Interested in State Spending?

The Illinois comptroller's office has launched a data website that gives users a daily snapshot of the state's finances, employee salaries and contracts.
Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka unveiled what her office calls "The Ledger" on Monday. She says it's a user-friendly site that sets a new standard for transparency.
Topinka says much of the information on the new site was already available online. But it hasn't been pulled together in one place or hasn't been complete.

Illinois Tax Rate Finder

Interested in where your sales tax goes when you make a retail or food purchase?  The Illinois Tax Rate Finder tracks the breakdown of state, county, and municipal taxes for all cities and towns in Illinois. Additional definitions for what specific taxes mean are in their online glossary.

Treasury to End Over-the-Counter Sales of Paper U.S. Savings Bonds in 2012

The Bureau of the Public Debt announced this summer that as of January 1, 2012, paper savings bonds will no longer be sold at financial institutions. This action, which supports the U.S. Department of the Treasury's goal to increase the number of electronic transactions with citizens and businesses, will save American taxpayers approximately $70 million over the first five years.

But savings bonds, introduced in 1935, are not going away. Electronic savings bonds in Series EE and I will remain available through purchase in TreasuryDirect®, a secure, web-based system operated by Public Debt – where investors have been purchasing savings bonds, available 24/7, since 2002.

Those currently holding paper savings bonds can continue to redeem them at financial institutions. Bonds, which have not matured, but were lost, stolen or destroyed, can be reissued in paper or electronic form.

Series I paper savings bonds remain available for purchase using part or all of one's tax refund. For more information on this feature, visit www.irs.gov.

For more information about the elimination of paper savings bonds and how to enroll in TreasuryDirect, visit http://www.treasurydirect.gov/.

 

Social Security Benefit Statements Going Online

The SSA recently discontinued mailing annual estimates of benefits to future Social Security recipients.  In attempts to cut costs, this information will now be available on the SSA website, www.socialsecurity.gov/estimator - then click on "Estimate Your Retirement Benefits".

To receive information on earnings history or disability and survivor benefits, please call the agency at 1-800-772-1213.

The agency estimates svings of $60,000,000 annual by going online.  It plans to resume mailing paper statements to thos over 60 within the year.

Value of the Dollar

Interested in how the U.S. dollar has changed in value over the centuries?  Check out MeasuringWorth to gauge how the dollar has changed since 1774 using a variety of benchmarks.

College and Scholarship Sources

Need a good starting point to review college and financial aid information?  Here are a few suggested sources to consider.

Take a look at our Teen Zone: College & Career page and also our Web Resources by Subject on Research & Reference: Education & College Search.

We have an online version of  Scholarships, Fellowships and Loans: A Guide to Education-Related Financial Aid Programs for Students and Professionals accessible through the Gale Virtual Reference Center.  Please ask one of our Reference Librarians to assist you in locating any of these items.

The following titles are available in our College Reference area:

CT R 378.34 COL The College Board Scholarship Handbook

CT R 378.34 SCH Scholarship Almanac (Peterson’s/Thomson Learning)

CT R 378.34 COL Getting Financial Aid (College Board)

CT R 378.3 SCH The Scholarship Book

CT R 378.3 PET 2009 Scholarships, Grants and Prizes (Peterson’s)

 

These titles can also be checked out:

DVD 378.3409 FOU 411 on Finding College Funds

378.34 ULT The Ultimate Scholarship Book

378.34 SCH Scholarships (Kaplan)

378.3097 TAN 501 Ways for Adult Students to Pay for College

378.1616 COL College Essays That Made a Difference (Princeton Review)

 

Two additional recommended sites are FAFSA and fastweb.com.

Standard Mileage Rates

WASHINGTON: 12/3/10 — The Internal Revenue Service issued the 2011 optional standard mileage rates used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes.
Beginning on Jan. 1, 2011, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (also vans, pickups or panel trucks) will be:

• 51 cents per mile for business miles driven
• 19 cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes
• 14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations

The standard mileage rate for business is based on an annual study of the fixed and variable costs of operating an automobile. The rate for medical and moving purposes is based on the variable costs as determined by the same study. Independent contractor Runzheimer International conducted the study.

A taxpayer may not use the business standard mileage rate for a vehicle after using any depreciation method under the Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System (MACRS) or after claiming a Section 179 deduction for that vehicle. In addition, the business standard mileage rate cannot be used for any vehicle used for hire or for more than four vehicles used simultaneously.

Taxpayers always have the option of calculating the actual costs of using their vehicle rather than using the standard mileage rates.

Revenue Procedure 2010-51 contains additional details regarding the standard mileage rates.

BrokerCheck

FINRA offers an online tool to help investors check the background of brokers and brokerage firms called BrokerCheck. You can obtain information about a broker's employment history, licensing status, criminal events, regulatory actions, investor complaints, and pending investigations.  You may also access this information by contacting FINRA at 800-289-9999.

FINRA, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, is the largest non-governmental regulator for all securities firms doing business with the U.S. public.

Northern Cook County Community Resource and Job Fair tomorrow 10/20/10

Tomorrow is the Northern Cook County Community Resource and Job Fair at the Forest View Educational Center from 11a-3p.  Meet with local employers and learn about assistance with: Healthcare, Employment, Food, Housing, Credit, Financial Planning, Utilities, Domestic Violence, and Other Supportive Community Services.

Credit Reports

You are entitled to request one free credit file disclosure, commonly called a credit report, once every 12 months from each of the nationwide consumer credit reporting companies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.  While prices may vary when requesting a credit score from these or other companies, the score is an additional cost and is not included in the free credit report unless ordered.

  

 

Equifax

P.O. Box 740241

Atlanta, GA 30374

800-685-1111

Request a fraud alert online, or call 1-888-766-0008

 

TransUnion

2 Baldwin Place

P.O. Box 1000

Chester, PA 19022

800-888-4213

Request a fraud alert online: fvad@transunion.com or 800-680-7289

 

 

Experian

955 American Lane

Schaumburg, IL 60173

888-397-3742

To add a fraud alert or 888-397-3742

 

Sun-Times columnist, Terry Savage, recommends Consumer Credit Counseling Services (800-388-2227) for helpful advice to review your credit history or debt issues.