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News from Accountech
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If
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text version. planning
your future |
Helping
you plan for the long term
April 2004
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Are
you taking advantage of the
power
of home equity lines of credit?
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| Home |
| financing
Retirement
planning
Important
tax information
Fraud
protection
Creative
Corner |
- A home equity line of credit is a
powerful and flexible way to handle
the financing of your home.
You can open a line of credit for up
to 90% of the value of your home and
use some or all of the variable rate
available balance to pay off your
traditional mortgage(s) and other
debt. Since the rates are so
low (between 3% and 4%), you could
choose to pay interest-only for the
first
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- 10 years, invest the monthly
savings, and retire early.
Make principal payments on your own
schedule. Never refinance
again -- use your debit card or
write a check to use your available
credit for whatever you need: a pack
of gum or a college education!
You have the freedom to really
control your finances. Email
or Call Kim Carlson at 425-232-1380
for more information and to
pre-qualify.
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Creative
Corner
·
Fun out on the deck this week included a
quick-change, moving the BBQ, and
placing the lawn furniture closer to the
house. Much nicer! Got to
try using plastic wood ("Trex")
to replace the trim around the hot
tub. Easy enough to work with,
makes little curls when you drill
through it!
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Last month was devoted to redecorating a
bedroom. The youngest son will
head off to college in just over a year,
so his room went from aqua paint and
white shelves to dark wine-colored
walls, black & olive striped
bedding, and a palm tree motif, making
for a very exotic, Moroccan look.
Much more mature for him, and an
excellent future guest room!
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The
key to a great retirement |
 The
most important thing to do, as
early as possible, is make a
PLAN. Ask yourself: what do
I expect to be doing after
retirement? Travel, country
club, volunteer work? What
standard of living do I expect to
maintain in my retirement
years? Then evaluate your
resources: your property, savings,
company pension, Social Security,
IRA accounts, and insurance. Make sure to plan
for emergencies and long-term care
as well as daily living expenses,
and entertainment and
leisure. If you're in a
strong financial position, consult
a financial advisor or tax
accountant to make sure your
estate and heirs are protected
from unnecessary taxation.
Surprises in your golden years can
be unwelcome, but
with a good financial plan, you
can enjoy your retirement
with the confidence that you've
secured your future!
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Fraud
Protection |
| There
are numerous scams these days that
target older persons. Some
of them sound legitimate, like the
Living
Trust scam. Then
there's the Foreign
Lottery, Identity
Theft, Sweepstakes,
Charity,
Investment,
Travel, and
Internet scams.
Protect yourself and your loved
ones against con artists who are
out to defraud you. The AARP
offers a booklet called Your
Fraud Fighter Handbook. Click
here to learn more and
download the booklet. |
|
 Did
you know...
·
There are several ways you can file your
federal income tax return online and get
your refund in as little as 10 days by
using direct deposit. Go to the IRS
web site and explore a variety of
ways you can file your taxes for free,
or try TurboTax
online. You can still meet the
deadline! Online filing is easy,
and the services typically walk you
through the preparation of your return
using a series of questions and
answers. You don't have to know
the forms or schedules.
· If you work with a credit counseling
service to restructure your debt, you
should be aware that if a creditor
reduces or forgives part of your
balance, that is considered taxable
income to you!
· If you are on the Board of Directors
for a charity that has employees, you
could be held personally liable for
unpaid payroll taxes. |
Kim
Carlson, RFC
Registered
Financial Consultant |
The
Registered Financial Consultant (RFC) is
a professional designation awarded by
the International Association of
Registered Financial Consultants to
those financial advisors who can meet
the high standards of education,
experience and integrity that are
required of all its members. |
For
more information or to subscribe:
Click
Here |
Do
you need a financial advisor?
MAYBE! A personal advisor guides
the financial planning process: goal
identification, data organization,
analysis, problem identification,
recommendations, and most important --
plan implementation and results
monitoring. Your advisor will help
you save, spend, invest, insure and plan
wisely for the future. |
Phone:
425-232-1380
Fax: 360-659-7105 |
Webmaster
of:
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| Kim
Carlson is a Loan Officer certified by
the School of Mortgage Lending.
She is a member of the International
Association of Registered Financial
Consultants (IARFC) and the American
Institute of Professional Bookkeepers (AIBP)
with over 24 years of finance,
accounting, technology and design experience. She is on
the Board of Directors of Volunteers for
Outdoor Washington and a contributing
member of Cascade Land Conservancy. |
Please share this information with
anyone who will benefit from it. |
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© 2004 Accountech. All Rights
Reserved.