1 Your Financial Check-up. 2 Lynn F. Little Extension Educator University of Maryland Extension...

Preview:

Citation preview

1

Your Financial Check-up

2

Lynn F. LittleExtension Educator

University of Maryland Extension

Washington County

4

$$$ Smart Money Tip

CHART YOUR COURSE

6

Set S.M.A.R.T. Financial Goals!

• Specific

• Measurable

• Action/Agreeable

• Realistic

• Time-Related

7

Change these dreams to specific goals:

Pay off my credit card balance and not make any new charges. I will play Bingo every other week and I will use the $40 to pay extra on my credit card balance so my balance will be zero by June 2010.

Drive a car that is paid for

By packing (not buying) lunch 2 days per week, I will pay an extra $50/month on my car payment so my car will be paid off by December 2009

8

$$$ Smart Money Tip

ORGANIZE FINANCIAL RECORDS

9

How long to keep records

Permanently As long as needed Until disposed of Personal records Warranties (until

expired)

Appliance books

Education, employment records

I nstallment contracts (5 years af ter paid)

Vehicle titles, bill of sale

List of important

papers and their location

I nsurance policies (until expired)

List of safe deposit box contents

Tax records with supporting data (3-10 years)

Tax f orms with W-2 attached

10

Identity Theft - Are you a target?

11

$$$ Smart Money Tip

KNOW HOW YOU ARE DOING

12

Your Net Worth

Assets -

Liabilities= Net Worth

www.americasaves.org

15

$$$ Smart Money Tip

BE A MONEY DETECTIVE

16

Create a Spending Diary

Create a Spending Diary

Does money slip through your fingers? Try to identify the

leaks.

17

18

Separate needs from wants

Build A Budget/Spending Plan

20

Use 70% of take-home pay for living expenses

Important

Reminder

Use 20% to repay debt.

Save 10% for you and your future.

•Track spending•Review and Revise

23

$$$ Smart Money Tip

Watch Your Credit!

24

3 Major Credit Bureaus:

EquifaxExperianTransunion

Credit Bureaus

25

What do Credit Bureaus do?

Collect data:

Personal information

Employment history

Credit Use and Repayment history

Provide information to:

CreditorsEmployersInsurersLandlords

26

27

What Makes Up Your Score?

10%

10%

15%

30%

35%

• 10% New Credit

• 10% Types of Credit used

• 15% Length of Credit History

• 30 % Debt

• 35% Payment History

28

720-850 – Moderate to Low Risk

620 - 719 – Fair to Good Risk

350 - 619– You may have

difficulty

Credit Score Ranges

29www.myfico.com

30

$$$ Smart Money Tip

PAY OFF DEBT

31

Minimum Payment TrapCredit card: Pay Minimum (4%) per Month:

Balance of $3,000 $120/Month19% interest 134 months to

pay $1,872.43 = interestTotal Paid: $4,872.43

Pay 5% of balance per month: $150/Month

103 months to pay

$1,339.96 = interestTotal Paid: $4,339.96

Difference: $532.47

Source: www.bankrate.com

32

www.bankrate.com

33

Signs of Credit TroubleExceeding 20 percent ruleSecond salary used to pay debtsDishonest about credit useCredit not thought of as debtUse credit impulsivelyUse cash advances to pay billsBills paid latePaying only the minimum due each monthDefaulting on paymentsAnticipated income increase committed to creditDon’t know total amount of debt

34

www.nfcc.org

35

$$$ Smart Money Tip

DEVELOP A SAVINGS

HABIT

36

Every Little

Bit

Counts

37

Pay Yourself First

Build an Emergency Fund

–3-6 months net income

An emergency fund will…

• Help you feel in-control financially

• Pad your bank account to help you avoid overdraft fees

• Make it possible to deal with the emergency quickly and get back to normal

• Help you avoid extra interest charges for unexpected repairs or emergency purchases

40

$$$ Smart Money Tip

Manage Risks

42

Ask about available discounts

Comparison shop – follow the rule of “3”

Don’t try to save money by reducing or dropping necessary coverage

Don’t select insurance company based on price alone

Don’t surrender a whole-life policy for its cash value

43

Consider disability income insurance

Consider long term care

Update beneficiary designations

Keep up with changes in Medicare as you approach retirement

44

$$$ Smart Money Tip

INVEST WISELY

45

SavingPreserve principal while getting a small return.

InvestingIncrease principal in hopes of getting a greater rate of

return.

46

Do Your OwnBall ParkE$timate For Retirement

www.asec.org/ballpark/

47

$$$ Smart Money Tip

CREATE A PLAN FOR

YOUR ESTATE

48

Your Estate PlanA will or trustA guardianship/trust for minor children or disabled loved onesA power of attorney (general, financial, health care)Health Care Advanced DirectivesPersonal Property Inventory with named recipients

49

$$$ Smart Money Tip

Make a TO DO list to help Manage Your Personal

Finances!

50

Lynn LittleExtension Educator

University of Maryland Extension Washington County Office

Your Financial Check-Up

Recommended