Which online tax preparation service is best for me?
April 11th, 2011 - Posted by Sarah
The following are actual user-submitted questions:
Q. I need to file state tax for two states along with federal. I collect alimony and have charitable donations to claim, moving expenses, etc. Which online tax preparation service is best for me?
A. The deadline for filing our taxes is upon us! In your case, although you have two states to deal with, your situation doesn't appear too complicated. Choose TaxAct, the program with the best value, to save money on adding those two states for only $14.95 apiece.
Q. My wife is a real estate agent and is considered self-employed. I work for a company with a normal paycheck. Which online tax preparation service is best for me?
A. Here we recommend going with a service designed for the self-employed. H&R Block's Premium package offers easy-to-use tools covering a wide variety of tax situations and in-person assistance. The company also guarantees an actual human from H&R Block will assist you in the event that you are audited.
How long does it take for the IRS to receive my tax forms if I file online?
April 11th, 2011 - Posted by Sarah
The following is an actual user-submitted question:
Q. How long does it take for the IRS to receive my tax forms if I file online?
A. Filing your taxes online is so much easier and faster than doing the math by hand and sending the forms via snail-mail. The IRS will generally receive your online forms within one to two business days. Expecting a refund? Give it four to eight weeks. It'll be sooner if you elect a direct-deposit refund and if you file earlier in tax season.
Download "The Lincoln Lawyer" audiobook free or cheap
April 8th, 2011 - Posted by Sarah
The Lincoln Lawyer was Michael Connelly's 16th novel and his first thriller starring L.A. defense attorney Mickey Haller. It came out in 2005, but since its film adaptation starring Matthew McConaughey and Marisa Tomei was released last month, interest is resurging in the story of Haller's difficult battle with his own ethics and ultimate decision to do the right thing. The book is (frequently) better than the movie version of a story, but if you're not a big reader or are short on time, pick up the audiobook of The Lincoln Lawyer for cheap or for free:
Audible.com: New subscribers can get this book for just $7.59 (regularly $15.93). That's the introductory price of the subscription service, which includes one monthly credit good for one book as well as 30% off all other books. One book a month might not seem like much for a voracious listener, but the deal includes additional reading in the form of a daily subscription to the The New York Times or The Wall Street Journal. After three months, the membership goes up to $14.95 a month, which is still less than the cost of this book without a membership. Click here to download the audiobook!
eMusic: This is the cheapest (read: free) way to download this book. A free trial plan includes one audiobook credit. After two weeks, a membership is only $9.99 a month. As with Audible.com, this subscription would provide you with one book a month. Click here to join eMusic.
Simply Audiobooks: This program is less cost-effective for downloads than the previous two: $14.95 a month for one title credit but with no free trial. If you use Simply Audiobooks, their CD rental program is a better value: you can rent an unlimited number of CDs, one at a time, for $14.95 a month. Click here to search for The Lincoln Lawyer from Simply Audiobooks.
iTunes: iTunes offers the audiobook with no subscription plan for $11.95. This is a great choice for casual listeners who are Apple fans as you can only listen to the book on the iPod, iPhone, iPad, or a computer with iTunes installed. Click here to download Connelly's audiobook!
Epsilon email security breach will likely lead to phishing
April 7th, 2011 - Posted by Kent
I've received no less than 4 emails from different companies notifying me about the breach of the Epsilon email database. Epsilon is a company that provides email marketing services for thousands of clients, including 7 of the Fortune 10 companies. They purportedly send over 40 billion emails annually. Chances are, you receive emails from them notifying you of special offers or new products from companies you do business with.
On March 30th, a hacker gained access to a portion of the email marketer's database, making off with an untold number of user emails and names. According to the company, nothing more sensitive than that was gleaned—no passwords, no Social Security numbers. So what's the risk?
The real damage from the attack will come later when the addresses fall into the hands of phishers. Since Epsilon's customers include financial institutions, cybercriminals are likely to use the addresses to send phishing emails. This is exactly what the emails I've been receiving have warned me about.
A phishing email is made to look just like an email from a financial institution or other Internet service. It contains either a direct request for personal information (account number, Social Security number, password, etc.), or a link to a web page that requires that information for a login. Phishing emails and web pages are built to look exactly like the pages of the companies they are emulating. They may even have similar urls. Hacks like the Epsilon breach allow phishing attacks to be highly targeted, since the phishers can be reasonably sure which customers use which services.
To protect yourself from these and other phishing attacks follow a few simple rules:
1) Don't respond to emails requesting personal information, even if it appears the sender was a company you do business with.
2) Don't click on links in emails. If you receive a notification that requires you to log into an account, go directly to the site via a browser bookmark, or by typing the URL in to the browser.
3) Invest in Internet security software that has built-in phishing protection and/or a personal information vault.
4) For maximum personal security—online and off—sign up for an identity theft protection service.
I live in California and borrowed money from PayDayMax in November for $570 dollars. They are now asking me to pay $1984.63. Is there anything I can do to get out of it?
April 7th, 2011 - Posted by Kent
The following is an actual user-submitted question:
Q: I live in California and borrowed money from PayDayMax in November for $570 dollars. They are now asking me to pay $1984.63. Is there anything I can do to get out of it?
