By: Roshawn Watson

It is my honor to welcome you to the September 10, 2010 Edition #157 of the Carnival of Financial Planning! It is hard to believe that this is my second time hosting the carnival. It travels every week and always includes several “gems of posts.” If you are unfamiliar with the carnival, it “takes the long-term view of personal financial planning for individuals and families.” It focuses “on efficient and sustainable personal financial planning practices that can lead to lifetime financial security.”

This edition is arranged by subject heading, so that you can browse efficiently.
Enjoy!

Today’s carnival was edited by The Skilled Investor

Budgeting and Economics

Roshawn Watson presents Is Extreme Frugality For You? posted at Watson Inc, saying, “Austerity can help you maximize your dollars, but is extreme frugality for you?”
 
Joe Plemon presents Five Steps Toward Automating Your Way to Wealth posted at Personal Finance By The Book, saying, “Will power won’t get the job done, but automating your finances will. This post tells how.”

The Skilled Investor presents Save More posted at Personal Financial Strategy, saying, “Budgeting and self-control in consumption is far more important than clever investing. Expenditure control and budgeting works, while “clever” investing usually is counter-productive.”

Roshawn Watson presents Economists Blame ME for the Slow Recovery posted at Watson Inc, saying, “We are responsible with our money, yet instead of admiration (or even understanding), these efforts garner contempt as the frugal once again get the blame for dismal economic activity.”
 
Kim Staudenraus presents What Is A Budget? posted at Life & Finances, saying, “The word “budget” is not a controlling word, it is not a word meaning “you can’t have.” It is a word meaning you have freedom and are in control.”
 
Khaleef @ KNS Financial presents Should You Really Pay for These Things? posted at Faithful With A Few, saying, “Here is a list of items that you are most likely paying for, that you probably can get for free! A lot of great tips in the comments as well!”
 
Control your Cash presents Meet your role model, Part II of III posted at Control Your Cash, saying, “Brandon proves that you don’t have to be born rich to avoid being poor. He buys assets, he sells (or never incurs) liabilities, and he lives better than plenty of people who make 3 times as much.”
 
Wise Bread presents Be In Charge Of Your Finances posted at Wisebread.

Joe Plemon presents How to Successfully Budget For an Irregular Income posted at Personal Finance By The Book, saying, “You CAN budget for an irregular income by following these five simple steps.”

Mike @ Green Panda presents The $7.27 Mistake Plus Ways To Avoid It posted at Green Panda Treehouse, saying, “How to make the most out of your money when going out.”

MoneyNing presents Money Mistakes That (Mostly) Women Make posted at Money Ning, saying, “Women are prone to make certain money mistakes more often than others.”

Financial Planning

Sustainable Life Blog presents Prioritizing Goals? posted at Sustainable Life Blog, saying, “Wondering where to turn when starting to attack debt? Here’s a quick guide on how to help you prioritize your goals.”

jim presents Review Your Credit Reports Every Year posted at Identity Theft Wall.

Ryan @ MFN presents What to Do With an Enlistment Bonus posted at The Military Wallet, saying, “What should you use a large cash bonus for? Pay down debt, invest, spend?”

Larry Russell presents Best No Load Mutual Funds posted at Best Index Mutual Funds, saying, “Superior past performance has simply not been shown to be a reliable predictor of superior future performance. However, low costs can lead you to the best mutual funds.

Frank Knight presents Roth IRA ConversionFinancial Planning Software posted at My Financial 
Freedom Plan, saying, “Whether to invest in a Roth IRA or Roth 401k versus their traditional retirement account alternatives is one of the most complex personal financial decisions. Roth accounts do not make sense financially for most people. They are a good deal, for a minority, but you need to do the analysis.”

Dividend Tree presents Building Core Competency for Long Term Survival posted at Dividend Tree, saying, “whether it is running a business or individuals investment portfolio, it is important to build a core competency for long term sustainability. In my case, I focus on good quality companies that consistently pay or have potential to pay growing dividends over time.
 
The Dough Roller presents The Best Airline Miles Credit Cards posted at The Dough Roller, saying, “A list of airline credit cards that can pay for your next vacation.”
 
Frank Knight presents Asset Allocation Strategy posted at Best Personal Financial Planning Software, saying, “When you are already there and invested in an asset class, you are following a passive asset allocation strategy. Tactical asset allocation strategy advocates suggest that you can anticipate the crowd, but flow-of-funds studies show that almost all tactical asset allocation fund flows are late money flows that chase performance after valuations have already moved.”

Financing a Home

Jeff Rose, CFP presents Things to Consider When Taking Out a Second Mortgage posted at Jeff Rose, saying, “A second mortgage is not the answer for everyone so read about all the factors before making your final decision.”

