Business & Finance

Ever wonder where those spam email messages you receive come from, and how they got your email address? Spammers use a combination of technology, persistence and trickery to obtain email addresses and avoid detection.

The best ways to protect yourself from spammers and the scams they often promote is to be selective with the websites on which you post your email address and to ignore messages from companies that you've never heard of or seem suspicious.

HOW THEY GET YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS

“Spiders" – Also known as robots or scrapers, these software programs crawl the Web and online discussion groups, grabbing email addresses and domain names. Online directories and popular sites, such as AOL and eBay, are favorite targets.

As much as you’d like to, it’s really not safe to just throw away old computers, network equipment, or any electronics like TVs, cell phones, and DVD players. These items contain toxic chemicals, like arsenic and mercury, that can harm the environment if disposed of improperly.

How do you dispose of these things properly? Check out these two tips:

Reuse

This is the most environmentally friendly of the disposal methods. Find another use for your old equipment. For example, you might be able to use an old PC as a firewall, run a basic program like an older voicemail system, or make it a toy for your kids or grandkids to beat up.

E-cycle

April is Cuyahoga County's "Recycle Your Computer Month," during which residents can recycle home computer and cell phone equipment. Accepted items include CPUs, monitors, keyboards, mice, printers, terminals, modems, cables, software, ink printer cartridges,  and cell phones and accessories.

Does your computer ever run slow, act funny, or crash unexpectedly? Do you get a ton of pop-up ads, even when you are not actively surfing the web? Has your browser been “hijacked” and replaced with another unknown browser?

If so, your computer is infected with malicious spyware and viruses that can alter your computer, steal your confidential information, and disable the use of your PC, leaving you without a computer for hours or days while you get it fixed. And what’s worse –most times once your computer has been hit by these threats, it has to be completely wiped in order to fix it.

Unless you have a backup image (a snapshot of everything on the PC, exactly as it is), it will never quite be the same again. You may lose software programs that you downloaded, but don’t have the disk for, your icons won’t be where you remember them, and “little” things like your default printer could be all screwed up. It can be a nightmare. 

If watch the myriad investment programs on TV today you will notice a wide array of strategies and game plans to help you make the most of your investments. It is easy to become overwhelmed with all of the information and advice available today; however, it’s often best to stick to the basics when seeking consistent results.

As with a lot of things, once we feel we finally have a handle on the basics it’s easy to forget those simple things that got us started and instead chase after newer, more complicated ideas. To help you stay on track, let’s look at five investing basics to help you stay on track.

 “Hey, I have this hilarious video of you dancing. Your face is so red. You should check it out!”

If you've received a message like that through a Facebook or MySpace friend, you may have been exposed to the "Koobface" virus. Here’s what’s going on…

Hackers have now made a cozy new home for themselves on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. Disguised as one of your friends, they’ll send you a direct message with a video link attached. If you click on the link, you’re prompted to update your Flash player to see the video, and therein lies the virus – cloaked in a "flash_player.exe" file. Once installed, this  worm transforms your computer into a Zombie machine as part of a botnet (a network of computers that are controlled and used by the originator of the worm for unscrupulous purposes).

You hear it all the time – back up your data, keep your virus protection current, and install and maintain a firewall to protect yourself from hackers and other online threats. However, while these precautions will certainly help you avoid problems, they CAN’T do anything if you don’t have a good backup and disaster recovery plan in place.

Are You A Sitting Duck?    

We all know that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure; yet, disaster recovery planning often takes a distant second to the daily deadlines and pressures of running a business. That means that most businesses, including your own, may end up offline and without your data after a simple lightening storm. 

IRAs. You have heard the acronym before, and you may even have an IRA, but what is it exactly? IRA is the acronym for Individual Retirement Account, and although you may have other retirement accounts, chances are that you will one day utilize an IRA. We will look at what each letter means and why an IRA can be essential to your investment planning.

With the new year we often refocus on financial goals for ourselves and our family, and one of those goals is often saving more money. 529 savings plans (also called CollegeAdvantage plans) offer a great way to save for your children’s or grandchildren’s college education, but there is a lot more to 529 plans than meets the eye.

Traditionally, a 529 savings plan allows for a parent or grandparent to save money for a child’s higher education expenses. The money gifted is after-tax dollars and the account grows tax-deferred and if the funds in the account are used for qualified education expenses, the withdrawals are tax-free. There are generally no substitutes for tax-deferred growth and tax-free withdrawals, and utilizing these IRS allowances can immensely improve the value of the account. Additionally, if you are using a state-sponsored plan, such as the Ohio 529 plans (of which there are currently four), you may be entitled to a state tax-deduction from your tax returns.*

Estate Planning. You may know the term, and some may even have an estate plan in place, but what is it really? What does it mean to have a plan for your estate? Isn’t estate planning only for the super rich? Or is it? In this article we will answer those and many more questions about estate planning, and while there is a lot of information here, there is still even more to be known. Hopefully this article can give you a clear picture of what an estate plan is and why you would need to take action.

I am a Financial Advisor, not an estate planning attorney, and all the experience in the world is no substitute for someone who practices estate planning law on a daily basis and with that in mind I have consulted Laura L. Noble, an estate planning attorney in Bay Village, for some help. If you need more information or to see how this article applies to your specific situation, be sure to contact an estate planning professional.

How do the rise and fall of our country's interest rates affect you and your portfolio? Even though there are myriad opinions on ‘what the rates will do’ over the next year or so, it is important that you understand what changes in interest rates mean for you.

Over the past year, we have seen the Federal Reserve lower rates to unprecedented levels in an effort to spur the economy. The intention is that lower rates will encourage us as consumers to spend more, borrow more, and therefore lead to greater revenue generation for companies who are selling goods and services. As an investor, there is an additional perspective on rates that is important.

These economic times have made a lot of us face some tough decisions in our lives. Everything from our spending habits, things we do for fun and our saving habits have come under scrutiny as we try to ensure our families' well-being. Whether facing a lay-off, reduced pay, or the concern of cut-backs at work you may have had to take a hard look at your budget, and many have had to decide where the money will come from for the necessities of life.

Each year, over 20 million people in the United States change jobs due to mergers, downsizing, and layoffs, as well as voluntary career changes, and millions more enter retirement. Whether you have recently retired or changed careers you may have one or several retirement plans at former employers, and because of the array of options you have, many individuals are inclined to not make a decision at all and leave the money in their former employers’ plans.

One of the challenges that many parents face as they grow older is talking to their adult children about inheritance, wealth, and the financial implications of their mortality. Unfortunately many parents feel they have time so they delay having the conversation. That can be a mistake. Openly communicating with your children may not solve all of the problems, but it can reduce family conflict and empower your children to act on your behalf, should it become necessary. Communicating openly can also help prepare your loved ones to become responsible inheritors.

Especially in these tough economic times and with so many people out of work, changing careers, or trying to get their foot in the door of a company, it is important to keep your resume updated. If you have worked in one industry or company for many years and are now out of work, or are considering a whole new career, where do you start to create a new resume? What are employers looking for? How do you get their attention?

Some of the basics of a resume have changed quite a bit in the last 10 years. Here are some of the big differences in resumes prepared today compared to years ago:

Should You Convert To A Roth IRA?

If your income is $100,000 or less and you are single or married, filing jointly, you may be eligible to convert your traditional IRAs to a Roth IRA in order to take advantage of federally tax-free earnings in the future.  You will generally pay ordinary federal income tax (but not the 10% penalty tax) on the taxable amount that is converted. Your tax-free potential is maximized if you pay the taxes from your current income or personal savings, not your IRA.