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Online Resources
Here are links to some of the many helpful free or
low-cost information sources available to consumers online.
These resources are organized by general topic and then
alphabetically.
Seastrunk Financial is not endorsing any
of the organizations, companies, or products. We just want to
provide you with resources to help make your financial and life-planning choices easier.
But a word of warning... Thefinancial world is
full of con artists, greedy financial institutions,
esoteric language, legal rules, and misleading methodologies so
watch your backside. If it seems too good to be true guess
what... it is!
Intuit
Inc.’s TurboTax.com. Click on “Tax Tips &
Resources,” then “Going to School” to learn about
education-funding options and tax implications for each.
FinAid.orgwas established in the fall of 1994 as a public service.
This award-winning site has grown into the most
comprehensive source of student financial aid information,
advice and tools -- on or off the web.
SavingforCollege.com.
Independent and objective information on different ways to
save and pay for college; plenty of interactive tools.
Xap.com.
Its “Get Money” feature offers plenty of help in
calculating and finding financial aid.
South
Carolina Future Scholar is a qualified 529 College
Savings Plan that gives you a smarter way to save for a
child’s college education. Tax advantages, flexibility,
control and professional investment management help make
Future Scholar an attractive choice over many other college
savings vehicles.
www.AnnualCreditReport.comFight identity
theft by monitoring and reviewing your credit report. You
may request your free credit report online, request your
report by phone or request your report through the mail.
Free credit reports requested online are viewable
immediately upon authentication of identity.
National Foundation for
Credit CounselingThe NFCC promotes the national agenda for financially
responsible behavior and builds capacity for its members to
deliver the highest quality financial education and
counseling services.
Nolo.com
and
MyVesta.org.
Both offer general information on topics like debt and
bankruptcy, overspending, credit repair, strategies for
repaying debts, and debt collections.
Quicken.com.
Its “Debt Reduction Planner” helps with ideas to reduce
your debt.
Nolo
Law Center. The Wills and Estate Planning link
provides access to plain-English articles on topics like
estate-planning basics, living wills, funeral planning, and
various other legal documents.
Aging
With Dignity. Learn how to ensure that your wishes
will be followed in the event of a serious illness with the
help of a Living Will and other documents; how to discuss
your wishes with loved ones and your physician, and where to
obtain resources for family caregivers; includes link to
related sites. Check out its “Five Wishes” brochure.
Certified
Financial Planner (CFP). Board of Standards
Information about Certified Financial Planner (CFP®)
licensees and the financial- planning profession, including
what it takes to become a CFP® and tips on how to select a
financial advisor.
CNN
Money. Sources for breaking business news, personal
finance commentary, and planning tools.
Kiplinger
Personal Finance. Timely personal finance advice and
business forecasts; includes news, rates, calculators,
quotes, columns, and advice on finance and business.
MSN.Money’s
Money Central. Investor quotes, charts, news, and a
variety of financial planning information.
Reuters.com.
Quality financial education; investment information,
research, and screening tools.
Yahoo
Finance. Financial news and commentary on U.S. and
world markets, plus investment, loan, and insurance centers.
Department
of Health and Human Services. Hot links to all kinds
of valuable health, health care, drug, food, and medical
information as well as more resources.
Employee
Benefit Research Institute. Nonprofit, nonpartisan
organization committed to data dissemination, policy
research, and education on economic security and employee
benefits; check out its domestic-partner benefits fact
sheet.
FirstGov.
The U.S. government’s official Web portal with hot links
to agencies, information, and help from the federal
government.
Legal
Services Corporation. Click on Get Legal Services
for a list of government-funded legal services available in
your area for qualified individuals.
NASDAQ.
Home page for the largest electronic screen-based equity
securities market in the United States; check out its
Investor Tools section.
Securities
and Exchange Commission. Federal agency that
regulates and supervises securities markets; a wealth of
free information and tutorials on money, finance, investing,
regulations, corporate operations, and more (check out the
online brochures); great links to EDGAR, the SEC database of
filings by public companies; check out brokers and firms,
too.
