For most of our (long) life, we baby boomers have assumed that paying our bills on-time has resulted in a good credit score.

However, I’m sorry to report that’s not always the case. There are many mis-perceptions about how scores are calculated. Yours could be lower than you might expect.

Not to be overly didactic, it bears mentioning that credit scores are used by financial institutions to determine whether they should lend you money. But, of more importance, your credit score could determine what interest rate will be charged. A higher score means you are statistically less likely to default on the loan; therefore, you will usually get a lower interest rate. Maintaining a healthy credit score will save you thousands of dollars over your lifetime.

Developed by the Fair Isaac Corporation back in the 1960s. FICO scores are by far the most commonly used to evaluate individuals of credit worthiness. You have three different FICO scores, one for each of the three major credit reporting agencies, Equifax, Experian and Trans Union.

Paying your bills on time only accounts for roughly one-third of your overall FICO score. The reporting agencies also factors four other components: the amount of debt you owe, the length of your credit history, the number of credit accounts you’ve recently opened and the types of credit you use. FICO considers you a lower risk if you have multiple credit accounts, while keep the payments up-to-date, and maintaining balances between 25 percent and 35 percent of your available credit.

Your FICO score doesn’t take into account your net worth or your income. A large number of credit inquiries will lower your score, but the FICO algorithm is smart enough to know when you are rate shopping. Checking your own credit report does not affect your score. Check your score as many times as you’d like.

To learn more about how FICO scores are calculated, visit Fair Isaac’s web site at www.myfico.com.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires each of the nationwide consumer reporting companies — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — to provide you with a free copy of your credit report, at your request, once every 12 months. The FCRA promotes the accuracy and privacy of information in the files of the nation’s consumer reporting companies. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) enforces the FCRA with respect to consumer reporting companies.

The three nationwide consumer reporting companies have set up a central website, a toll-free telephone number, and a mailing address through which you can order your free annual report. To order your credit report, for free, visit annualcreditreport.com, call 1-877-322-8228, or complete an Annual Credit Report Request Form and mail it to: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281.

search for : good credit score, FICO score

Vacation property, an investment for retirement or a permanent residence, this Lake James waterfront home may be your dream property.

The beautiful water front home is located in a private community with spectacular views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It has a double deck boat dock, an enclosed boat garage and a private ramp to launch your own watercraft. The home was built originally in 1972 and totally renovated in 2002. A four car detached garage was built in 2002.

There is a total of 264 ft. of water front. Beautiful three tier sea walls accent this elegant home. Hard wood and tile floors, modern appliances and vaulted ceilings are only a few of the amenities that capture you with this home.

Private dock permit.

List Price: $1,800,000
Flexibility: Willing to finance
Acreage: .75 acres
Type: Waterfront

Floors: 2
Bedrooms: 4
Bathrooms: 4
Sq. Footage: 3700
Garage Size: 4.0
Year Built: 1972, totally renovated in 2002
School District: Nebo

Suitable Use: Residential

Topography: Rolling
Road Frontage: Private Road
Location: Lake James, Burke County, NC

Amenities: Waterfront, Fireplace, Central AC, Alarm, Wood Floors, Gas Range, Patio, Wheelchair Accessible, Nature/Bike Paths, Boating, Controlled Access, Spa/Jacuzzi

click here for more information

search for : Lake James waterfront home, Blue Ridge Mountains, Lake James, Burke County, NC

InboxDollars™ is a meeting place for consumers just like you and many of this nation’s well known companies. InboxDollars™ shares the revenue it receives from advertisers with you, their Members. Your time and participation are needed, solicited and valuable. InboxDollars™ rewards you for your participation.

InboxDollars™ provides more than 2.5 million loyal Members the opportunity to be rewarded for participating in a variety of product and service trials, marketing research studies and other online activities, such as shopping and playing games.

InboxDollars™ is 100% free to join. In fact, the site pays you just to join. To become a member, click on the InboxDollars™ ad in the column to the right, complete their Signup Form and they will credit your account $5.00 just for trying the service.

Viewers of this site say that they really do earn money for reading E-Mails from InboxDollars™. And, it’s so easy! Simply click the confirmation link in the Paid Emails™ that InboxDollars™ delivers to your Inbox. After clicking the confirmation link, your account will be credited instantly and you’ll be taken to the Advertiser’s web site.

