Kenneth I. Starr, accountant to the stars, has bilked celebrity investor clients out of millions of dollars and is now facing jail and bankruptcy. And dermatologist to the stars, Arnie Klein, who treated the likes of Michael Jackson and Elizabeth Taylor, has also filed for bankruptcy protection.
: Living with credit 364 New , interesting products 89 Research , regulation , industry reports 212 Rewards 34 Protecting yourself 137 The fine print 59 Credit card miscellany 344 Add category 1 Celebrity Money Watch 2 Print Email Emily's list : IRS prepaid debit card edition Emily Starbuck Gerson March 18, 2011 Living with credit All right , folks you have less than a month to get those taxes filed Each year , we all pray for refunds . Some of us choose to have our refund deposited directly into our bank accounts , while others select to have it sent to us by check . This year , 600,000 Americans will have the option to receive their refunds via prepaid MyAccountCard Visa debit cards from Green Dot , a leading issuer of prepaid cards . This is currently just a pilot program for moderate
When your boss asks whether you'd like to attend South by Southwest Interactive (or SXSWi) -- a five-day smorgasbord of emerging technology talk, networking and fun -- for the first time, the answer is pretty easy: "YES!" While many SXSWi attendees and presenters travel from across the globe to the annual conference in Austin, Texas, I was lucky to only have to head just minutes away to downtown Austin for the event.A badge and short drive made me doubly fortunate. So how did I make my SXSWi experience worthwhile? By attending all sorts of talks, enjoying several parties and scoring free food and drinks.
It has perhaps never been more obvious that the National Football League, the undisputed king of all American sports, is a business. It's also becoming clear that some of the folks involved are no better at handling money than you or me, even though most make more money in a year than we may see in a lifetime.
: Living with credit 364 New , interesting products 89 Research , regulation , industry reports 212 Rewards 34 Protecting yourself 137 The fine print 59 Credit card miscellany 344 Add category 1 Celebrity Money Watch 2 Print Email Emily's list : Farewell magnetic stripe edition Emily Starbuck Gerson March 25, 2011 Living with credit It's no secret that magnetic stripe credit cards are looked down upon in Europe . At this time last year , I experienced frustration when traveling in London and merchants were extremely distrustful of my American credit cards Their chip-and-PIN cards have become such the norm there that any magnetic stripe-only card is under suspicion , as they lack that extra layer of security . Our cards are still widely accepted there they just come under more scrutiny due
: Living with credit 362 New , interesting products 88 Research , regulation , industry reports 212 Rewards 34 Protecting yourself 137 The fine print 59 Credit card miscellany 344 Add category 1 Celebrity Money Watch 2 Print Email Emily's list : International Women's Day edition Emily Starbuck Gerson March 11, 2011 Living with credit International Women's Day was actually on Tuesday , but I think this day that recognizes women should be celebrated all week . What started in the 1900s in the United States now celebrates ladies worldwide and aims to build a world more bright and equal for women . I definitely think that the world needs more strong female leaders . In 2009, a Harvard study found that only 1.5 percent of CEOs at leading companies are women . There has never been a female
: Living with credit 362 New , interesting products 88 Research , regulation , industry reports 212 Rewards 34 Protecting yourself 137 The fine print 59 Credit card miscellany 344 Add category 1 Celebrity Money Watch 2 Print Email Emily's list : Prepaid debit cards edition Emily Starbuck Gerson March 4, 2011 Living with credit Thanks to rising bank fees , students and young adults with simple finances may begin turning to prepaid debit cards rather than having a checking account , according to a March 1 study reported by Reuters For those with simple finances , there isn't much of a difference between these and traditional debit cards linked to bank accounts , says the study , commissioned by the Network Branded Prepaid Card Association . These cards are reloadable , and some employers can
6 Key Ways to Protect Your Personal Information Online by Tisha Tolar on March 31, 2011 Consumers are pretty well-versed in the incidents of credit card fraud but as criminals are getting savvier , it’s always wise to keep abreast of trends in fraudulent activity and how to avoid the latest exploits of cyber . criminals Cyber criminals can net billions of dollars in a year using online resources to steal credit card and other user personal identification data . In the past , all consumers really had to worry about was people swiping cards from their mailbox or looking over their shoulders at the ATM . Now , there are things like phishing intercept fraud skimming site spoofing and the latest fraud phenomenon , triangulation Consumers are getting lost in the shuffle of . technology It is
