How are asset holdings different between non-homeowners and homeowners among near-retirees?
Introduction For many years, purchasing a home has been considered a good way to increase families' assets and use the accumulated wealth towards retirement. Along with a recent escalation in the cost of homes and mortgage interest rates, the current trend of more people renting rather than...

Retirement savings and expenditure patterns of renters and homeowners: different resources or different views?
This study examines the retirement preparation of renters and homeowners. Housing is commonly the largest asset for consumers and often provides benefits related to retirement such as reduced costs for housing services and the potential for reverse mortgages or other uses of equity. Consequently, the retirement preparation of renters...

What you can do to lower fees.
Banks have been raising fees or instituting new ones for several years. Over a four-year period, fees on checking and savings accounts rose 50%. What can you do to lower such charges? The Institute of Certified Financial Planners recommends: Pay attention. Banks do not announce new fees...

Profile: People's Community Bank; "our business people". (Headquarters 2003: Advertising Feature).
How many of today's banks offer that friendly, small-town banking atmosphere, where everyone from the bank tellers to the president gets to know their customers, their businesses and their community? The truth is, not many. Bigger banks operate on the basis of volume. But at People's Community Bank, personal...

Free ... or low-cost. (Resources for the classroom).
The latest free videos available from Video Placement Worldwide at http://www.vpw.com include: * Be Sensible: Don't Drive Yourself to Distraction, an eight-minute program from Cingular Wireless aimed at educating teens about driving distractions and how to overcome them. * Master Your Future, a 23-minute video...

Camp Towne: teaching campers about business.
In the spring of 1991, the Consumer Credit Federation of America and American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. jointly sponsored a nationwide test of high school students' consumer knowledge. The researchers found that most high school students are unprepared for the many critical purchasing and money management decisions they...

Money talk.
The famous line of the late Jack Benny, "If I can't take it with me I'm not going," was always good for a big laugh. Not so funny, however, is that three out of four Americans die intestate (without a will). And if you think that your assets don't...

ARGENTINA: GOVERNMENT DEFAULTS ON MORE LOANS.
Despite increased confidence in the financial system and signs of slightly improved economic stability, Argentina has defaulted on more loans and says it will make no more payments until an agreement is reached with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In early December, the government did, however, lift the freeze...

Shea Capital Management, LLC: helping clients achieve their dreams.
We all dream. Shea Capital Management is on a mission to help clients achieve those dreams. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "I'm creating a new industry," says Geoffrey Shea, president. "Attempting to make money for people in bull or bear markets is only a portion of what I...

6 way to avoid the financial potholes of life.
If you have your personal finances under control and in great shape, read no further. If you're confident and happy with the state of your finances, don't waste your time here. On the other hand, if you'd like to improve your financial situation, avoid some of themore...