InboxDollars™ generally sends 2 or 3 Paid Emails™ per day to their U.S. Members, announcing various ways to make money. Most of the Paid Emails™ that InboxDollars™ sends to you will include an opportunity to earn additional money by taking advantage of the offer for the product or service that is being advertised. However, you will earn money for confirming the Paid Email™ regardless of whether or not you take advantage of the offer being advertised.

search for : InboxDollars, Paid Emails

Nautical/Travel publisher seeks writer/reviewers for a revision of an existing “travel guide for boaters.” Prefer a writer/reviewer who has cruised these waters on his/her own boat and knows it well – but if there is a substantial boating and regional knowledge, this is not critical. Jerawyn Publishing develops travel guides (Books, CD/DVD-ROMS & a website) for boaters. www.AtlanticCruisingClub.com.

The research for a revision of the exisiting New England volume (now St. Johns, New Brunswick to Block Island, RI) is scheduled for early this summer and Jerawyn publishing is looking for writers who are also boaters who will visit and review marinas in their local area. Assignments are to cover a *minimum* of 50 transient marinas – or as many as 250.

Time Frame: Visits must be completed between June 1 and July 15. Final Deadline for all Reports is October 15 – or earlier. Visiting and photographing the marinas is only 1/3 of the assignment. The hard work is writing up the report, choosing the photos and gathering and fact checking the very detailed what’s nearby content.

The market is comprised of cruising boat owners – power boaters, trawler owners, and sailors – whose craft range from 25 ft to megayachts and who frequently overnight in marinas in their adventures away from their homeports.

These guides are very detailed and data intensive, with an extremely tight format. Half of the data is facility-specific and half of it is a “travel guide” to what is nearby. There is one color photo of each facility in the book and 15-25 on the accompanying, fully searchable DVD-ROM (all digital) and on the website. JPI uses a proprietary and unique system to publish its books, DVD-ROMs and Website; the data is input into an easy-to-use program that is currently a windows application that resides on the reviewer’s computer but is currently being migrated to a password protected part of the ACC website.

A comfort level with technology is critical as well as competence with, and ownership of a recent, good quality (6 mp+) digital camera and comparable Windows-based computer with high speed access. The ideal candidate will be detailed oriented with a drive to “get it right,” enjoy interacting with people, be very conversant with the language boating, and have a flexible current work situation that would permit the inclusion of this project and be able to demonstrate that s/he understands is conversant with the requirements of guidebook writing.

Compensation is a work-for-hire $50 flat payment per new marina review and $40 for a revision of an existing review. This is a work-for-hire. These visits can be, for the sake of efficiency, made by land. Approximately six visits per day are generally possible with an equal amount of time spent before and then after to prepare and fully research the Reports. Each facility has been asked to complete an extensive questionnaire and a follow-up Data Confirmation Report and that information will be entered into the database by the publisher.

For more information, please email a resume of your boating, professional and writing history with links to writing and photography samples.

* Location: Coastal Rhode Island
* Compensation: $2000-$12,000 depending on the number of marinas covered
* Telecommuting is ok. Read more »

According to a recent article published on the Computerworld website, statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show that by 2016, one in four workers will be 55 or older. Particularly troublesome for Information Technology departments, there’s not a big influx of new talent. According to the Computing Research Association, computer science enrollments have dropped 14% each year between 2004 and 2006.

In a 2006 survey of 488 companies conducted by Buck Consultants LLC, only 42% of the respondents said that the aging workforce was a significant issue, and 29% said it had little or no significance.

But, beyond losing those the talents of the very individuals that built the IT infrastructure, are there other factors to consider when migrating the workforce towards younger individuals?

According to Dave DeLong, president of research firm David DeLong & Associates and author of “Lost Knowledge: Confronting the Threat of an Aging Workforce”

“One of the most important things is to start a conversation about what would keep key employees long enough to capture their knowledge,” DeLong says. A powerful tool in that effort is to offer longtime staffers new challenges and even new roles. “You may lose them from that [current] role,” he says, “but you’re keeping them available to transfer knowledge about their job.”

Maybe for us baby boomers involved in the IT industry, we can parlay our experience into some post-retirement income.

Something to ponder…

click here for article

Utilize your writing skills and cover topics of the greatest need: Small Business Funding. Post articles online and Earn substantially and with residuals build a future from todays work as PR writer – blogger for MBS.