Social
Security Administration. News and how-to information
on tax withholding, obtaining a replacement card or
Statement of Earnings and Benefits, etc.
BankRate.com.
Assorted general information and rates, including current
mortgage rates by specific location, calculators to help you
figure out how much house you can afford, and a glossary.
National
Association of Realtors®. Lots of home-buying and
ownership information, links and calculators; includes
helpful search tools.
Insure.com.
Comprehensive online consumer insurance information service
for auto, life, and health insurance.
InsWeb.com.
Insurance marketplace for a variety of insurance products,
including automobile, term life, homeowners, renters, and
individual health insurance; includes resource center.
PrimeQuote.
Insurance marketplace specializing in life insurance needs;
includes glossary of related terms.
Bonds Online
Includes information on tax-free municipal bonds,
treasury/savings bonds, corporate bonds, and bond funds. Learn
the basics of the bond market with the Bond Professor.
www.bondsonline.com
Investing In BondsInformation for investors on municipals, corporates,
mortgage-backed, and U.S. Government securities. Offers
extensive related links. A service of the Bond Market
Association.
www.investinginbonds.com
Investor.gov
Avoid Investment Fraud The SEC has set up this website for
investors to learn about the financial markets so you can avoid
scams and poor financial products.
Morningstar.com
Providers of news and analyses on markets, stocks, and mutual
funds, for the individual investor. Registration required.
The monthly Rail Time Indicators report and video
summary combine rail traffic data with more than 15 key U.S.
economic indicators – including consumer confidence, housing
starts and industrial production – in a non-technical snapshot
of how rail traffic data reflects the broader U.S. economy.
CNNMoney. Business news, plus market snapshots and
investing information.
Google Finance
Google Finance offers the latest financial headlines and
market news. finance.google.com
Smartmoney.
From Dow Jones & Company Inc., publishers of The Wall
Street Journal, and Hearst Communications; online magazine
of personal business includes information on stocks, bonds,
mutual funds, the markets, and more.
Wall
Street Journal. Interactive edition. All the news of
the WSJ plus 24-hour-a-day updates.
The
SEC's Office of Investor Education and Assistancehas
teamed with the FINRA Investor Education Foundation and the
Department of Defense on a multi-faceted financial education
program serving members of the military and their families.
AARP.
Targets those 50 or older planning for or already retired;
all kinds of useful information; be sure to check out
Learning and Technology; Family, Home and Legal; Money, and
Work.
Agency
on Aging. A gold mine of government resources for
seniors to home and community-based services through
programs funded under the Older Americans Act.
FirstGov
for Seniors. The federal government’s Web portal;
plenty of useful information on everything from consumer
protection to health, retirement, taxes, travel and leisure,
and plenty in between.
Medicare.
Learn about eligibility and benefits, billing, compare
health-care options, download Medicare forms, and locate
participating providers by geographic area.
Securities
And Exchange CommissionWhether you are nearing —
or already enjoying — retirement, it pays to stay on top
of your finances. Nearly one-third of all U.S.
investors are between 50 and 64 years of age, and
approximately 5 million senior citizens succumb to financial
abuse each year.
Social
Security Administration. Access to a wealth of
information related to Social Security; obtain general
planning information; apply for benefits and even file
online.
What the lawyers make us say
(disclaimer): The above is
presented for educational purposes
only. Under no circumstances should it be mistaken for
professional investment or financial advice, nor is it at all intended to
be taken as such. The commentary and other contents simply
reflect the opinion of the authors alone on the current and
future status of the markets and various economies. It is
subject to error and change without notice. The presence of
a link to a website does not indicate approval or
endorsement of that web site or any services, products, or
opinions that may be offered by them.
Neither the information nor any opinion expressed
constitutes a solicitation to buy or sell any securities nor
investments. Do NOT ever purchase any security or investment
without doing your own and sufficient research. The
principals and related parties of Seastrunk Financial
Management, LLC may at times have positions in the
securities or investments referred to and may make purchases
or sales of these securities and investments. The analysis
contained is based on both technical and fundamental
research. Although the information contained is derived from
sources which are believed to be reliable, they cannot be
guaranteed.
