Troubled Times

Many people are concerned about financial issues these days (and with the news from Wall Street and Washington D.C. there is probably a good reason). Not much good comes from worrying about things beyond our control (although we can always write Congress), so it might be helpful to address those things that we can control.

First, conduct an assessment of your assets. You should ensure that the structure of your bank holdings provide you with the maximum FDIC insurance protections (which is currently $100,000 per account). Second, if you are dealing with debt, address it head-on and educate yourself about all available options. Finally, do not forget to conduct an annual credit review to ensure the integrity of your personal credit. A good resource to obtain these reports is http://www.annualcreditreport.com/.