MBS is seeking writers to post messages / articles that small businesses and the self employed need to know. Unconventional small business loan underwriting -equity Funding options -Poor Credit Business Loan programs- debtor rights – etc.

MBS will email details and speak with you on the telephone as soon as possible and upon receipt of your interest : Please type ” PR writer ” in the subject box of your email to prevent spam collectors from trashing your mail. robert@mbsfinancial.com

* Location: usa
* Compensation: neg
* Telecommuting is ok. Read more »

Beautiful Wilkes County NC Timber Frame Home and Mountain Property.

MLS Number: 51166, List Price: $898,500

2 Bedrooms, 2 Baths, 2 half baths, 2 car attached garage, full basement, and a barn on 5 acres of land.

These terms are used to describe thousands of homes and yet some things just can’t be described, they have to be experienced. This is one of those homes that really has to be seen to be appreciated.

This majestic Timber Frame home of the Bob Timberlake genre is not just another house, it provides a feeling of home that is not about walls and floors and windows and doors. It creates a feeling of the flow between your outdoor and your indoor environment that is seamless. Everywhere you look there is a view. Everything you touch feels natural and beautiful in a way that cannot be described, only owned.

Contact Elizabeth Carter, 336.973.5594 or Greg Stikeleather, Broker, 704.880.5247 or email eacarter@charter.net

click here for more information

U.S. Savings Bonds are issued by the Treasury Department and are backed by the Federal government. No matter what happens to regular banks, even if the FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation) collapses and your regular deposits over $100,000 fail, you will still be eligible to redeem your savings bonds from the United States government.

EE Bonds are reliable, low-risk government-backed savings products that you can use to supplement your retirement income. Series EE Bonds purchased on or after May 1, 2005, earn a fixed rate of return, letting you know what the bonds are worth at all times.

EE Bonds purchased between May 1997 and April 30, 2005, are based on 5-year Treasury security yields and earn a variable market-based rate of return. E Bonds are the predecessor to EE Bonds and are no longer issued by the U.S. Treasury.

You can purchase, manage, and redeem electronic EE Bonds safely through a personal TreasuryDirect account. A new program called SmartExchangeSM allows TreasuryDirect account owners to convert their Series E, EE and I paper savings bonds to electronic securities in a special Conversion Linked Account in their online account.

Individuals, corporations, associations, public or private organizations, and fiduciaries can own paper Series EE/E Bonds. At this time, only individuals can open a TreasuryDirect account and own electronic savings bonds.

You can own U.S. Savings Bonds if you have a Social Security Number and you’re a resident of the United States, citizen of the United States living abroad (must have U.S. address of record), civilian employee of the United States regardless of residence, and unlike other securities, minors may own U.S. Savings Bonds.

Through your TreasuryDirect account – which is established using your name and social security number, bank information, driver’s license and e–mail address – you can invest in electronic savings bonds (also referred to as book–entry savings bonds) each calendar year by purchasing as much as:

* $5,000 in Series EE Bonds, and
* $5,000 in I Series Bonds.

You may also invest the same amount in paper savings bonds — using your name and social security number — by purchasing as much as:

* $5,000 in Series EE Bonds (which is equivalent to $10,000 face amount), and
* $5,000 in I Series Bonds.

When you use savings bonds during retirement, you can:

* Avoid dipping into your retirement accounts early by using your bonds instead.
* Defer paying taxes on the interest that your bonds earn until you redeem them.
* Cash bonds when you retire and report the tax-deferred interest as income at that time.
* Savings bonds are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government.

EE bonds pay interest rates based on current market rates, also up to 30 years. The current rate is 3.00%, but this is in constant fluctuation. You can buy these for a minimum of $50 (costing $25 to buy and then accruing to the full value over at least 5 years), and going up to $10,000. They are definitely more complicated than I series savings bonds, and are much better for longer-term investing because their ownership minimum time period is at least 1 year.

search for : U.S. Savings Bonds, FDIC, EE Bonds

As a service to our viewership, baby boomer blog.com has partnered with getafreelancer.com (GAF) to help you find employment as freelance programmers, web designers, copywriters, and bloggers. getafreelancer.com helps companies and individuals outsource projects to experts in countries around the world.

GAF was not designed to be a discount super center specializing in providing top-notch skills at rock-bottom prices. For the site to grow and attract high-quality buyers and sellers, every attempt was made to use standard business practices and pricing when creating and bidding on projects.

