We are taking a break!

We regret that due to unavoidable reasons, we need to take a break. We'll not have regular weekday postings in next two weeks. Regular postings will resume on April 10th. In the mean-time, you may go through our past postings on various topics of interest. We suggest that you use the search box on top to search for past postings on topics of your interest (e.g. 'car', 'hybrid car', 'wedding', etc...)

Resources: Elder Care

You may be old or young, but you may need help regarding care issues of yourself or your elderly relatives. You may approach the folowing organizations for various kinds of help and information:

Support:
Children of Aging Parents 800-227-7294
The Family Caregiver Alliance 800-445-8106
National Shared Housing Resource Center

Government Programs:
The Elderly Locator 800-677-1116
The National Council on The Aging

Legal Help:
The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys 520-881-4005

Financial Advice:
The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors 800-366-2732
The Financial Planning Association 800-282-7526

Estate Planning:
American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys 800-846-1555

US Passport

If you're planning to travel abroad, and already possess a passport -- you may feel you need not worry about anything else. But beware of the fact that some countries require not only a valid passport, but one that will be valid for up to 6 months after you leave that country. U.S. passports are valid for 10 years and you might not remember exactly when your passport is going to expire. So, open your closet, look at your passport and, if needed, apply for a renewal. Passport renewals can be done either by mail, or in person at a passport agency.

Application by Mail: if you have an undamaged passport that was issued to you in the past 15 years and you were at least 16 years old when that passport was issued, and you still have the same legal name, you can apply by mail. You'll need to send: (i) completed application form (available here) (ii) Your most recent passport (iii) 2 color passport photos taken in the past 6 months (iv) Fees for processing the application ($67), payable to the Department of State (v) If your name has changed, you'll need to include a certified legal document specifying the change.

Apply in Person: If you do not meet the criteria to apply by mail, you must apply in person. Also if you have lost or damaged your passport, or need expedited service to receive your renewed passport, you need to do so. You must present the same materials as for a renewal by mail and the (i) Proof of U.S. citizenship, in the form of a certified U.S. birth certificate or your expired passport, as long as it is not damaged. (ii) Proof of identity, such as a driver's license or government or military ID. You may also present an expired passport if it is not damaged. (iii) Your Social Security number.

Avoid Remodeling Ripoff

After you buy your new home, you may want to further invest in it by completing some remodeling projects to increase the value. If the projects are extensive enough, you may decide to hire a professional to do the work. When hiring someone to work on your home, it is important that you make your selection carefully and choose someone whom you know is reliable.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, there are some telltale signs for spotting an unreliable contractor. A less than reputable professional will probably do things such as:

• Ask for payment only in cash
• Pressure you into making an immediate decision
• Ask you to pay un full for work that has not been done
• Offer exceptionally long guarantees
• Use materials that "Just happen to be leftover"
• Ask you to obtain the required work permits
• Not have a business listing in the phonebook
• Suggest that you borrow money from a lender the contractor knows, which could make you the target of a home improvement loan scam.

Permanent Insurance

Continuing our weekly posting on life insurance ....
[Our past postings: Life Insurance in general, Term Insurance]

Our today's topic is Permanent Insurance which includes whole life, universal life and variable universal life policies. You may consider these policies, if you need protection for life but also want to build cash value on a tax-deferred basis for a variety of financial goals. The Whole life policy have been the most popular form of permanent insurance but universal life and variable universal life have increased in popularity in recent years because of the increased flexibility they offer to policyholders. Today we discuss only Universal Life policies.

If you want permanent insurance, but have many financial commitments that require flexibility in meeting premium payments--such as mortgage payments, paying down debts or funding a child's college education--universal life (UL) may be for you.

With universal life, you control the amount and frequency of your premium payments and can choose between two death benefits options (within certain limits). The first, the level death benefit option, simply matches the policy face amount (the amount stated in the policy that's paid in case of death). The second, the increasing death benifit option, equals the face amount plus any accumulated policy cash values.

Policyholders can take loans against these cash values at any time. You may also take withdrawals (district from loans), generally after the policy's first year. Obviously, since cash values accumulate tax deferred, earnings, if any, become taxable only upon withdrawal. (Remember, though, that any withdrawals and/or unpaid loans will reduce the death benefits.) These features make Universal Life attractive for the long-term accumulation of assets which can then be used for different financial goals.

Fastest Growing Counties

According to the latest Census Bureau statistics, Flagler County, Florida has retained its status as the fastest growing county among the nation's 3,141 counties, based on rate of population gains. During the 12 months ended July 1, 2005, Flagler's population grew 10.1% to 76,410. The population is 53% more than recorded in the 2000 census.