FMF presents How to Improve Your Chances of Getting a Mortgage posted at Free Money Finance, saying, “Getting a home loan these days can be difficult — even for qualified buyers. This post gives some tips for improving your borrowing potential.”
 
Jeff Rose, CFP presents Before Purchasing a Bigger Home Consider These Steps or Go Broke posted at Jeff Rose, saying, “If you are considering buying a bigger home you need to read this article before you start the process. Here are some things that you need to consider.”
 
Writers Coin presents Thank God for Stupid People posted at The Writer’s Coin, saying, “Stupid people are great because they give us faith that we can accomplish things we might think are impossible.”

Financing Education

mike presents 8 Things You Need to Know About Withdrawing Money From Your RESP Account posted at Mike, saying, “RESP withdrawal rules for Canadians.”

Ryan @ CML presents Where to Open a Coverdell ESA Plan posted at Cash Money Life, saying, “Coverdell ESAs are a college savings account that have great tax advantages. This info can help you find a great place to open your Coverdell ESA.”

Income

Daniel M. Wood presents How to Sell to a Customer Again and Again posted at Looking to Business, saying, “Selling to a customer that you have sold to before makes a lot of sense; It is easier, as they know what is expected and they are often open to spending more money, as you have already proved your worth, meaning you can sell more products or sign them up for a longer period of time.”

MoneyNing presents 15 Ways to Earn Extra Money posted at Money Ning, saying, “There are lots of ways to make more money. Here are 15 to start you off.”

Investing

FMF presents Understanding Investment Risks posted at Free Money Finance, saying, “Managing risk is a big (and important) parts of any investment strategy. This post details the types of risk every investor needs to consider.”
 
freefrombroke presents Why Invest In Mutual Funds posted at Free From Broke, saying, “Mutual fund are a huge piece of many portfolios. See why most should invest in mutual funds.”
 
Silicon Valley Blogger presents How To Invest Online Using The Peter Lynch Strategy posted at The Digerati Life, saying, “Investing like one of the greats!”
 
MoneyNing presents Second Recession: Don’t Let Fear Take Over posted at Money Ning, saying, “Whatever the circumstances, allowing fear to creep in will only make the situation worst.”
 
Super Saver presents Choosing Data Analysis over Emotion posted at My Wealth Builder, saying, “Typically, I like discipline of relying on the data.”

Tomas Escent presents Stock Trader Automation posted at Nerds on Wall Street

Praveen presents Caveat Emptor: If An Investment or Opportunity Appears Too Good To Be True, Beware! posted at My Simple Trading System, saying, “Beware of investment opportunities that seem to be too good to be true.”

The Skilled Investor presents Stock Market Timing posted at Personal Investment Management, saying, “Always stay invested to earn risk premiums. You must have your money invested and at risk to get risk premium returns. Jumping out and in or “timing the markets” doesn’t work.”
 
The Financial Blogger presents Best 50 Canadian Dividend Stocks posted at The Financial Blogger, saying, “With the plethora of dividend stocks out there, here are the best 50 canadian dividend stock picks.”

Dividend Tree presents Dividend Investing and Businesses with Moat posted at Dividend Tree, saying, “In general, companies with moats in their business are very good dividend growth providers. However, the opposite may not be true.”

Frank Knight presents Muni Bond Financial Software, posted at Best Financial Planning Software, saying, “Municipal bond investments and your state and federal marginal income tax rates: Some investors hold municipal bonds in an attempt to reduce their tax burden. This article discusses the relationships between tax-exempt municipal bonds, bond market returns, marginal tax rates, and investment asset tax location.”
 
Sam presents Hedge Funds in the News. What Are Hedge Funds. How Do Hedge Funds Make Money posted at Surfer Sam and Friends, saying, “Hedge Funds in the News What Are Hedge Funds And How Do Hedge Funds Make Money? Hedge funds pools of capital for investment. They are a prime example of capitalism in the 21st century. They reward risk takers and they exist to make rich people richer. Is it possible to beat the investment markets? Finance professors say no. Hedge fund managers say yes.”
 
Dividends4Life presents 7 Dividend Stocks Sending More Cash To Shareholders posted at Dividends Value, saying, “If your goal is to accumulate wealth for a comfortable retirement, then there is no risk-free path. Throughout time every angle has been tried and failed. What appears to be a safe investment in a federally insured CD or money market , may not even be covering inflation. Growth stocks don’t always grow. The astute conservative investor turns to solid dividend paying stocks with a track record of growing their dividends each year.

Tushar Mathur presents Can’t Control the Markets? Try controlling the Costs posted at Everything Finance, saying, “The financial markets are prone to unpredictable periods of turbulence. That can make investing feel a bit like a roller-coaster ride. The disappointing results may have left you feeling concerned over your financial future. You’re not alone.”
 
