7 Simple Tax Moves for 2008

Most people (including us) would rather do just about anything other than prepare our tax return..

A trip to the dentist? No problem. Heck, I'll even head over to the motor vehicle department and stand in line for a few hours to renew my driver's license. Oh, and while I'm at it, might as well stop by the courthouse to volunteer for jury duty.

Anything to keep me away from taxes!

Sorry to be the bearers of bad news, but have you looked at the calendar recently? Now that we're through President's Day weekend, you have less than two months to file your returns.

Maybe we can help make this whole experience just a little more pleasant. Not that you'll all of a sudden love doing taxes (hey, we can only help with so much!), but we can make it easier for you.

We've put together a brand-new video with our top tax tips for this year. You'll discover the two most common mistakes people make so you can avoid them and not have to go back and correct your returns later. We know you don't want to do that! And we'll also tell you about a widespread scam that you need to stay as far away from as possible.

Click here to see our 7 Simple Tax Moves for 2008.

  Avoid This Car Loan at All Costs!

If you've been with us at Dolans.com for a while, you know how much we hate gimmick mortgages. The low down payments, adjustable rates, interest-only payments… and so on. They got us into one heck of a mess.

Don't look now, but there are serious problems brewing with car loans.

Some companies are now offering loans that last 7 years, and there are even a few that last more than 8 years.

No matter what you may hear from a car salesman, don't even consider taking out a car loan of that length. The problem is that you'll eventually owe more on the car than it's actually worth.

It's called being “upside down” on your loan, and it's a terrible spot to be in. Suppose you get into an accident and your car is totaled? The check from your insurance company won't even cover the balance on your loan!

There are much better ways to pay for your car. Click here for a few of our tips and a warning about another common financing option.

  Boost Your Yield in 5 Easy Steps

Certificates of deposit (CDs) are tried and true investments that usually pay more than a savings account but still protect your money. That's especially important right now with the economy bordering on a recession and the stock market going up and down like a yo-yo.

But please, don't just head on over to your bank to open a CD. All CDs are NOT created equally.

With a little creative thinking, you can make more on your money. Follow our 5 easy steps to increase your bottom line.

Sincerely,

Ken & Daria Dolan

…Margaret Klubben.

Congratulations, Margaret!

In Your Money Matters Weekender, we had a little fun with the presidents and money. We asked you which presidents appeared on the $500 bill and the $100,000 bill. Thanks to all of you who participated. Margaret was the first one to email us with the correct answers, so she wins the prize!

Did you know the $500 and $100,000 bills even existed? They did, although neither was ever put into circulation. Banks used them, but not invdividuals. Can you imagine going into 7-11 and paying for a cup of coffee with one of those bills? Talk about throwing the cashier for a loop!

Here are the answers to our trivia questions:

Our winner, Margaret, will get a phone call from us to see how she's doing and what money matters she would like our help with.

Stay tuned for more fun trivia contests on Dolans.com in the coming weeks!

During the more than 20 years that we lived and worked in New York, we took in some of the best shows Broadway had to offer. But we also know firsthand how hard it can be to get tickets to a hot show.

Whether it’s the theater, a concert or sporting event, ticket prices have been skyrocketing out of control and are harder than ever to come by – in large part thanks to some ticket brokers who snatch them up on the Internet and then re-sell them at a ridiculously marked-up price!

But it’s not hopeless! If you’re on the hunt for tickets, listen in to our audio alert on the best sources for hard-to-get tickets without breaking the bank.