Saturday, April 11, 1998
The new Roth IRA is a great way to save for retirement. But where to put the money?
Here are three low-maintenance suggestions in the May issue of Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine, which also offers advice on how to take advantage of the Roth individual retirement account Vanguard Index Total Stock Market (800-635-1511), which mimics the entire U.S. stock market and holds both big and small company stocks. T. Rowe Price Spectrum Growth (800-638-5660), which invests in Rowe Price funds with different styles, including overseas. Microsoft stock.
877 joines collection of toll-free area codes
If you keep careful track of which long-distance area code calls come with no charge, take note A new toll-free telephone number prefix -- 877 -- went into use last Sunday.
It will join 800 and 888 as toll-free area codes -- a result of the rapidly growing popularity of toll-free numbers. It took 20 years for the initial pool of 8 million 800 numbers to be exhausted, MCI says. In contrast, it has taken just two years for almost all of the 8 million 888 numbers to be used up.
Once 877 is used up, the toll-free prefix 866 will follow.
Bank reissues money and marriage info
Just in time for spring, Citibank has updated and reissued its informational series on money and marriage.
Acknowledging that money is the primary cause of divorce, the bank rightly notes that couples ought to consider talking about finance before they walk down the aisle.
The bank's free materials include two booklets To Love, Honor and Budget A Financial Planner for Newlyweds and Money Matters for Newlyweds, as well as a two-page Financial Bliss quiz. The quiz has no right answers, but lots of topics to talk about.
To get free copies, call (800) 669-2635.
Tips for consumers buying item overseas
Planning an overseas trip? American Express has some advice and tips on consumer rights when buying products in foreign countries. Of note The U.S. Fair Credit Billing Act gives consumers the right to dispute a charge and temporarily withhold payment for the charge while the card company investigates -- regardless of whether the purchase was made in the United States or overseas. However, the law doesn't guarantee you get a refund in all instances. For a free copy of Have a Safe Trip, write to American Express at 200 Vesey St., New York, N.Y. 10285-4815.
Booklet offers ideas for 1998 tax return
Your tax returns are done, but did the process still leave you confused by the law? MetLife has just put out a new booklet, Your Planning Opportunities Under the 1997 Tax Law, to give you a leg up on next year's tax-filing ordeal.
The booklet offers a good overview of the important new tax breaks that affect individuals under the new tax law. The bulk of these breaks go into effect for the 1998 tax year, so now is the time to learn about them.
The booklet is free. You can get it by calling MetLife at (800) 638-5433.
Gannett News Service
and Los Angeles Times