Lyon County, Nevada, finished second with a growth rate of 9.6%. Kendall, Illinois, near Chicago, came in 3rd at 9.4%. Except one, all of the top-10 fastest-growing counties are in the South or West. In terms of sheer numbers, Maricopa County, Arizona, which includes Phoenix, added 137,000 residents, the most of any U.S. county. On the downside, Chattahoochee County in Georgia had the dubious distinction of losing 6.2% of its residents, a greater percentage loss than any other county

Here is the Top-10 list: [County (State) Population -- change -- percentage]
Flagler (Florida) 76410 -- 7,394 -- 10.7
Lyon County (Nevada) 47,515 -- 4,179 -- 9.6
Kendall County (Illinois) 79,514 -- 6,810 -- 9.4
Rockwall County (Texas) 62,944 -- 4,522 -- 7.7
Washington County (Utah) 118,885 -- 8,460 -- 7.7
Nye County (Nevada) 40,477 -- 2,791 -- 7.4
Pinal County (Arizona) 229,549 --14,845 -- 6.9
Loudoun County (Virginia) 255,518 -- 16,193 -- 6.8
King George County (Virginia) 20,637 -- 1,295 -- 6.7
Caroline County (Virginia) 25,563 -- 1,563 -- 6.5

2 Entertainment News

Apple started selling movie: ABC Disney Television Inc. has teamed up with Apple Computer Inc. to sell "High School Musical," a full-length movie on the Apple iTunes online music store. The movie originally aired on the Disney Channel. The movie is a 487MB download and cannot be found on the iTunes homepage. iTunes first offered the movie for $1.99, presumably as a trial, but has now raised the price to $9.99. The movie is a 487MB download. Some users already complained about the quality of the movie. The movie is offered in a limited resolution of 320 x 240 pixels, not exactly the DVD quality you would expect after paying $10. It is speculated that the offering of "High School Music" is iTunes' way of testing its technology to support full-length movie downloads.

Free music videos for Xbox 360 gamers: Xbox 360 gamers will get a year of free music videos and other content from artists signed to Epic Records under a promotion deal between the record label and Microsoft Corp., the companies said Thursday. The arrangement calls for Epic Records to feature 12 of its artists on a program dubbed Artist of the Month, which users of Microsoft's popular gaming console can access over the Xbox Live entertainment network. Xbox Live members will be able to download exclusive music videos free and compete for a chance to play an online game against the recording artists.

Resources: Health Care

The best place to get lot of healthcare information is the website of
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS). You will get
information about almost all health-related issues and facilities there.
Toll Free: 1-877-696-6775

For specific financing questions Medicare, Medigap, and Medicaid,
and other financing issue, you may also visit the website of
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) which is a Federal
agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Its
former name was Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA).
Toll-free number: 1-877-267-2323

Medicare hotline [800-MED-ICAR or 800-633-4227] is operated by CMS.

The JointCommission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations
offers information on accrediting of nation’s hospitals, home health care
agencies, and mental health care facilities. (708) 916-5800

Association of Claims Assistance Professionals
Members Assist consumers with health claims paperwork (708) 963-3500

National Alliance for Caregiving (Resource center for caregivers)
(301) 718-8444
National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers
(602) 881-8008

National Hospice Organization (800) 658-8898
Visiting Nurse Association of America (800) 426-2547

Exchanging Vacation Homes

Summer may still be far away but probably this is the time to start preparing for a vacation with your family and especially kids ... if you are trying to find a home away from your home.

In recent years, swapping or exchanging homes located throughout the world is gaining more and more popularity as an attractive part of taking vacation. For an annual membership of around $50, you may enlist your home onan exchange site. If someone is interested in your home, they will email you and when you come across anything that you like, you email them. Finally you decide to cut a deal depending on mutual preferences and options. Some people even go beyond to exchange their cars too. You can even agree to take care of each other's pets.

Three leading (and Big too!) house-swap sites are: HomeExchange.com, Intervac.com, Homelink.org . Besides these there is SinglesHomeExchange.com for swapping apartments and also some quite interesting ones like TeacherHomeSwap.com which provides the specialized service of finding other teacher swappers who are very likely to search for houses for similar vacation dates.

Even with so many websites available, it might not be very easy to find an exchange home of your choice. Vacation is precious and you may not afford to spoil it by a hurriedly-made choice by you. So, start early, plan properly, have a talk with the exchangers and take sufficient time to decide how your summer home should be. Many people who did that say that they want to do it again. It's worth the trouble and time.

Term Insurance

From last Monday we started our weekly posting on various kinds of Life insurance because we felt that many of us just do the 'buying' part of the life insurance but continue to carry the misconception that we are well protected. Today we discuss 2 different types of Term Insurance.

Annual Renewable Term: These policies provide a level death benefit you can renew each year (until about age 80) without a medical exam. Annual renewable term insurance is best suited for people with short-term coverage needs because the premium generally increases each policy anniversary. Despite this, annual renewable term is normally the most affordable type of life insurance.

Level Term: These types of policies provide a level death benefit, and may be suitable if you have a young family and need affordible protection over a set number of years. Unlike annual renewable term, where premiums increase annually, level term premiums remain the same throughout the level premium period. Typical terms periods include 5, 10, 15, 20 and 30 years.

