Recently added articles from Kiplinger's Ask Kim Web Column:
What the AIG Bailout Means for You.
Sep 17, 2008 ... Byline: Kimberly Lankford, Kiplinger Washington Editors <![CDATA[My husband and I hold life insurance policies with American International Group (AIG), which the government just bailed out so it wouldn't fail. How can I tell whether the company would be in a position to pay out ...
The Fannie-Freddie Takeover and Mortgage Rates.
Sep 10, 2008 ... Byline: Kimberly Lankford, Kiplinger Washington Editors <![CDATA[How does the government takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac affect mortgage rates? Rates for 30-year fixed mortgages fell immediately after the announcement of the takeover. "The 30-year conforming ...
A Catch to Balance-Transfer Deals.
Sep 08, 2008 ... Byline: Kimberly Lankford, Kiplinger Washington Editors <![CDATA[My bank just sent me an offer to transfer balances from my other credit cards to my card from the bank at a 0% rate. I have a $2,800 balance on another card I've been trying to pay off, and I think that this might ...
Tax Write-Offs for Job-Hunting Expenses.
Sep 04, 2008 ... Byline: Kimberly Lankford, Kiplinger Washington Editors <![CDATA[I was laid off three months ago and have been searching for a new job. Can I deduct on my tax return the money I've paid an employment agency to help me find a new job? Also, I may have to fly to another state for ...
A Tax Write-off for Storm Damage.
Aug 27, 2008 ... Byline: Kimberly Lankford, Kiplinger Washington Editors <![CDATA[My house got hit by Tropical Storm Fay and insurance is going to pay for most of the damages. But my windstorm deductible is $5,000. Will I be able to deduct those expenses from my taxes? It depends ...
A Tax Write-off for Storm Damage.
Aug 27, 2008 ... Byline: Kimberly Lankford, Kiplinger Washington Editors <![CDATA[My house got hit by Tropical Storm Fay and insurance is going to pay for most of the damages. But my windstorm deductible is $5,000. Can I deduct that amount on my tax return? It depends on your income ....
How to Find a Lost Savings Bond.
Aug 25, 2008 ... Byline: Kimberly Lankford, Kiplinger Washington Editors <![CDATA[In 1976 and 1978 my first two children were born. They both received savings bonds as gifts for either their birth or Christmas. I have lost them and have no idea of how many they had, the face value of them, the ...
No Tax Deduction for Roth Contributions.
Aug 21, 2008 ... Byline: Kimberly Lankford, Kiplinger Washington Editors <![CDATA[If I contribute $5,000 to my Roth IRA this year, am I able to write it off on my income-tax return? Nope. Roth IRAs are never tax deductible. But you can get some even bigger benefits: You can withdraw ...
Direct-Sold Vs. Adviser-Sold 529 Plans.
Aug 18, 2008 ... Byline: Kimberly Lankford, Kiplinger Washington Editors <![CDATA[We already have adviser-purchased 529s for our two sons (in Virginia's CollegeAmerica) that we initially funded but don't continue tocontribute to on a regular basis. My husband and I would like to start ...
Deducting Long-Term Care Premiums.
Aug 14, 2008 ... Byline: Kimberly Lankford, Kiplinger Washington Editors <![CDATA[You mentioned in one of your long-term care insurance articles that the premiums are tax-deductible, based on a sliding age scale. What are the rules for writing off these costs? A portion of your ...
Changes at Fairholme Fund.(Brief article)
Aug 11, 2008; ... Byline: Kimberly Lankford, Kiplinger Washington Editors <![CDATA[I recently received several phone calls from the Altman Group, a proxy solicitation firm, pleading for me to return my proxy card to vote on changes for the Fairholme fund. I read the proxy material and discovered ...
Who Gets Mom and Dad's Stock?
Aug 06, 2008 ... Byline: Kimberly Lankford, Kiplinger Washington Editors <![CDATA[If there are no beneficiaries on stocks, who gets them when both parents die? If the stocks weren't held jointly and didn't have a transfer-on-death beneficiary designation, then the parents' wills are ...
Make Sure Adviser Is Legit.
Aug 04, 2008 ... Byline: Kimberly Lankford, Kiplinger Washington Editors <![CDATA[How can I find out if my financial adviser has a license to sellinsurance? You can check on the status of an adviser's insurance license through the state insurance department, which can help you avoid ...
Undoing a Roth Conversion.
Jul 30, 2008 ... Byline: Kimberly Lankford, Kiplinger Washington Editors <![CDATA[I transferred about $80,000 in January from a traditional IRA to a Roth with the same company. It's now worth $15,000 less. Can Iundo the transfer and then redo it so I don't have to pay taxes on the $15,000 in ...
Writing Off Roth Losses.
Jul 27, 2008 ... Byline: Kimberly Lankford, Kiplinger Washington Editors <![CDATA[If the current value of my Roth IRA is less than the amount I invested, can I close my account and claim a loss on my taxes? You may be able to write off the loss in your IRA. The rules are tricky, ...
Track Down Extra Money From the Government.(unclaimed property )
Jul 23, 2008; ... Byline: Kimberly Lankford, Kiplinger Washington Editors <![CDATA[How can I find out if my state has any money for me in its unclaimed property database? It's easy to see if your state holds any unclaimed property for you, and it's a good idea to check -- especially if ...
Is Your Brokerage Account Safe?
Jul 21, 2008 ... Byline: Kimberly Lankford, Kiplinger Washington Editors <![CDATA[Please can you clarify what SIPC does? I called my brokerage firm to ask about the safety of my investment account, which is not covered by FDIC. They told me not to worry because my securities and cash are covered ...
Is My Bank Safe?
Jul 16, 2008 ... Byline: Kimberly Lankford, Kiplinger Washington Editors <![CDATA[How can I find out whether I need to worry if my bank is at risk of going under? Five banks have already failed this year -- including IndyMac July 11 -- and others are having troubles. But you don't ...
Inheriting Worthless Stock.
Jul 14, 2008 ... Byline: Kimberly Lankford, Kiplinger Washington Editors <![CDATA[I understand that Enron was considered worthless in 2004. I just inherited Enron stock from my father in 2008. How do I declare it worthless? Can I still go back and declare it worthless for 2004, even though I did ...
Calculate Your Eligibility for a Roth IRA.
Jul 09, 2008 ... Byline: Kimberly Lankford, Kiplinger Washington Editors <![CDATA[My wife and I gross more than $190,000 in income. But after 401(k) contributions and other adjustments, I think we are below the max of $160,000 to contribute to a Roth IRA. How do I know for sure? Is there a line ...