Mike Piper presents Do You Have an Investment Backup Plan? posted at The Oblivious Investor, saying, “What’s your plan in case your investments don’t perform as well as you’d hoped?”

Frank Vertin presents Top Index Funds posted at Index Mutual Funds, saying, “Top ten no load index funds that track the Standard and Poors 500 composite index in terms of lowest costs.

Managing Debt

Jeff Rose, CFP presents Consumer Credit Counseling FAQ: What You Need to Know posted at Jeff 
Rose, saying, “What you need to know about consumer credit counseling.”

Roshawn Watson presents Why Is Debt Really Decreasing? posted at Watson Inc, saying, “In the first quarter of 2008, our debt to disposable income peaked at a staggering 131%. This means for every dollar we earned, we spent $1.31. As of March, our debt as a share of our annual income is presently 122%. If you think this change indicates that we have collectively been so scarred by the “Great Recession” that we are now behaving fiscally responsible, think again. There is a surprising and sad reason why our debt has gone down. Hint, it has nothing to do with frugality.”
 
David presents A Comparision of 0 % Balance Transfer Cards From Citi posted at Credit Card Offers IQ.

Learn Save Invest presents 5 Steps To Debt Reduction posted at Learn Save Invest, saying, “Here are 5 tips you need to master in order to reduce your debts.”

Big Cajun Man presents Found Money Trap posted at Canadian Personal Finance Blog, saying, “Found money should go on debt no matter what!”

The Smarter Wallet presents Are Debt Counseling Services The Way To Debt Relief? posted at The Smarter Wallet, saying, “On debt counseling services.”
 
Before You Invest presents 0% Balance Transfer Credit Cards – September 2010 posted at Before You Invest…, saying, “Do you have high credit card balances with equally high interest? Maybe you should look in to one of those zero percent balance transfer offers, but before you do there are always pros and cons. In this post we take a look at some of the benefits and drawbacks of transferring your high interest balances.”
Silicon Valley Blogger presents Use Airline Credit Cards & Frequent Flyer Programs For Frugal Travel posted at The Digerati Life, saying, “A look at travel and airline credit cards as a way to get better deals when traveling.”
 
assdfil presents Chase Travel Card Showdown ? Continental OnePass vs Sapphire Preferred posted at NerdWallet Blog – Credit Card Watch, saying, “A few months back, Chase launched a new travel rewards card called the Continental OnePass Plus, which pays out OnePass frequent flyer miles for every dollar spent. Not content to leave it at that however, we decided to pit it up against another one of Chase’s all-star travel cards – the Sapphire Preferred.”

Miscellaneous

 
PT presents Free Online Checking Accounts posted at Prime Time Money, saying, “Make sure you don’t pay for checking. Review this list of the best free online (and offline) checking accounts.”
 
Carlos Sera presents A Tale of Love; Financial Tales posted at Financial Tales, saying, “I wanted to release a tale that conveyed some old fashioned wisdom, especially for those readers that are young. My daughter just came back from spending a few months on an island where every day an older man would put up a sign that said “Wisdom 5 Cents” and sit in his lawn chair waiting for customers. I found it curious and of course it started me thinking about what it is that I’m doing with financial tales. So here’s my 5 cents on what is important about money and relationships. If anyone has any good mini-stories to add I would love to post them.”

Mike @ Green Panda presents Stop Waiting For The Big Idea posted at Green Panda Treehouse, saying, “Just thinking about the next big thing might just be a complete waste of time. Take that step towards your goals.”

nissim ziv presents What Are Your Weaknesses? Interview Questions and Best Answers posted at Job Interview Guide, saying, “No doubt, that this question fears most job applicants, as the interviewer actually ask YOU to give him a reason – why s/he should NOT hire you for the job…”

Pasadena Financial Planner presents Vanguard’s Investment Performance posted at Top Mutual Funds, saying, “Compares Vanguard’s actively managed mutual funds and Vanguard’s passively managed index mutual funds. Vanguard investors should read and understand this study.”
 
Big Cajun Man presents Trust Only in Fire posted at Canadian Personal Finance Blog, saying, “What is the best way to dispose of sensitive material at home?”

Retirement Planning

FMF presents Withdrawing Money During Retirement posted at Free Money Finance, saying, “Details on when and how to withdraw your retirement savings.”
 
Jessica Bosari presents How to Get More Money Every Month from Social Security | billeater.com posted at Billeater, saying, “Social Security Application Withdrawal – Options for retirees.”
 
Consumer Boomer presents Distribution Rules For Roth IRA posted at Consumer Boomer, saying, “The Roth IRA is an excellent tool to invest and save money toward retirement. Find out what unique benefits a Roth IRA offers.”