5 Critical Card Attributes You’ve Got to Compare by Tisha Tolar on March 28, 2011 These days , shopping for a credit card is not an easy task . With your credit score riding in the balance and the multitude of information floating around and in solicitations mailed to your home , it’s no wonder consumers are prone to making a big mistake in the personal finance game by choosing the wrong . card There are some specifics that you need to be looking at when selecting a card . In fact , it is not good enough to just read about the key characteristics of one card , you need to also compare those features to several other cards on the market . Card offers do not come in one-size-fits-all categories so you need to know what is available in order to make the smartest financial . decision What to
Most Sexist Credit Card Ads of All Time by bhazelton on March 25, 2011 One thing often said about advertising is that it’s a reflection of the society around us . 8221 Well , maybe . The truth is that it’s more a reflection of what advertisers want society to be . like Such is the case with credit card advertising . Credit card companies , of course , make money when we spend . And when we spend too much , they make a lot of money . So there is a long tradition of suggesting that women unleash their inner shopping diva , and spend recklessly , because the husband will take care of it . Don’t believe us Check out some of The Most Sexist Credit Card Ads of : all-time 1 Hey , It Worked For Mrs . Cleaver In 1968, when this ad was printed , women theoretically used their feminine wiles” to get
Tips and Advice When Considering a Joint Account by Tisha Tolar on March 23, 2011 Love can make us do stupid things . Getting caught up in a new relationship can lead to mistakes in our financial lives that we only see in hindsight . With more people deciding to co-habitate prior to marriage , money problems often times pop up far sooner than couples are ready to deal with . them One big mistake that couples continue to make time and time again is opening joint accounts without considering the financial ramifications for each individual . When you are not married , in particular , it’s not always the smartest move to hitch your wagon to someone financially . We’ve provided some tips that are useful when considering a joint credit card account as well as some advice for how to make it an
Tips for Surviving Embarrassing Credit-Related Scenarios by Tisha Tolar on March 18, 2011 For most people , even when they know there is enough cash in the bank , they may still cringe a little with a quickened heart beat when turning their debit card over to complete purchase transactions in a public place . There is always a little fear that something might go wrong and cause an embarrassing situation . When it comes to credit cards even when nothing is seemingly amiss , there is a still a chance you may be on the receiving end of some bad news in a public . manner Here are some of the more common , potentially embarassing credit-related situations that can arise when making purchases on your cards . Not all of them are directly your fault but can still be embarrassing and frustrating .
iPhoneSwiper Offers Mobile Payment Acceptance Capability by Tisha Tolar on March 16, 2011 If you are a merchant with products or services to sell while on the go , you can now use your iPhone to make your business take you further . Effective March 5, the iPhoneSwiper is available as a wireless credit card processing terminal . The terminal is free for those who sign up for a merchant account with iPhoneSwiper’s partner , Impact PaySystem from the iPhone app . store The iPhoneSwiper is presently the only credit card terminal which has the power to read the magnetic stripe on credit cards It can also scan the infra-red barcodes on products and has a thermal . printer When the terminal is used with the gateway software , merchants have total control over the products in their stores and can
Are You Geographically-Inclined to Spend More On Credit by Tisha Tolar on March 14, 2011 Results from recent investigations from the credit reporting agency Experian say that there are certain areas of the nation that have not let the recession put a crimp in their credit card spending . While on average the total balance held by consumers on their cards has dropped from years prior , there are still certain regions and locations in the United States where consumers are spending even more on credit than . usual Who Spends the Most The state with the highest card balances is Texas , where San Antonio residents showed the most credit card debt with an average topping out at just over 5,200 on their credit cards about 20 higher than the national average . Residents of Jacksonville , FL came
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5 Most Important Takeaways from the New CARD Act Legislation by bhazelton on March 7, 2011 In the last year , the credit card industry has undergone an overhaul and all consumers need to be acutely aware of how these changes will affect them the most . Managing your revolving credit accounts in 2011 is different in many ways as a result of the new legislation and in order to stay on top of these changes , consumers need to understand the most important aspects of credit card . reform Here are 5 of the most important takeaways from the new CARD act legislation for consumers and some key tips for managing your accounts more effectively in : 2011 Tip 1 : Open Your Mail Consumers are notorious for tossing aside unopened mail from card issuers . Under the new laws , card issuers must send a