Investment Planning Resources

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You can count on Provident's Financial Consultants* to help you with your investment planning needs. But for some general advice and tips to help you with your investing and retirement planning, please check out the links on this page. If you have any questions, your initial consultation with a professional, experienced Financial Consultant is free. Just call (650) 508-0300 or (800) 632-4600, ext. 2487.

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Media Resources on the Web

The following links are to resources outside of the Provident Credit Union Web site that may also help you with your Investment Planning and money management. Provident does not control the content on any of the following links:

SFGate: Net Worth

  • Laid-off S.F. workers may get jobless benefits
    Readers of this column can't seem to get enough information on unemployment benefits and Roth IRAs so I'll answers questions on both. Q: San Francisco's decision to lay off 17,000 city workers and hire most of them back 60 days later in the same or a...
  • Letter sent before census form saves more than it costs
    Q: Chris R. of San Francisco wants to know why the U.S. Census Bureau bothered sending him a letter telling him to expect a census form in the mail in a week or so. "Let's see, the federal deficit stands at about $1.9 trillion, so they are wasting yet more...
  • State's cash for appliances to start April 22
    California has pushed back the start of its cash for appliances program to April 22, but based on what happened in some other states, consumers who want to get a rebate on a new energy-efficient washer, refrigerator or room air conditioner should be ready to...
  • Stock market investors claw their way back
    Investors who had the guts to invest in U.S. stocks one year ago today are feeling pretty smug now. As well they should. Unless things take another major turn for the worse, March 9, 2009, will mark the bottom of one of the worst bear markets in history. The...
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  • Congress battling over consumer agency
    One of the most contentious issues in Congress, after health care, is the proposed creation of an independent consumer protection agency for financial products such as bank accounts, credit cards, mortgages and some student and auto loans. Many Democrats and...
  • Sorting out current unemployment benefits
    The jobless got a temporary reprieve Tuesday night when President Obama signed a bill that extends federal funding for unemployment benefits and Cobra health care premium subsidies for one month. Last week, the House passed a one-month extension, but the bill...

Personal finance news - CNNMoney.com

  • The three-figure kitchen makeover
    Living with an undersize, outdated kitchen? If so, a sledgehammer may feel like the only solution. But these days you're probably not up for spending the $50,000 or more -- maybe much more -- it would cost to demolish the space and build a new state-of-the-art room from scratch.
  • Living on a freelancer's budget
    Chris and Janie Peterson have an enviable life. They own a lovely 3½-bedroom ranch house just outside Minneapolis and have work schedules flexible enough to allow them lots of time with their children, Reece, 10, Cecily, 9, and Georgio, 7.
  • Financial advice: The yes-man problem
    Experts have long counseled against using financial planners who charge commissions, given their incentive to simply sell products that pad their paychecks.
  • 12 ways to cut your taxes
    The bright spot of the dreary 2009 economy: savings for everyone.
  • Money's new More Money blog
  • Hunkering down for rising interest rates
    Question: I'm 65, retired and have about 50% of my portfolio in a bond index fund. I'm thinking of switching to a short-term bond fund. Do you think that's a good idea? --Judy, Flowery Branch, Georgia
  • The wrong way to pick funds
    Photographer friends tell me that if you're picking out a point-and-shoot camera you shouldn't focus much on the megapixels. That measure of a camera's resolution is hyped by manufacturers, but most cameras on the market give you all the pixels you'll need.
  • 43% say they have less than $10k for retirement
    The percentage of American workers with virtually no retirement savings grew for the third straight year, according to a survey released Tuesday.
  • How Uncle Sam wants to boost your retirement
    Usually I cringe when our leaders in Washington try to help improve our finances. I'm afraid their efforts may do more harm than good. But two new ideas being discussed inside the Beltway could actually make it easier to prepare for retirement. Both center on the income you'll generate from your 401(k).
  • 3 ways to save money this spring
    1. Book a sweet getaway
  • Ford shares: Buy or sell?
    Ford is back. The automaker recently reported its first annual profit in four years; sales are improving; and investors have pushed up its stock 550% in the past year.
  • Citigroup shares: No longer toxic?
    Yes, Citigroup lost billions in the financial crisis. And yes, it's still swimming in toxic assets. But Bruce Berkowitz argues the worst is over.
  • Mr. Distress is ready to buy
    Whether it's steel, textiles, or auto manufacturing, Wilbur Ross has built a lucrative career finding gold in industries left for dead.
  • How to save on a classic watch
    With proper care, a good watch lasts virtually forever. But you don't need to spend a bundle to own one.
  • 50 Best Jobs in America
    Money looked for careers with great pay, superior growth prospects, intellectual challenge, flexibility and more.
  • Invest $900k in a variable annuity?
    Question: I'm 62 and have accumulated about $2.6 million in retirement savings, which is invested in stocks and bonds. My adviser suggests that I take a third of this money and invest it in a guaranteed 6% income variable annuity. The cost of the 6% rider is 0.95% of the account balance per year. Do you think this is a good idea? --J.H., Lansing, Michigan
  • I'm 25 and I want to start investing
    Question: I'm 25 and want to start investing in the stock market, but I'm unsure of how to do it. Any advice? --Kyle, Bentonville, Arkansas
  • Retired early ... and getting scared
    Question: I had the good fortune to be able to retire early at age 52, but last year's market meltdown has made me rethink the decision. I may still be okay, but I don't have the same level of certainty I once had. My question is this: How will Social Security be calculated for me and how does the fact that I haven't worked the last few years fit into the calculation? --Jack Ford, West Newbury, Mass.
  • How much you'll need in retirement
    Question: I always heard that you will need 80% or so of your working salary to live on in retirement. But is that a percentage of your gross income or your take-home pay? --Mary Taylor, Chalfont, Pennsylvania
  • Leaving your job? Don't forget your 401(k)
    Question: I'm in my 30's and have a 401(k) from a previous job, 75% of which is invested in a variety of stock portfolios. Although my stock holdings have recovered a bit recently, I'm still down about $7,000 from my peak balance. I'm planning to roll over this old 401(k) into either the 401(k) at my new job or into an IRA account, but I'm wondering whether I should do the rollover now while stocks are still cheap or wait until the market has recovered and then do it. What do think? --Todd Gerec...

BusinessWeek.com -- Finance

SmartMoney.com

Fool.com Headlines

 

* Financial Consultants are employees of Provident Credit Union, and are registered representatives of CUE. CUE, a wholly owned subsidiary of CUE Financial Group, Inc. is a SEC registered broker/dealer, a member of the FINRA/SIPC, and a registered investment advisor in certain states. CUE has offices located in Provident Credit Union branches and provides insurance and securities products and information by agreement with Provident Services Corporation. These are not products of the Credit Union and are not insured by any federal agency and are subject to investment risk, including possible loss of principal invested. CUE may receive commissions in connection with insurance or securities transactions conducted through it. CUE Financial Group California insurance license #0F56562.

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