Super Saver presents Don’t Count on Housing for Building Wealth posted at My Wealth Builder, saying, “The appreciation of home values is expected to be significantly lower.”

Jules Wells presents Retirement Planning Calculator–Retirement Savings Software, posted at Retirement 
Income Planning, saying, “This article helps you understand the trade-offs between traditional and Roth tax-advantaged retirement plan contributions, including Roth 401k and IRA retirement plans. It helps with the 2010 Roth conversion decision.”
 
Tom @ Canadian Finance Blog presents Can You Afford Retirement care? posted at The Canadian Finance Blog, saying, “Wondering if you can afford retirement care? Many Canadians are reasonably well set for retirement, but may not be ready for worst case scenarios.
 
Neal Frankle presents IRA FAQ ? All the Answers You Need In Plain English posted at Wealth Pilgrim, saying, “You need to know IRA FAQ PDQ (Pretty Darn Quick). I say this because we have to take responsibility for our own financial future. Nobody else is going to do it for us.”

Larry Russell presents Roth IRA Conversion posted at Personal Financial Planning Software, saying, “Trying to decide about a traditional IRA to Roth IRA conversion without first having a comprehensive lifetime financial plan in place makes absolutely no sense. Without such a plan, you cannot figure out whether or not you are likely to achieve the tax savings in retirement that would warrant paying higher taxes now.”

Risk Management and Insurance

Consumer Boomer presents Term Life Quotes posted at Consumer Boomer, saying, “When you purchase an insurance policy it is important to know exactly what you are buying. Here is some important information about Term Life quotes.”

Big Cajun Man presents Self Insured Company Disability Plans posted at Canadian Personal Finance Blog, saying, “Sometimes insurance is not as safe as you might think (in Canada at least)”
 
Jules Wells presents Investment Risk Tolerance Questionnaire Financial Planning Software, posted at  

Financial Answers saying, “There is a way for you to get a much better assessment of your risk tolerance than you would from a simple conservative versus aggressive financial industry investor questionnaire.”
 
Susan Howe presents 15 Things You Didn’t Know Your Car And Home Insurance Policies Cover posted at  
Car Policies Articles, saying, “Your insurance policies probably include coverage you’ve never thought about. In order for you to get the most value from your policy, check out these things that may already be included for your premium payments.”

Savings

Super Saver presents A Simple Way to Build Wealth posted at My Wealth Builder, saying, “One of my favorite personal finance principles is ‘Pay yourself first.'”

Ryan @ MFN presents Military Savings Deposit Program (SDP) posted at The Military Wallet, saying, “The Savings Deposit Program is a government sponsored savings account that guarantees 10% return on interest for deployed military members.”

KCLau presents Are You Rich in Internal Assets? posted at KCLau’s Money Tips, saying, “pay attention to the internal assets

Taxes

Madison DuPaix presents Do You Have to Pay Taxes on Unemployment? posted at My Dollar Plan, saying, “Here’s great info on something you may not even be considering if you lose your job – taxes on unemployment.”
 
Ken presents Understanding Tax Deductions posted at Spruce Up Your Finances, saying, “Discusses how it is different from a tax credit, the types of tax deductions, and the biggest mistakes people make when claiming the tax deduction.”

Financial Freedom presents Roth IRAFinancial Software, posted at Financial Freedom, saying, “The Roth tax optimization puzzle for asset conversions, as well as for annual Roth contributions during working years, is one of the most complex decisions that the ridiculously complex US taxation and retirement planning system forces upon individuals.”

Intelligent Speculator presents Please do not let the Bush tax cuts expire posted at Intelligent Speculator, saying, “It may be easier to take the popular position and have the Bush tax cuts expire, but I personally think otherwise.”

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of Carnival of Financial Planning using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.
Technorati tags: carnival of financial planning, blog carnival.

Best Personal Financial Planning and Personal Investment Articles this Week from Personal Finance Blogs

Welcome to the August 7, 2009 Edition #101 of the Carnival of Financial Planning.

The Carnival of Financial Planning takes a long-term view of personal financial planning for individuals and families. We focus on efficient and sustainable personal financial planning practices that can lead to lifetime financial security.

This edition is arranged by subject heading, so that you can browse efficiently.

Enjoy!

The Skilled Investor, Editor

Budgeting

Dorian Wales presents The Personal Financier: Personal Finance Management: Budget vs. Net Worth posted at The Personal Financier, saying, “While it may be recommended to manage both a budget and net-worth sometimes focus leads to better results.”

Susan Saverton presents Living Expense Tracking posted at Family Financial Planner, saying, “If you do not understand how much you spend and how much you are saving and investing, you simply do not have a financial plan. This situation dramatically increases your family’s long-term financial risk.”