Navigating to our freelance jobs listings page will allow you to see the top fifty listings currently available for “Buyers” looking to hire consultants for jobs that work at home entrepreneurs just like you can fill. Plus, once you find a job listed in your area of specialty, you will probably want to make application to join the getafreelancer network. As a freelancer you can then choose among hundreds of outsourced projects. You join free and pay only a small commission on whatever projects you find appealing.

In addition, many of our viewers are, themselves, blog and website developers. For jobs outside their areas of expertise, they sometimes post to employment sites looking for expert help. getafreelancer.com features a database of freelance programmers, interpreters, copyrighters, authors, and graphic designers with the ability to work independently with minimal guidance.

The key to finding the best contractor for the job is having a thorough feedback system by which a Buyer can view comments of other Buyers about their experiences with a particular “Provider”. getafreelancer.com provides such a service here.

search for : getafreelancer, freelance programmer, freelance jobs listing

The United States is heading toward a dramatic demographic shift in the composition of our population. The number of older Americans will grow substantially with each passing decade. Due to lifestyle, diet, medical advances, and education, the Americans are living longer than ever before.

As a result, the United States, as well as other developed nations, will experience an unprecedented demand for high quality long-term care. These services are provided in a variety of settings which includes private homes, retirement communities, assisted living facilities and nursing homes.

Without immediate action to prepare for changes, many of our citizens will suffer from the effects of aging.

One impending problem, reaching crisis proportions in many locales, is a work force of adequate size and competency to take care of the aging population. Experts say that there are only 7,100 physicians currently certified in geriatrics — that’s one per every 2,500 older Americans.

Recruiting doctors to the field can be difficult. Their pay is generally lower than that for other specializations, despite the requirements that they have for additional training. The financial incentives effectively penalize geriatric physicians. Medical schools could do more to incorporate the basics of geriatric care into general training for doctors and nurses.

Long-term care workers from physician assistants (PA) and nurses to general caregivers need to receive the training, compensation and respect they to provide compassionate, high-quality care.

Quickly adopting and approving emerging technologies will help to maximize the independence of older consumers and make care provision more efficient.

Finally, instituting a financing system that utilizes public and private resources to ensure that every American who needs quality long-term care will have access to those services will protect our aging population, now and in the future.

search for : older Americans, high quality long-term care, retirement communities, assisted living facilities, nursing homes

We are seeking a humorous and funny writer with a lot of creativity talents for a high traffic finance related celebrity blog.

The candidate must possess the following requirements.
1. Must be computer literate with computer and high speed internet access;
2. Possess creative ability to create captivating and informative articles
3. The ability to organize blogs, categorize postings helpful but not required.
4. The knowledge of promoting the blog and create articles on other blogs extremely helpful but not required
5. Reliability a must.
6. knowledge of India stocks and financial markets a huge plus.

Please submit your resume and writing sample.

No traveling necessary.

* Compensation: paid per post
* Telecommuting is ok. Read more »

search for : Telecommuting

Beautiful Wilkes County NC Log Home and Mountain Property.

MLS Number: 50863, List Price: $359,900

Bedrooms: 3, Full Baths: 2, Half Baths: 0, Est Total SqFt: 2600, Type/Style: Log Home, Area: Area 6, Middle School: Cntrl Wlks, High School: Wlks Cntrl, Construction: Log

Foundation: Combination, Roof: Metal Roof, Floors: Carpet/Hardwood/Tile, Garage/Carport: None-Garage, None-Carport, Interior Features: Master Bedroom, Main Level, Large Master Bedroom, Walk-In Closet(s), Hardwood Floors, Fireplace(s), Great Room, Exterior Features: Double Pane Windows, Wooded Lot, 1-5 Acres, Hot Tub, Subdivision: N/A, Lot Size: 2.47, Apx SqFt: 2600 – 2800 SF, Basement: None

Contact Elizabeth Carter, 336.973.5594 or Greg Stikeleather, Broker, 704.880.5247 or email eacarter@charter.net

click here for more information

Born October 19, 1942, James B. Rogers, Jr. is an American investor and financial commentator. Along with George Soros, Rogers was a co-founder of the Quantum Fund and has been a college professor, author, and a world traveler.