Public Insurance Adjuster

Home prices throughout the nation are at all time high and so is your stake in your home. If any catastrophe strikes your home, your home insurance would be the key to your new life. Most people do not face such a situation, but in case such a thing happens like it did in New Orleans a few months back, you will have the unfortunate recourse to facing and negotiating with your insurers on all kinds of clauses that bind your insurance policy. That's where Public Insurance Adjusters may step in.

They know the ins and outs of filing a large claim against a homeowner's policy. They take inventory, hire appraisers and engineers and negotiate with the insurer over your policy provisions. In short, they fight for a bigger settlement from your insurance company and provide peace of mind when you're most vulnerable. In return, they take a percentage of the total insurance settlement, usually around10%, depending on the size and difficulty of the claim. Their percentage may also depend on state insurance regulations, which sometimes cap the public insurer adjuster's fees.

To hire an adjucter you need to check with your state insurance department for the names of licensed firms (40 states license the profession) and ask for references. You may also visit the website of the National Association of Public Insurance Adjusters (NAPIA) which lists its member firms.

We must also point out that some people see public adjusters with lot of skepticism. The insurance industry (obviously!) points out that your insurance company provides its own adjuster free of charge. Some consumer advocates call them a waste of money that could be better spent on a lawyer in the event you are not satisfied with your insurers. However, it's a choice that you can exercise depending on your situation and the amount of your claim.

Zillow

Have you heard of Richard Barton? Yes. He's the guy who launched Expedia.com a decade ago and helped transform the travel industry by handing over to consumers the same tools to book reservations that travel agents had long controlled.

He launched his next big venture last month -- Zillow.com (a beta version for now) that applies the same approach - this time to real estate. The site offers property information that has until recently been beyond the reach of the average buyer or seller who didn't took help from a real estate agent. At zillow.com, by typing in an address, the user can obtain an instant valuation of one home or all homes on a street or neighborhood along with a nice map from Google Earth.

Zillow goes through county records and other government data on 60 million homes nationwide. It then would use proprietary computer analysis to determine current values, which the company termed as "zestimates." The company is trying to create as complete a record as possible on individual properties including a home's history, all past sales transactions, tax assessments and other details. This should help put buyers and sellers on better footing during a real estate transaction.

It is true that a number of such sites are already available in the internet. IAC/InterActiveCorp's Domania, HomeGain, HouseValues and other sites surfaced up in the last few years as refinancing, purchase and related activities got boosted up. But Zillow has come up with some unique features. For example, a home's value on Zillow can be tracked historically against the performance of local, state or national real estate markets, much like comparing a stock against the Standard & Poor's 500 index.

[Disclaimer: LiveInUSA has no connection whatsoever with Zillow.com . The information here is being provided only because we think this could be useful to our readers]

Life Insurance

Life Insurance is an essential part of our life but many of us are completely unaware of its pros and cons. We pay our premiums and feel secure but we do not find time to check exactly what benefits we are entitled for. Starting from today, every week we will have a posting on 'insurance' and we will try to cover various aspects of it.

There are two basic types of life insurance. Term insurance protects you for a limited, specified period of time, while permanent insurance combines a death benefit (the proceeds the beneficiary of a life insurance policy receives upon the death of the insured) with a savings component. Especially during your younger years, term insurance generally offers the higest death benefit for the premium. It also allows you to convert your coverage into payment insurance during what's known as the conversion period.

Permanent insurance comes in various forms, including whole life (also known as ordinary life), universal life, variable universal life and several kinds of survivorship life. All of these policies combine a death benefit with an accessible savings, or cash value, component that you can use for a variety of financial goals. Because permanent insurance is designed to provide lifelong coverage, it usually requires higher initial premium than do term contracts for the same amount of coverage.

Frequently, both permanent and term life policies offer an accelerated benefits option that enables you to receive your death benefit early if you become terminally ill, and a waiver of premium rider, available at an additional cost, which automatically pays your premium if you become totally disabled. (certain restriction apply to both of these options).

We will elaborate on these various kinds of insurance products in our future postings.

Worm For Mac Computers

About 95% of the world's PCs are based on Microsoft's Windows operating systems. There are hundreds of thousands of viruses and worms aimed at Windows machines. Conversely, there are about 200 worms and viruses targeting Mac computers, but they are extremely low-risk and predate OS X, the current Mac operating system. So, until now writers of malicious software codes were ignoring Mac computers.

Users of Mac computers were thus living happily forever until now...

The popularity of Mac computers are growing especially among young kids who are growing up with iPods. Many adults also switched over from Windows to Mac to avoid the cumbersome fight they continuously need to wage against malicious viruses and spywares. Perhaps that's what is catching the attention of those malicious code writers.

Now, the first worm targeting Apple Computer's Mac OS X' operating system has surfaced, though it does not appear to be widespread or especially dangerous. The so-called 'OSX.Leap.A' worm is designed to spread over iChat, Apple's instant-messaging system. Security experts call it the first notable Mac worm in several years. When launched, it can damage software applications and the operating system. A Web link pointing to the worm offers a sneak peek of screen shots for Leopard, the next major revision of Mac OS X. Those who download the compressed file and attempt to open what looks like a photo file receive the worm.