Economics

Banker Saver presents Is The Inflation Protected Certificate of Deposit Still Around? posted at Banker Saver

Tony Cookson presents Chicago: Why we have good apples, but few old cars posted at This Young Economist, saying, “Chicago streets have a lot of nice cars: BMWs, Audis, Hummers, Range Rovers, etc. Even the less expensive cars are relatively new. This is in stark contrast to the stock of cars in Montana. Not only are such fancy cars rare in Montana, but the fleet of vehicles is much older — at least based on my casual observation. Our 1997 Oldsmobile Cutlass is a dinosaur in Chicago, but it does not stick out too much in Montana. This article explains why.”

Phil B. presents 7 Reasons Why Cash for Clunkers is a Bad Idea « Phil for Humanity posted at Phil for Humanity, saying, “The “Cash for Clunkers” Program only seems like a good idea to stimulate the economy..”

Finance Tips 101 presents Saving Cash With Coupons? Three Tips To Keep More of Your Money posted at Finance Tips 101.

Zach Scheidt presents GDP Report Offers Positive Headline, Negative Details posted at ZachStocks, saying, “The GDP report was trumpeted as an improvement and an indication of a recovering economy. However, behind the headlines there is significant detail pointing to risk for the economy and for investments.”

TIE presents Efficiency and Rationality in Financial Markets posted at The Incidental Economist, saying, “A careful review of the EMH and the extent to which it applies to non-institutional investors.”

Dorian Wales presents On Causality and Correlation in Economics posted at The Personal Financier, saying, “Causality is perhaps the most fundamental element of empirical evidence available to economists. However, it is also the source of many misconceptions due to its elusive nature.”

Roshawn Watson presents The Rich Get Poorer posted at Watson Inc, saying, “The implications of this recent recession have been far-reaching enough to put a big dent in American and world wealth. Both the magnitude of wealth and the number of millionaires decreased profoundly in 2008.”

Estate Planning

Jeff Rose presents Taking Care of an Elderly Parent posted at Jeff Rose, saying, “Find of what you need to do when you have to become the parent of your parents.”

Financial Planning

Tom Drake presents Fee-Only Financial Planners posted at The Canadian Finance Blog, saying, “Looking for someone to help with your investments with your best interests in mind? You should hire a fee-only financial planner.”

jim presents Go Direct To Credit Bureaus for Credit Score posted at Blueprint for Financial Prosperity.

Patrick @ Military Money presents How Much Life Insurance Do Military Members Need? posted at Military Finance Network, saying, “Military members may have different life insurance needs than civilians. Here is information regarding how much life insurance military members should buy, and some resources for finding the best life insurance deals.”

Big Cajun Man presents Mid-Year Personal Finance Check Up posted at Canadian Personal Finance Blog, saying, “Mid year is a good time to go over your plan for the year to see how well you are doing, so do it now!”

KCLau presents I achieved financial freedom at 38 posted at KCLau’s Money Tips, saying, “This post is contributed by WaiYin, a reader whom I admire very much because she achieved financial freedom at age 38! Here, she shares how she did it.”

Four Pillars presents Make Home Affordable Refinance Program Changes Eligibility Requirements For Easier Refinancing posted at Quest For Four Pillars, saying, “Making Home Affordable refinance program eases requirements.”

Curt presents Don’t Take The Bait: Why You Shouldn’t Trade In Your Car For $4,500 On a New One posted at PennyJobs.com.

Sam presents New !! Prenup !! Should I Sign a Prenuptial Agreement? Do I Need a Prenuptial Agreement? posted at Surfer Sam and Friends, saying, “Sometime before the wedding, your loved one may bring up the issue of a prenuptial agreement. Don’t panic. You’ve heard about prenuptial agreements. Donald and Ivana Trump had one. Liz Taylor and construction worker Larry Fortensky had one. Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes have one. Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman have one. A prenuptial agreement, also called a prenup, is a way to protect your interests if it becomes time to untie the knot.”

Fitz Villafuerte presents How To Find The Best Personal Financial Adviser posted at Ready To Be Rich, saying, “How do you find the best personal financial adviser? It’s easy and you’ll be surprised where you could find him or her.”

KCLau presents Why Robert T. Kiyosaki is a best-selling author? posted at KCLau’s Money Tips, saying, “Robert T. Kiyosaki is the best personal finance author I follow. I started reading his books back in 1999. Although some reviews you found written by readers on Amazon say that he keeps repeating most of the points, I still find them interesting every time. It works as a revision whenever he repeats.”

Susan Saverton presents Personal Investing Strategies posted at Family Financial Planning, saying, “When pursuing optimal financial planning and investing strategies and controlling your costs and capital gains taxes, you also need to establish a time-efficient system to monitor, adjust, and adhere to your financial plan. You need to control and limit the time that you spend on your financial planning, and you need to focus your planning efforts on the most effective activities.”