A: We're sorry to hear you're having trouble with this lender, though sadly we're not surprised. We gave PayDayMax a 1-star rating when we reviewed them, largely because they're not located in California, and therefore are not bound by state laws that protect consumers from bad lending practices. In fact, they're not even headquartered in the United States.
First, you should review your original loan terms carefully, and make sure that your current balance is in line with what you signed up for. This can help you in a dispute, and at least you'll know where you stand.
In our research we found PayDayMax offering terms outside of what's legal in California. However, you may still be bound by their contract. California law does, however, protect you from being criminally prosecuted for failure to pay. While we're not lawyers, we don't believe California would or could enforce requests from PayDayMax.
After you've checked the terms of your original agreement, you might try checking to see if there are any free legal resources in the area you live in. They may be able to advise you of any alternatives you have. You can also try contacting the Attorney General's office in California to lodge a complaint or get more information.
Unfortunately, your credit score may be affected, and PayDayMax will likely report you to a collections agency, if they haven't already. We've heard that some people have had luck filing a cease and desist order, which will at least prevent further harassment, though it won't eliminate the debt.
If you do have to pay, try and negotiate a payment schedule with the company. You may be able to at least halt the addition of further fees and penalties. As much as possible you should avoid taking out additional loans to pay off PayDayMax as this will only increase your debt.
If you take out any payday loans in the future, we recommend going with a well-rated lender such as CashNetUSA that operates in the State of California.
I go through about two audiobooks a week. If I rent, what would my cost be?
April 7th, 2011 - Posted by Sarah
The following is an actual user-submitted question:
Q. I go through about two audiobooks a week. If I rent, what would my cost be?
A. If you listen to a large number of audiobooks, a subscription plan is far more cost-effective than purchasing them one at a time. The best plan for you is through Simply Audiobooks, a CD rent-by-mail service that allows you to rent from a large and current selection of titles. You can also rent more than one title at a time. Since you go through two per week, you should choose the Simply Audiobooks plan—with a free 15-day trial—for two books at a time at $26.98/month. There's no limit to the total number of books you can rent. Give it a week or so for you to receive your first books, and update your queue often to keep those audiobooks coming!
If someone checks my credit report without opening a new account would I be notified?
April 7th, 2011 - Posted by Tasha
Q: If someone checks my credit report without opening a new account would I be notified?
A: When a third party checks your credit report it's called an " inquiry" (See our FAQ to learn more about inquiries.) Trusted ID, IDENTITY GUARD®, Equifax Complete and ProtectMyID all provide 3-bureau credit monitoring, and will notify you if there are inquiries into any of your 3 credit reports. They will also notify you of any other changes to your credit reports, including (but not limited to) name changes, address changes and new lines of credit being opened.
Plus, right now Trusted ID and IDENTITY GUARD are both offering free trials and discounted prices if you order through our site. And you'll get free 3-bureau credit scores with your trial. So feel free to try them out, and if you don't feel they meet your needs you can cancel during the trial period and pay nothing.
Do identity theft protection services monitor all three credit bureaus on a daily basis?
April 6th, 2011 - Posted by Tasha
Q: Do identity theft protection services monitor all three credit bureaus on a daily basis?
A: Our top rated Trusted ID IDEssentials monitors your credit reports at all 3 credit bureaus 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You'll receive same day alerts for any changes to your credit reports, including (but not limited to) new lines of credit being opened, inquiries into your credit reports, address changes and name changes.
Trusted ID also monitors the Internet black market and public records for the use of your Social Security number, credit cards, and bank accounts. In addition, you'll get credit scores and reports from all 3 credit bureaus, medical record protection and anti-virus computer software. Overall it's a extremely comprehensive package, and it's even a great deal. Right now you can sign up for a free 14-day trial and discounted rate of $10.42 per month (paid annually).
What information do I need to give for identity theft protection? How quickly can it be activated?
April 5th, 2011 - Posted by Sarah
The following is an actual user-submitted question:
Q. What information do I need to give for identity theft protection? How quickly can it be activated?
A. Most identity theft protection services, including top-rated Identity Guard Total Protection, Trusted ID, and LifeLock, require similar information: first and last name, full street address (with state and ZIP code), phone number, date of birth, Social Security number, and email address. If you haven't lived at your current address for at least the past six months, you will need to provide your previous address.
You will also need to give your credit card information; even though most companies offer a free trial, they need to start billing you after that trial period has passed unless you cancel the service.
Each service takes a different amount of time to kick in. For example, both Identity Guard Total Protection and Trusted ID begin as soon as you sign up, but others, such as Protect My ID, require more time for parts of the service — the credit monitoring can begin immediately, but the account protection depends on when you enter that information for the accounts and how long it takes to verify.
How would the phone service work through a laptop? Is there any other equipment to attach or can you talk and hear through the laptop?
April 5th, 2011 - Posted by Kent
The following is an actual user-submitted question:
Q: How would the phone service work through a laptop? Is there any other equipment to attach or can you talk and hear through the laptop?
A: Home VoIP services use the exact same Internet connection as your laptop, but it doesn't actually use your laptop at all. In fact, all you need is an Internet connection. VoIP uses your regular home phone, connected to an adapter (or router) provided by the VoIP company. Your laptop (or wireless router) also plugs into the adapter, allowing you to use the Internet and make calls at the same time, and your computer doesn't even need to be on.
The only exceptions to this are products such as magicJack, which we review in our VoIP alternatives section.
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