I remember it's tax time. I can go through it several times a day. It's an emotional roller coaster, really.
Oh no, not that nasty 3 letter word. The stress and the emphasis on how disorganized and what a horrible record keeper I am. I did take accounting in school but have never seemed to apply what I learned.
3 personal returns, 2 businesses, one rental property. Gets a little tiresome. I have an accountant that looks over my work and he usually comes up with one or two things to do differently. I am one of those lucky people that get audited every couple of years. They haven't found anything yet but they keep trying.
I don't really mind doing the taxes. Well, except for the time I lived in NYC and Michigan-- if I was still a New York resident I would definitely pay someone to do my taxes. It is nice to get a refund back that allows me to pay a chunk of my student loans.
Nice test and a great idea.
I have no clue what my current interest rate is or how much money I have in savings. I don't really see that as a weakness because it changes so much. As for the rest of the test, I fared pretty well.
I'm usually pretty organized with my taxes so that is not a problem. Every year, however, for the past 7 years I work a second job nights and weekends at a local financial office helping them process tax returns for their clients. The positive side is the extra income, the fact that they will do our taxes for free (married with full time jobs, 2 small side businesses and a mortgage so they take a bit of time) and they are always there for any tax advice I need. The negative is that it is a long two months of work in addition to my full time job and by the end I am pretty exhausted!