Financing a Home

FMF presents Now’s the Time to Buy a House posted at Free Money Finance, saying, “Has the housing market hit bottom? If so, now’s the best time to buy a new home.”

Ben Dinsmore presents Why Do I Have to Pay for Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI)? posted at Trees Full of Money, saying, “If you do not stay on top of your Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI), you may end up paying hundreds (if not thousands) more than you need to!”

Ray presents Net Worth Update and First Time Home Buyer Plans posted at Money Blue Book, saying, “Looking to finally purchase a new construction home. Need to improve credit score and save for down payment”

Patrick @ Cash Money Life presents What Do You Do When You Face Possible Foreclosure? posted at Cash Money Life, saying, “What are your options when you face foreclosure?”

Alex Fotopoulos presents When is it Smart to Refinance a Mortgage? posted at My Trader’s Journal, saying, “Some key points to consider when refinancing your home.”

Financing Education

Dividend Tree presents Which High Do You Prefer? posted at Dividend Tree, saying, “High profitability or high income, or high EPS growth rate as a standalone does not provide a true picture. We can get a true picture by looking for consistency. Two simple statistical measures of average and standard deviation can help us measure consistency.”

Praveen presents Students Beware! Colleges, Tuition, Loans, and Debt – Will Education Follow the Housing Bust? posted at My Simple Trading System, saying, “Tips for students to avoid excessive loans and debt”

Joe E presents President Obama Increases Pell Grant and Perkins Loan Limits posted at Consolidating Student Loans Online, saying, “New loan limits on Pell Grants and Perkins Loans – both government backed financial aid products – may make it easier for some students to afford school. The new limits will go into effect in fall, 2009…”

Health Care

Brian presents High Cost Of Health Care: What Is The Root of the Problem? posted at How To Live a Longer Life, saying, “It doesn’t matter if we have private health care insurance, single-payer public coverage, or if we pay out of our cash and savings. No matter the health care system, the last year of life will be more expensive. At some point the costs might not be worth it.”

Income

Joe Plemon presents Is a College Degree Necessary For Success? posted at Personal Finance By The Book, saying, “Besides, being billionaires, what do Richard Branson, Bill Gates and Michael Dell have in common? None graduated from college. What attributes helped them succeed and can help you succeed?”

Praveen presents Easy Ways to Generate Cash posted at My Simple Trading System, saying, “Easy ways to generate extra cash”

FMF presents My Jobs, I Get My Dream Job posted at Free Money Finance, saying, “This post details the twists and turns associated with me getting my dream job and lists several key career-building principles I learned in the process.”

Investing

Dividend Growth Investor presents MLPs Dominate Distribution Increases posted at Dividend Growth Investor.

Dan at Everydayfinance presents Swine Flu Stock Mania – Just Wait ’til Fall posted at Everyday Finance, saying, “This article highlights the recent triple digit gains in several so-called ‘Swine Flu Stocks’ and questions whether the hype has gotten ahead of the fundamentals.”

Marc Ryan presents IndependentInvestor.info – Non-traditional ETFs in Canada: wolves in sheep’s skin? posted at IndependentInvestor.info, saying, “In this second commentary on exchange traded funds, we look at the various types of ETF’s traded on the TSX (Toronto Stock Exchange) in Canada. We explain how to find yourself among the more and more numerous new ETF funds, where to find information on fund management fee levels, and the speculative aspects and weaknesses of many of the new funds.”

Dividend Tree presents Apple – Great Products But Is It a Great Investment? | Dividend Tree posted at Dividend Tree, saying, “I am one of those millions of aficionados who love Apple products. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same when it comes to investing. Questions like these make me wary of investing in Apple.”

Silicon Valley Blogger presents Online Discount Brokers: SmartMoney Broker Survey posted at The Digerati Life, saying, “The SmartMoney broker survey ranks the online discount brokers on various criteria.”

The Smarter Wallet presents Online Stock Brokers With Cheap Brokerage Fees posted at The Smarter Wallet

Ray @ Financial Highway presents Discount Brokers: 5 Tips to Choose the Best Discount Broker posted at Financial Highway, saying, “Tips on how to find the best discount broker”

Jae Jun presents 2009 Top 40 Best Stocks to Retire On: Part 4 | Old School Value posted at Old School Value, saying, “Went through all 40 of Fortune’s Best Stocks to Retire on list of 2009. View the results now.”

Sun presents Broker Web-Based Trading Platform Comparison posted at The Sun’s Financial Diary.

The Skilled Investor presents Personal Investment Management posted at Personal Investment Manager, saying, “Investors more easily understand investment costs that are directly measurable, such as fees deducted on investment statements. However, many investors ignore or are unaware of the opportunity costs of their sub-optimal investment behaviors. Opportunity costs are usually much more difficult to measure directly, but these investment costs can be even higher than more visible investment fees.”

