Personal Finance: A PCL Pathfinder
Looking for tips on how to make your money grow or on how to spend it more wisely? The resources listed below will assist researchers in making wise decisions like where to bank their money and where to invest it. This guide introduces researchers to some of the basic informational sources on the topic. The terms and phrases listed in the subject headings below can be used to search for more materials in the library's catalog and research databases. If you need further assistance, please ask a librarian.
Quick Jump to:
Bank Rate
www.bankrate.com
List of best interest rates and a wide array of financial calculators. Separate forums for the following topics: tax, small business, investment and advice.
Checkfree
www.checkfree.com
Use this service to receive and pay bills electronically. Requires paid subscription.
FDIC
www.fdic.gov/bank/index.html
Searchable databases allow users to find institutions and their branches in order to retrieve contact and financial status.
National Credit Union Administration
www.ncua.gov
Provides directory of domestic and international credit unions with links to each institution.
Paytrust
www.paytrust.com
Allows you to receive and review all your bills online, decide who to pay, how much and when and from which bank account. Requires paid subscription.
- By Telephone: Call 877-322-8228 (toll free)
- By Mail
Complete the Annual Credit Report Request Form and mail it to:Annual Credit Report Request Service
P.O. Box 105281
Atlanta, GA 30348-5281
The Annual Credit Report Request Form is available at the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC's) web site: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/edcams/freereports/psa.html
- Online
Free annual credit report for Michigan citizens (see warnings below)
https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/requestForm?currState=MI&ion=M&from=landing
"Free Annual Credit Reports - What Consumers Should Know" by Michigan Attorney General Michael Cox
http://www.michigan.gov/ag/0,1607,7-164-34739_20942-111010--,00.html
This contains very helpful information about what to look for in a credit report, and how to be sure your personal and financial information stays secure.
Other credit reporting agencies:
Equifax – www.equifax.com
To report fraud, call: 1-800-525-6285
and write: P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241
For information on disputing errors, you may visit:
www.econsumer.equifax.com/consumer/sitepage.ehtml?forward=online_dispute
Experian - www.experian.com
To report fraud, call: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742)
and write: P.O. Box 9532, Allen TX 75013
For information on disputing errors, you may visit:
www.experian.com/disputes/index.html (online dispute form)
TransUnion - www.transunion.com
To report fraud, call: 1-800-680-7289
and write: Fraud Victim Assistance Division
P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92834-6790
For information on disputing errors, you may visit:
http://www.transunion.com/corporate/personal/creditDisputes.page
Identity Theft Information
for Michigan Consumers - 2005 Update - by Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox
http://www.michigan.gov/ag/0,1607,7-164-17343_18163-80479--,00.html
This alert explains some simple and effective steps consumers can take to reduce their risk of becoming a victim, including obtaining free credit reports; and respond quickly and effectively if their personal information has been fraudulently misused.
FTC's ID Theft Clearinghouse
http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/
1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338)
Immediately call the FTC's ID Theft Clearinghouse toll-free or use the FTC's ID Theft Complaint Form . Counselors will take your complaint and advise you on the basis of your situation what additional steps you should consider. Complaints to the FTC are entered on the nation's only central identity theft database, which is accessible to law enforcement agencies around the nation.
Identity Theft Resource Center
www.idtheftcenter.org
The Identity Theft Resource Center is a national nonprofit organization that focuses exclusively on identity theft. ITRC was founded in December 1999 by Linda and Jay Foley. While its national office is based in San Diego, CA, ITRC has representatives working with its program throughout the United States.
Michigan Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division
http://www.michigan.gov/ag/0,1607,7-164-17337---,00.html
Consumers may visit the Attorney General's web site for more information on ID theft and to view consumer alerts on a wide range of topics.
Consumer Protection Division
P.O. Box 30213
Lansing, MI 48909
Phone: 517-373-1140
Toll-free within Michigan: 1-877-765-8388
Fax: 517-241-3771
http://www.michigan.gov/ag/0,1607,7-164-17331---,00.html (online complaint form)
Privacy Rights Clearinghouse
www.privacyrights.org
The PRC's goals include:
Raise consumers' awareness of how technology affects personal privacy; Empower consumers to take action to control their own personal information by providing practical tips on privacy protection; Respond to specific privacy-related complaints from consumers, intercede on their behalf, and, when appropriate, refer them to the proper organizations for further assistance; Document the nature of consumers' complaints and questions about privacy in reports, testimony, and speeches and make them available to policy makers, industry representatives, consumer advocates, and the media.
