| Payday loans have benefits, risks
Judy Killion of Garden City said she wanted to pay her electric bill so she wouldn't be left in the dark. Her daughter, Amber Zahnter, also of Garden City, said she wanted to pay rent and utilities but was having a hard time meeting those obligations. Neither said they expected a loan from a payday or auto title lender would lead them further into debt. Killion said her problems began in 2000 when she was living in a trailer at Meadow Lark. Her electric bill was higher than normal -- $300 -- and she didn't have the money. Friends told her about payday loans. Killion borrowed $200 from Check Into Cash, which now does business as Ace Express, and a $100 loan from Money Lenders, which is no longer in business. She said the lenders explained the contract to her and answered her questions regarding the loan, but she wasn't aware of late fees and the companies didn't mention them.
IRS says Enron stock can't be deducted as theft losses
Personal finance columnist Shannon Buggs answers readers' questions about managing money. Q: We still own Enron stock and qualify for the reimbursement package that was mailed to investors this week. My question: Can we deduct the losses not covered by the reimbursement as theft losses on our taxes next year? At what point does a capital loss become a theft loss? A: No, you cannot deduct as theft losses the amount you invested in Enron stock that is not covered by the reimbursement. The Internal Revenue Service stated in an April 19, 2004, notice that it would "disallow such deductions and may impose penalties" on taxpayers who claimed theft loss deductions for "the decline in market value of their stock caused by disclosure of accounting fraud or other illegal misconduct of the officers or directors of the corporation that issued the stock." The tax code limits losses for individuals to: Losses incurred in a trade or business.
Who's that with Jools, then?
Hootenanny may glitter, but Later is the gold. I suppose he's right, though they do look similar to the half-closed eye. Jools has abandoned his sandwich and is leading the band in a shambolic reggae version of 'The Lambeth Walk', which comes to an end when someone decides that his piano needs moving two inches to the left. Spotlights go on and off. A roadie brings tambourines for the backing singers. There's a lot of everything going on. We go upstairs out of the chaos. It's not actual chaos, Mark says, though it would be without director Janet Fraser Cook, who is the strategic genius behind making sure none of the wandering artists gets brained by a swooping camera before they've done their last number. The show was Janet's idea in the first place. She and Mark worked together on The Late Show on BBC2 and Later grew out of that, recorded on the same night, using the same crew and equipment and held together with bits of string and with fingers crossed.
A financial nudge from Uncle Sam
I'll be spending on luxuries. Like gas for a car and food and healthcare and my mortgage. This is what Bush and the Rethuglicons fail to understand. They have so damaged the economy that people have little to no discretionary income so they finance luxuries on their credit cards or refinance their home. Case in point is my vacation. Due to the increases in airplane fuel costs and the decreased value of the dollar, I couldn't afford to pay everything out of pocket. So I had to get a 0% credit card and charged all my expenses on it. Now I have to pay off the balance over the next 12 months. This is what Bush and the Rethuglicons have done to the economy. People have to finance their retirement (15%), pay their mortgage (20%), heat and cool their house (12%), put gas in the car (7%), buy food (10%), and go to the doctor (30%).
Republicans Push Tax Cuts In Florida Debate
Senator McCain voted against them," he said of the Bush tax cuts. "He now says they should be made permanent." Romney didn't say so, but he initially sidestepped questions about the tax cuts when he was governor. He told reporters earlier in the week that it wasn't often his habit to comment on federal legislation while he was governor. Huckabee offered qualified support for the stimulus package, saying he was concerned the Bush tax rebates would be financed by borrowing from foreign lenders such as China, and that consumers would then turn around and spend the money on Chinese products. "I have to wonder whose economy is going to be stimulated the most by the package," said the former Arkansas governor. The fifth candidate, Paul, said, "the government does have a responsibility, but it's supposed to lower taxes, get rid of regulations and devise a monetary policy that makes some sense." For McCain and Romney, the debate presented a chance to step out smartly in the struggle for victory in next week's Florida primary.
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