Barry presents Does It Make Sense To Use Home Equity To Invest? posted at Associate Money.

Zach Scheidt presents Verso Paper Breaking Out From the Brink of Death posted at ZachStocks, saying, “Verso Paper Corp (VRS) has been under intense pressure relating to excessive debt and a lack of paper orders. A slight improvement could touch off a sharp reversal in fortunes, however, as many competitors are now gone. Debts have been re-negotiated and are no longer so serious.”

Mike Johnson presents Trading System Part 2 posted at System Trading | Stocks Trading Systems, saying, “Now we covered a large form of protection in the exit strategy. In other investments, there is usually not as much overlap. However you probably want to learn a lot about forming a business entity. Talk to your accountant, bookkeeper, and attorney, and any other needed professionals to determine what is right for you.”

Dorian Wales presents The Personal Financier: Diversification is Dead. Long live Diversification posted at The Personal Financier, saying, “Don’t give up on diversification through asset allocation just yet”

Dividends4Life presents Snap, Crackle and Pop: The Sound of a Rising Dividend! posted at Dividends Value, saying, “Dividend increases aren’t the only thing the Kellogg Company (K) is known for. For anyone over the age of two, Snap, Crackle and Pop are very familiar characters. Since 1933 the three elf characters have been the spokesmen for Kellogg’s Rice Krispies.”

Allison Johanson presents Why Everything You’ve Heard About Leveraged ETFs Is Wrong posted at ETFdb.

TIP Guy presents Stock Buying Process posted at TIPBlog.in, saying, “For my long term portfolio, I buy stocks that I want invest for long term and grow with the company. I buy stocks in blocks of one third over a period of time. I initiate a position which helps me follow the company. It also helps me make sure; I am not making a mistake. It may take me one year, two years, or more for second or third installments.”

The Dividend Guy presents Dividend Stocks in My Portfolio that Have Raised Dividends posted at The Dividend Guy Blog, saying, “As a dividend investor, I watch closely how my dividend stocks perform. In an environment where may stocks are cutting their dividends, here are some of mine which have been increasing them.”

The Smarter Wallet presents Stock Mutual Funds: Building Your First Investment Portfolio posted at The Smarter Wallet

Tom Escent presents Quantitative Finance posted at Nerds on Wall Street, saying, “Think of this book as sort of a Hitchhiker’s Guide to Wired Markets. There are no robots parking cars for six million years, but there are robots trading millions of shares in six milliseconds, so maybe that’s close enough.”

Dividend Tree presents BRIC Acronym? Does it Have Any Relevance? posted at Dividend Tree, saying, “This BRIC label does not have any fundamental basis other than emerging markets. There are thousands of companies in all four economies, and clubbing all together to preparing a representative fund of few tens, or few hundreds does not make sense to me. Also, the idea that one can capture and hedge by investing in BRIC based funds is something that I cannot understand.”

Frank Vertin presents Best Index Funds posted at Best Index Funds, saying, “Buying an S&P; 500 index fund through an investment counselor can substantially increase your initial purchasing costs and and drive up your annual management expense fees. Unfortunately, the vast majority of individual investors buy mutual funds and ETFs through brokers and investment advisers. Rarely do financial advisors recommend that you buy index funds with low fees. This is because low cost, no load mutual funds do not pay them as well as loaded, high fee mutual funds.”.

Zach Scheidt presents Solar Stocks Cheer SunPower Results posted at ZachStocks, saying, “Solar Stocks traded higher after SunPower Corporation announced positive earnings. The industry is working through an inventory glut but it appears that certain segments are finding strength. SPWRA could reach $50 over the next few months if analyst expectations prove correct.”

ABC presents Some Index Funds and ETFs Are Not Diversified posted at ABCs of Investing, saying, “Some ETFs and index funds are too specific and risky for a passive investor.”

Larry Russell presents Best Noload Mutual Funds posted at NoLoad Mutual Funds, saying, “Taken as a whole, the vast body of investment research studies show that there really are better approaches to buying and owning mutual funds and ETFs. You do not need to frantically chase fund performance. Performance chasing simply does not work.”

ABC presents Different Types of Stock Market Indexes posted at ABCs of Investing, saying, “How different types of stock market indexes work.”

Tushar Mathur presents Can’t Control the Markets? Try controlling the Costs posted at Everything Finance, saying, “As 2008 proved, the financial markets are prone to unpredictable periods of turbulence. That can make investing feel a bit like a roller-coaster ride. The disappointing results that many mutual funds posted in 2008 and at the outset of 2009 may have left you feeling concerned over your financial future. You’re not alone.”