From 1990 to 1992, Jim traveled around the world on a BMW motorcycle. Logging over 100,000 miles across six continents, he was included in the Guinness Book of World Records. Jim chronicles his adventures and worldwide investments in the Investment Biker. Rogers is a regular guest on Fox News’ Cavuto on Business which airs every Saturday.

Due to his belief that this is a ground breaking time for investment potential in Asian markets, Jim Rogers sold his mansion in New York City to move to Singapore in 2008.

Recently, Rogers has made blistering attacks on US monetary policy and the “helicopter cash drop” responses of the Federal Reserve. He is noted for describing the American dollar as a “terribly flawed currency”. Stating that the prices of all agricultural products would “explode” in coming years, Rogers predicts that the price of gold will continue its surge to as much as $3,500 an ounce.

All this speaks to the manner in which we baby boomers invest our retirement funds. With the prime rate manipulated by the fed, fixed-rate income sources will barely track inflation.

Maybe it’s time to be slightly more aggressive with investment of our retirement nest-age.

One of Jim’s better discussions on economic matters can be seen here ….

The Economic Stimulus Package has been formulated and designed to help the United States moderate the worst effects of a slowing economy and what many economists think might be the precursor to a nationwide recession. Simply put, the idea is to encourage spending. Hopefully, with more spending the economy will experience increased activity.

But remember, this is just a theory, much debated on each side, with “supply siders” on the right, and “tax and spenders” on the left (politically). Either way, it will likely take months or years to know if the Economic Stimulus Package actually achieves its intended results.

Starting in May 2008, the United States Treasury will begin sending economic stimulus payments to more than 130 million households. To receive a payment, taxpayers must have a valid Social Security number, $3,000 of income and file a 2007 federal tax return.

Eligible people will receive up to $600 ($1,200 for married couples). Parents will receive an additional $300 for each eligible child younger than 17. Millions of baby boomers, retirees, disabled veterans and low-wage workers who usually are exempt from filing a tax return must do so this year in order to receive a stimulus payment.

The payments have been promoted by President Bush and The Congress as an economic stimulus payment that households will receive. It’s not taxable, and it won’t reduce the recipients 2007 or 2008 refund or increase the amount owed with the 2008 return.

Especially for retired baby boomers, the economic stimulus law allows Social Security recipients and recipients of certain veterans’ benefits and Railroad Retirement benefits to count those benefits towards the qualifying income requirement of $3,000.

In addition, the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 provides incentives to businesses. These incentives include a special 50-percent depreciation allowance for 2008 purchases and an increase in the small business expensing limitation for tax years beginning in 2008. Under the new law, a qualifying business can expense up to $250,000 of section 179 property purchased by the taxpayer in a tax year beginning in 2008.

For homeowners, the FHA mortgage loan limits will more than double in some cases. The usual limit in high-cost areas in the lower 48 states will rise from $362,790 to $729,750. Such financing allows buyer to purchase homes with 3 percent down.

And, conventional loan limits will also increase. The maximum size of a “conforming” loan will go from $417,000 to $729,750.

However, these rebate checks are a one-time and one-time only cash windfall. While the government hopes that individuals will use the money for spending, thus stimulating the economy, many who receive the refunds will use the cash to pay down debts. Paying off bills can be a good place to spend the cash because it can mean lower monthly costs and better credit scores, thus lowering interest costs when you borrow to finance a home, car, or other major expenditure.

search for : Economic Stimulus Package, baby boomers, disabled veterans

$5,850,000

MLS Number: 50913

City: Valle Crucis, NC
Stories: 2
Bedrooms: 4 Baths: 4.5
Area: Boone-Blowing Rock, NC
Year Built: 1990
Plus Five fully furnished 1,400 sq. ft. Rental Cottages. Each built in 1996 on approx. 1/2 acre sites. Current cottage average annual rental income $150,000.

39.4 acres with 360 degree view of Blue Ridge Mountains.

5,200 sq. ft. main house built in 1990 on 1.24 acres.

No restrictions and no zoning offer many other options:

* Family compound
* Corporate retreat
* Religous retreat
* Horse farm / Dude ranch
* Recording studio
* Cottages can be sold separately
* Land can be further subdivided if desired

Contact Elizabeth Carter, 336.973.5594 or Greg Stikeleather, Broker, 704.880.5247 or email eacarter@charter.net

click here for more information

search for : Valle Crucis, NC, Blowing Rock, NC, Blue Ridge Mountains