Yes, it’s tempting and so easy, but students (and their parents) are being sued all over the country by record companies and artists for sharing music files. Some colleges now have programs to avoid this problem. If yours does not, be smart and pay the one dollar per song it costs to legally download music. At $1.29 per song, iTunes are cheap compared to a lawsuit. (Have you seen the news?)
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The Massachusetts Bankers Association represents approximately 190 commercial,
savings and co-operative banks and savings and loan institutions located in Massachusetts and
elsewhere in New England.
Massachusetts Bankers Association, Inc.
One Washington Mall, 8th Floor
Boston, MA 02108
Tel: 617-523-7595 / Fax: 617-523-6373
http://www.massbankers.org
Purchasing a new home can be the start of quite a few bills that you did not once have before. So to make sure you are prepared to pay all of these bills, it is ideal to have a plan that works best for you to make the process a lot easier. One way that works best for people, is the use of online bill payment.
Online bill payment has skyrocketed in recent years as people realize it is both convenient, easy to do, and most importantly, saves time and money. For those unfamiliar with the practice, online bill payments are basically electronic transfers from your account to those people and companies to whom you need to make payments. It’s convenient because there’s no fuss of writing checks and it saves you and your payees time because payments are generally received in about one to three days. Gone are the days when the checks are lost in the mail! With bill pay, you can even schedule regular monthly payments in case you have a tendency to forget when your bills are due. Online bill pay can also help you manage your budget.
Furthermore, paying bills online can save you money. There are no postage fees and some payees offer discounts when you pay online. To make payments online, simply enter the name and account information for each of your payees, enter the amount of each payment, and click “send.” Be sure to print a copy of your transaction for your records. You’ll never go back to writing checks again!
This bogus communication can come to you via email, the U.S. Postal Service or over the telephone. There are numerous variations but, again, what they have in common is a request for you to advance funds to receive your prize. The scammers claim you have won the Canadian or some other lottery, you have won a trip or some other windfall and all you have to do is advance a “handling” fee to the sponsor or provide your bank account number. Don’t do it! If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
# # #
The Massachusetts Bankers Association represents approximately 190 commercial,
savings and co-operative banks and savings and loan institutions located in Massachusetts and
elsewhere in New England.
Massachusetts Bankers Association, Inc.
One Washington Mall, 8th Floor
Boston, MA 02108
Tel: 617-523-7595 / Fax: 617-523-6373
http://www.massbankers.org
With Mother’s Day approaching, remember that assisting elderly parents with money matters can be a sore subject, so let them know you want to make things easier for them, not take away their independence. It helps to allow them to continue controlling their checkbook, while meeting with them monthly to go through their bills. You can help manage their bank or investment accounts simply by getting their permission to access their accounts online. This allows you to watch for any out-of-the-ordinary payments or transfers. If something doesn’t seem right, you can react quickly without having to wait for your monthly meeting.
Finally, an honest discussion about estate planning, including powers of attorney and living trusts, can give the family more options if it becomes necessary.