Managing Debt

MoneyNing presents AnnualCreditReport.com For Free Credit Reports posted at Money Ning, saying, “AnnualCreditReport.com should be the only way to get a free credit report.”

Big Larry presents Stupid Ways to Get Cash posted at Out of Debt Christian, saying, “When you are desperate for cash, there is always *someone* willing to lend you money, but of course at a tremendously high price. We reveal the high price of for popular ways to get quick cash and provide more sensible alternatives to each.”

Mr Credit Card presents Airline Credit Cards Survey posted at Ask Mr Credit Card, saying, “This is a survey of available airline credit cards”

Roshawn Watson presents Outrageous Law Transfers Parents’ Debt To YOU posted at Watson Inc, saying, “With few exceptions, such as a divorce decree, you are not legally liable for debts you have not personally signed for or agreed to pay. There is an inherent sense of fairness to this principle: your finances cannot be obligated to pay for something without your consent (except perhaps to the taxman or to your dependents). However, an archaic law in Pennsylvania is being enforced to make adult children to pay for their parents’ debts.”

Pinyo presents What is a Good Credit Score? posted at Moolanomy, saying, “Your credit score is an important aspect of your finances if you’re planning to borrow money — e.g., mortgage for home purchase or a student loan. In this article, learn what the industry considered a good score and follow instruction on how to get your credit score and credit report, as well as how to improve your score.”

Flea presents Getting Out Of Debt posted at Be A Survivor, saying, “Learn how to pay off your debt faster using proven techniques.”

Miscellaneous

FMF presents Details on Cash for Clunkers posted at Free Money Finance, saying, “Details on the governments new car-buying incentive.”

Tyler Tervooren presents Can You Benefit From Energy Efficiency Rebates? posted at Frugally Green, saying, “Being frugal means being able to look past the initial cost of something to see its long term value. Luckily, our government seems to understand this and is willing to help you with the purchase price of high efficiency appliances and renewable energy systems.”

Roshawn Watson presents Colleges Pimping Their Students posted at Watson Inc, saying, “Colleges Pimping Their Students: Universities are selling students’ personal information, typically to the highest bidding credit-card companies.”

FMF presents Parents and Students Finally Getting a Clue on College Choices posted at Free Money Finance, saying, “Everyone is starting to wake up and realize that college costs need to match the expected payout from a degree.”

Four Pillars presents 2009 Cash For Clunkers Program – Trade In Your Old Junker For Money posted at Quest For Four Pillars, saying, “A comprehensive look at the new Cash for Clunkers trade-in program.”

Noload Bonds presents Bond Index Funds posted at Bond Index Funds, saying, “Simply put, if you pay higher bond mutual fund fees, then these bond management expenses tend just to be a deadweight loss to you. The best bond fund buying strategy is to pick only very low-cost no load bond funds.”

Retirement Planning

Patrick @ Cash Money Life presents Tips for Managing Your 401k Plan posted at Cash Money Life, saying, “Tips for managing your 401k plan and other retirement contributions.”

Super Saver presents Planning to Retire Later also has Risks posted at My Wealth Builder, saying, “The option to continue working is no longer easily controlled by the employee.”

MoneyNing presents 401k, Traditional IRA and Roth IRA Savings Not The Same posted at Money Ning, saying, “When you plan for retirement, do you really look into the tax situation and how it will affect your account balances?”

Jeff Rose presents 5 Year Rule for Roth IRA Qualified Distributions posted at Jeff Rose, saying, “How to get your money out of a Roth IRA tax and penalty free all depends on the five year rule.”

Patrick @ Military Money presents Is REDUX Retirement Worth it? posted at Military Finance Network, saying, “REDUX is a military retirement option that offers military members a $30,000 Career Service bonus in return for a lower monthly pension. But is it worth it?”

Super Saver presents A Gift of Retirement Funds posted at My Wealth Builder, saying, “A relatively small lump sum investment of $10,000 can lead to a significant sized nest egg at retirement.”

Top 10 Index Funds presents S&P; 500 Index Funds posted at Top 10 Index Funds, saying, “Buy these top 10 very low cost no load S&P; 500 index mutual funds directly. You do not have to pay the heavy added expenses of buying through a stock broker, financial adviser, investment adviser, or investment counselor.”

Risk Management and Insurance

Paul Kamp presents Know the Signs! Pyramids and Ponzis… posted at Don’t Quit Your Day Job – Personal Finance, Economics and Investing, saying, “I wrote this article about 3 types of financial scams… Ponzi Schemes, Pyramid Schemes, and Matrix Schemes. Education is the best defense against these risks, so I’m submitting it to your Risk Management and Insurance section.”

Taxes

Jeff Rose presents Cash for Clunkers Tax Rules posted at Jeff Rose.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of Carnival of Financial Planning using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags: carnival of financial planning, blog carnival.