Reporting Fraud To Credit Reporting Agencies
(Do not use for ordering free annual credit reports)
Equifax
www.equifax.com
Call: 1-800-525-6285; and
Write: P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241
Experian
www.experian.com
Call: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742); and
Write: P.O. Box 9532, Allen TX 75013
TransUnion
www.transunion.com
Call: 1-800-680-7289); and
Write: Fraud Victim Assistance Division
P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92834-6790
TAKE CHARGE: Fighting Back Against Identity Theft
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/idtheft/idt04.pdf
Working with other government agencies and organizations, the Federal Trade
Commission (FTC) has produced this booklet to help you remedy the effects
of an identity theft. It describes what steps to take, your legal rights, how to
handle specific problems you may encounter on the way to clearing your
name, and what to watch for in the future.
Best's Ratings Online
www.ambest.com/ratings/access.html
Includes contact information and brief financials on your insurance company. You can also find a table that defines the Best rating and what it actually means.
InsWeb
www.insweb.com
Allows you to compare insurance quotes from leading insurance companies to find the best rates available for vehicles, home, life, medical and pet insurance.
The following commercial investment services offer a variety of products and services including the ability to buy and sell stock as well as basic investment information. They allow you to view your portfolio, research industries, markets, and individual stocks. The Parchment Community Library does not endorse any services listed on this web site.
Ameritrade: www.ameritrade.com
E*trade: www.etrade.com
Options Xpress: www.optionsxpress.com
Schwab: www.schwab.com
Think or Swim: www.thinkorswim.com
Vanguard: www.vanguard.com
Barrons
http://www.barrons.com
BARRON'S is edited to contain in-depth analyses of how the capital markets impact on the future of business and government. Articles point out industrial developments and investment opportunities affecting the businessperson, the money manager, the investor, the advocate, and the consumer. Each issue contains corporate evaluations, financial columns, and a complete listing of economic indicators and market results.
Better Investing
http://www.better-investing.org/publications/
It is a monthly how-to magazine for people who want to learn how to become successful lifelong investors. It comes complete with investment principles to follow, tools to use to help find good companies at good prices, and even a support group - a community of other investors ready and willing to help you in your efforts to become a better investor.
CBS Marketwatch
http://cbs.marketwatch.com
Enormous amount of information best navigated with a ticker symbol in hand. The site provides, as it says, “the story behind the numbers,” with headlines and news on companies, industries, markets, and investment topics.
CNN FN The Financial Network
http://cnnfn.cnn.com
Financial news including sections on technology, companies, CEOs, the economy, and industry.
Forbes
www.forbes.com
Provides articles from its current and archived magazine. Forbes famous lists are conveniently located on one page. Find the “World's Richest People,” “Forbes 500,” “500 Largest Private Companies,” “Forbes Platinum 400,” and “Forbes 200 Best Small Companies.”
Kiplingers Personal Finance
http://www.kiplinger.com/personalfinance
Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine provides you with down-to-earth advice on managing your money and achieving financial security. You get trustworthy information and practical guidance on saving, investing, planning for retirement, paying for college, buying an automobile, home and other major purchases.
Smart Money
http://www.smartmoney.com
'Smart Money is a personal business magazine edited for discriminating investors, featuring practical and imaginative ideas for investing, spending, and saving. Articles and features provide action-oriented information on investment opportunities and pitfalls. Editorial asks tough questions about the big names and big businesses that affect important personal business decisions.' --from web site.
Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/public/us
This daily newspaper publishes the latest in news from the business and finance world. Additionally, it strives to connect current domestic and international news events to business fluctuations and market changes. It also seeks to inform the educated reader about pressing economic changes and evolution.
BusinessWeek Online, Investing
www.businessweek.com/investor/index.html
A wealth of information on markets, stocks, funds, economy, IPOs, industries, and current news in the investment world.
Fool.com
www.fool.com
Includes stock research, quotes, data and discussion boards. Offers a customizable portfolio tracker and weekly stock screen to generate new investment opportunities.
MSN MoneyCentral
http://moneycentral.msn.com
Offers a wide array of information for the Investor including banking and bill paying, retirement, wills, taxes, insurance, saving, spending, family, college, mortgages, and loans.
Smartmoney.com
www.smartmoney.com
Offers a comprehensive site for beginning and seasoned investors with many interactive tools.
Stock Screener
www.quicken.com/investments/stocks/search/
Use Stock Search to find stocks that best meet your investing goals. Automated searches include preset criteria that match popular investing strategies or use the full search to create your unique stock screener by combining certain variables.
Yahoo! Finance
http://finance.yahoo.com
Provides a directory of investing and personal finance Web sites, including top business news for the day and links to other Yahoo! International market sites. Also provides a quick market summary and brief synopsis of the day's trading activities.
finance—periodicals
investments—periodicals
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Financial Aid
last updated: August 21, 2008
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