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April 2006
 
 
WH Cornerstone Investments Newsletter
Your financial cornerstone in a constantly changing world

Greetings!
Tax day is fast approaching. Phew; another tax year will soon be behind us! This month’s newsletter has several articles on budgeting and saving which have been very popular. Is a real estate individual retirement account right for you? written by Bill and published in Mass High Tech will open your eyes to new options. We recently saw an ad that said something like “If you hated your job enough to leave it, then why is your 401(k) still there?”. We’ve included a great article about your options for your 401(k) from your former employer. If we can be of assistance to you, give us a shout. We offer fee-only planning and investment advisory services.

Time to Share. Create a Buzz. "Buy land," an old wit once said, "because they're not making any more of it." Today in Massachusetts, just three million acres remain up for grabs, half of them critically important, whether for their natural beauty or ecological value. At The Trustees of Reservations, the moves they make in the next few years—to help save thousands of critical acres, to inspire generations of people to love the land, and to protect the treasures we already own—will shape the natural and cultural landscape of Massachusetts for many centuries to come. The Trustees of Reservations have embarked upon an ambitious $50 million capital campaign called Landscapes & Landmarks. The Kresge Foundation will contribute $1.5 million to The Trustees efforts in your backyard and across the state if they reach their financial goals and get more people like you involved as Trustees—through financial support at any level—by June 2006. Won’t you join us as we become members of The Trustees of Reservations. Now, it's your move!

Have You Ever Tried to Negotiate a Different Work-Life Arrangement with Your Employer? If yes, read on. A research team from Babson College is conducting a study of the issues women face when they try to change their work-life arrangement. We are interested in hearing from women who have had both successful and unsuccessful experiences negotiating such changes as a flexible work week, working from home, working part-time, etc. If you, or a colleague, would like to participate in this study or for more information, please contact Alex Gasik via email at agasik1@babson.edu.


Cheers—Paula and Bill Harris

The money move you must get right
When you leave a job, doing the wrong thing with your old 401(k) can cost you a big chunk of your savings. To retire rich, master the art of the rollover.
Every time you start a new chapter in your career, you face fresh challenges: a different corporate culture, more responsibility, new colleagues and--if you're at the end of full-time work--a whole new way of life.

How small cuts become huge savings
You can tilt the odds of creating wealth in your favor. Sure, spending less is one way. But be sure to make your money work hard for you -- and set goals to make certain it happens.
I've often been asked the secret of creating wealth. Is it to buy hot Internet stocks or work for a tech startup that offers you stock options? Is the trick to count every penny and live a life of penury? Is the road to wealth paved with risk? Do you have to be smart and well-educated? Or is it simply a matter of luck?

Is a real estate individual retirement account right for you?
by William Harris, CFP
For tax-deferred retirement accounts, one asset class is being overlooked: real estate or real estate held within your individual retirement account or other qualified retirement plan.

7 radical ways to save money
Want to really save? Take a look at how you spend and change it.
It's getting harder to blame savings shortfalls on your measly pay stub. In fact, how much you save has little to do with your income, research by economists Steven Venti and David Wise shows. It has more to do with whether you want to save and are willing to adjust to boost your saving.

Getting the most bang for your remodeling buck
Home Sweet Home
Maybe you're getting a fat tax refund. Or you found a sweet deal on a home equity loan. Whatever the source, you're just itching to use that stash of cash to spruce up your home and increase its resale value.

Top things to know
Learn the difference about debt and don't drag your feet when you need help.
1. Americans are loaded with credit card debt. The average American household with at least one credit card has nearly $9,200 in credit card debt, according to CardWeb.com, and the average interest rate runs in the mid- to high teens at any given time.
phone: 888.797.9009

"Change before you have to." — Jack Welch

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