I have a Green Checking account with Citizens Bank in Massachusetts that I want to add to My Portfolio in my Bank of America account. When I do a search for Citizens Bank, I get several choices for Citizens Bank. I don't know which bank to select. Can anyone help? Thanks!

thedealdude said:Hey ya'll - I just paid a significant credit card balance off with Citi...how long before that payment is reflected on the credit score?

The score is calculated on the information currently in your report. So as soon as Citi reports the new information to one of the credit reporting agencies, your score (based on your report from that agency) will take into account the new info.

bula said:I've got 18 months before I buy a house and 16,000 in a fidelity municpal money market account.

I'm going to move it out of the tax free account because my tax burden will be less in 08.

Question - high interest savings account vs. cd vs. taxable money market?

looking on best cash cow, it looks like the savings accounts are better than the cds or money markets in terms of rates, and it seems they have no "equity ratios" or commissions. Am I missing something or should I open a new savings account with the house money? (I already have an ED account but it seems that is not the best right now)

what am I missing?

thanks.Just go with the best rate. Savings rates may drop if rates are further cut, CDs will be locked in for whatever term you choose. So its your gamble to take either the lower fixed rate or the higher variable rate. And of course dont lock into a CD that is longer than 18 months .

Go directly to the sources.
Experian.com
TransUnion.com
Equifax.com

You'll have to pay for each score.

tookmuhjerb said:I would like to get a credit report + credit score this month, however, Google is loaded with webpages and they all look like a scam to me. Can anybody recommend a good/cheap service so I can check my score? thanks

I am deciding on when to make my 2008 contributions to my Roth. The Dow fell 230 points today. Should I wait for the market to drop further before I make my contributions or should I just do it now because it won't make much of a difference in the end?

theboogeyman said:I am deciding on when to make my 2008 contributions to my Roth. The Dow fell 230 points today. Should I wait for the market to drop further before I make my contributions or should I just do it now because it won't make much of a difference in the end?Try to time the market, and you have a 50/50 chance of being right. A drop right after buying will be a loss, but an increase right before you buy would also be a loss. Unless you are day-trading, invest on fundamentals not day-to-day fluctuations.

tookmuhjerb said:sherrynews, I got my free credit report back in June 2007 and thought I was eligible for my 2008 free credit report from annualcreditreport.com; however, the 3 credit bureaus say I have already received my free report. In other words I have to wait 365 days to get my new report, not until the next year. So I'm looking for something similar, do you have any recommendations? Thanks.You can get a 7-day(?) free trial through PM123. Very easy to cancel, and you may get offered an annual subscription for the single-month price when you do cancel.

Usorry said:Making a contribution and timing when to buy should be considered seperately. You can make a ROTH IRA contribution to a Money Market account at your brokerage like one they have a Fidelity. That way your money will grow tax free until you decide which investment to purchase and when.

Glitch99 said:theboogeyman said:I am deciding on when to make my 2008 contributions to my Roth. The Dow fell 230 points today. Should I wait for the market to drop further before I make my contributions or should I just do it now because it won't make much of a difference in the end?Try to time the market, and you have a 50/50 chance of being right. A drop right after buying will be a loss, but an increase right before you buy would also be a loss. Unless you are day-trading, invest on fundamentals not day-to-day fluctuations.

Thanks for the advice. My brokerage is Vanguard. Right now the only fund in my roth is the vanguard target 2050. I think I will make a Roth IRA contribution of $3000 to Vanguard Prime Money Market Fund (VMMXX). Then I will have to decide on whether I will buy more shares of target 2050 or pick my own asset allcoation.

What's the best way to initiate that "prenup" conversation before you walk down the aisle with someone?

Prenup?

Did you propose in the modern way -- get down on one knee, look into her eyes, then turn around, bend over (KY optional):

"I love you and it is making me insane."

(insert variation on "I hope you will you drain my accounts and force our friends and family to pay for a gaudy overpriced party."

Then pop the question:

"Will you take my real estate in ten years?"

Prenup?

There is no way of saying "I am sure -- this is forever” BUT "since it is likely we are wrong for each other, I want to discuss the severance package now!"

A Prenup conversation is ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS a multi-week fight. It brings out the worst in everyone associated. It raises women's "traditional" role as "chattel" (sounds like cattle - get the milk for free lately?) who's "troth" (aka virgin groin) is being "sold" for a "dowry" -- in the vernacular "prostitution" only as an outright buy with title changing hands (from her father or other male owner to you). Now the prenup has you wanting to change the outright buy to a "lease" option.

Want to see the worst of your in-laws -- bring up the prenup. Even when it starts "mature and reasonable" -- it quickly deteriorates.

Can't you consider something less toxic -- maybe include "obey" in her vows? How about sleeping with her best friend and kid sisters instead? -- take pictures!

2 Better strategies (assuming reason and common sense are off the table - the only enduring prenup):

Either equity strip everything you have (transfer your assets to an LLC -- then create a second LLC to hold mortgages on everything in the first LLC. Have the second LLC exempted from any marriages (several easy ways to do it -- usually a silent partner helps). Then instead of talking and fighting about a prenup, just have the silent partner send you and her letter pointing out the mortgage-holding LLC is exempt as a marriage asset before any nuptials (the all important "Notice"). Have the letter come after the bachelor/bachelorette parties so it seems your silent partner only learned about the upcoming nuptuals late. Thus you preserve your equity outside the marriage and point to your evil love-hating romance-less silent partner as the villain -- "No honey -- this is forever. I do not want any prenup -- I am yours forever body, soul and portfolio -- even if you bear my worst enemies children before running off with your man-hating college roommate -- I love paying to redecorate my old house so you and she can live more comfortably ). Just put any individual assets acquired after the marriage into an LLC and use the same strategy of equity stripping as equity builds.

Or 2 -- the most popular lately -- the fake out. Hire an actor to pretend to perform a ceremony and do not get a license. She saves face with her cackling horde appearing to have "caught" you. You can spend whatever money on the overpriced party with all the trimmings (gotta love the $8.00/bag packets of bird seed -- what would come of a world without terracotta mementos and weeds with food coloring -- I loved buying the set of $80 finger bowls for Clem & Ethel so they could put out their cheezits in style). When your friends sober up -- hopefully before the bill arrives for your present/door-fee-for-the-reception -- everyone will know you are blissfully wed. You acquire all of the benefits (if there are any) of the nuptual without the lifetime legal entanglement. We stopped stoning women who lost their virginity without benefit of clergy a few years ago -- at least in most places. Children born without the legal blessing are no longer condemned and disinherited as bastards -- at least anywhere a prenup is defined.

All this even if a prenup had any real value to you or her rather than the legal professionals who will bill you to create then destroy it. Useless!

Every one hates lawyer’s until they need one? – YOU ONLY NEED ONE WHEN YOU HAVE ONE!

Marriage is up there with the farmers almanac and appendices -- vestigial remnants serving no useful purpose but for ancient industries that profit from their sale/care/removal. The best outcome is they cause no additional problems. A better outcome is when the costs, pain and scars can be covered. Often the outcomes are toxic and frequently even fatal.

Have a wonderful wedding!