• Accident
• Sickness
• Unemployment
• Death

Typically when you have Loan Payment Protection and you find yourself unable to pay, you will be covered for a set time period, such as twelve months. So how do you know if a Loan Payment Protection Plan is right for you? Here are some of the situations where purchasing this product could be a good move:

You have job uncertainty. Layoffs are happening in a wide variety of fields, all over the country. If you’re worried about losing your job or fear that your company could close, then purchasing a Loan Payment Protection Plan could be a good move that offers you peace of mind.

You work in a dangerous field. Are accidents common in your line of work? If there is a chance that you could be injured and unable to work, then you may want to consider opting for a Loan Payment Protection Plan. Obviously no one is immune from the possibility of having an accident, but this is an especially important point to consider if you’ve got a risky job.

You have poor health. If you fear that your health could keep you from working in the future, then a Loan Protection Plan may be a good move. The last thing you want to worry about when you’re sick is repaying your loans and if your health is not good, earning a living is tough.

The bottom line is a Loan Payment Protection Plan is an investment and before committing to it you need to review your options. But it can definitely offer peace of mind to anyone paying off a loan.

1. Get Organized: Don’t wait until the last minute to get your taxes filed, and certainly don’t wait to get organized. Start gathering receipts and documents you’ll need to get the job done.

2. Lookout for W-2s:Tax documents including W-2s are probably showing up in your mailbox. Do yourself a favor and keep these all together in a safe place. When it comes time to do your taxes you’ll be glad you did.

3. Visit IRS.gov: In order to stay informed about key deadlines, news updates or scam alerts, make sure you’re visiting IRS.gov during tax season.

4. Get Free Help:Did you know the IRS gives out free tax software for qualified taxpayers? If you earn less than $57,000 a year you may qualify for this freebie. Checkout IRS.gov for more information on Free File.

5. Hire Someone You Trust: It doesn’t matter how much you pay a tax preparer– you’re still responsible for your tax return. Make sure the person you hire to help you is someone you trust to do the job with honesty and accuracy.

6. Try e-Filing: If you haven’t tried e-filing your taxes yet, make 2010 your year to do it. It’s a great way to save paper and save time.

7. Have Refund Directly Deposited: You won’t have to worry about your check getting lost in the mail if you opt for direct deposit. Plus you’ll get your tax refund much faster.

8. Don’t Rush: You’ve still got plenty of time. Don’t rush to send in your tax return. Make sure you take the time to review it completely so there are no mistakes.

9. Call for Help: Feeling overwhelmed with y our taxes? You can always call the IRS for help. You can reach their customer service department at 800-829-1040.

10. Make Copies: Always make copies of your tax return before sending them in. If you’re e-filing, make sure you print copies as well. That way you’ll always have a back-up in case you need it.

TEXT ENTRY: You can enter by text message by texting “RFCASH” to 30364. Once you send your text you’ll receive a response asking if you’d like to join the Sponsors’ Mobile Club. You must respond with a text that says “yes” in order to be entered into the sweepstakes. You can always opt out of the Mobile Club by replying to a text message with the word “STOP”. Standard text messaging rates apply.

MAIL ENTRY: You can also enter to win the $5,000 in cash by printing out this online entry form. Complete the form fully and mail it in to: PTS Financial Services $5,000 Cash Sweepstakes, 113 North Park Avenue, Calhoun, GA 30701. Your entry must be postmarked by April 1, 2010 and received no later than April 10, 2010.

This contest is only open to legal residents of North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Georgia, Kentucky, Alabama and Louisiana. If you’ve got questions, review the full list of official rules. One winner will be chosen by a random drawing around April 30, 2010. Don’t forget to submit your entry by April 1 in order to have your chance at the $5,000 cash prize.

1. Build Up Your Emergency Fund: Experts agree you should have three to six months worth of expenses saved up in an emergency fund. This will help with any unforeseen costs or bills that appear throughout the year.

2. Pay Off Some Bills: It may not be the most fun way to blow your tax refund, but it does make sense. Use your tax season money to pay down that credit card debt.

3. Pay Extra on Your Mortgage: Just one extra mortgage payment each year can significantly lower the amount you pay in interest over the course of your loan. Put your tax refund towards your house payment.

4. Give It Away: If you don’t need the money, give it to someone who does. Then you’ll be able to write your donation off on next year’s taxes.

5. Spoil Yourself: Reward yourself for all the hard work you’ve done by treating yourself to something nice. Maybe there’s a flat screen you’ve had your eye on or you’d love a nice massage. Go ahead and spoil yourself.

6. Make an Improvement to Your Home: Invest in your biggest investment– your home. Take your tax refund and upgrade a bathroom or kitchen. Or make an eco-friendly improvement that will lower your utility bills. When you go to sell you’ll be glad you did.

7. Save it For Retirement: It’s never too early or too late to save for retirement. Sock your tax refund away in a retirement account for when your golden years arrive.

8. Put it Towards Your Kids’ College: Use this money to build up or start a 529 College Savings Plan. It’s a way to save for college without having to pay tax on the interest you earn.

9. Learn Something New: Take your tax refund and invest in yourself. If there a class you could take that may help boost your earning potential, do it. Perhaps there is a conference you can attend that will put you ahead of the game in your field.

10. Pre-Pay Expenses: Often you can get a discount when you pay for an entire year’s worth of insurance or 12 months of a gym membership up front. Take advantage of that savings now that you’ve got the cash in hand to pay up in full.

Get Organized

The less time it takes for a professional to prepare your taxes, the less they will likely charge you. That is why it’s important to come into your meeting prepared and organized. File your bills, add up your mileage log, and organize receipts. The more time you spend getting yourself ready for tax season, the less time a tax preparer will spend filing your forms. This tax preparation checklist from Wells Fargo will also help you get your important papers, documents and files in order before meeting with your tax professional.

Use Coupons

Some tax preparation services offer money saving coupons that will provide you with a discount when getting your taxes done. Print off this coupon and take it in to your local Regional Finance location to receive $20 when they prepare your taxes. Regional Finance has dozens of locations. Find the one that is closest to you.

Wait Until Your Forms Arrive

Your W-2 forms should arrive by January 31, but your employer can ask for an extension that will give them an extra two weeks. Waiting until these forms arrive will help your tax preparer file your tax forms more quickly which could save you money. And it will also prevent you from having to go back a second time and amend your tax return.

Don’t Procrastinate

April 15 may seem like a long time away, but don’t put off doing your taxes. Make an appointment and get it done. If you wait until the last minute you may have to pay extra in order for a tax preparer to help you get your taxes filed in time. And if you file your taxes late, the IRS may issue a penalty.

Review Tax Forms

Once your tax preparer completes your tax forms, review them closely. Any mistakes could be costly because they may result in an audit. Get it right the first time by triple checking all important information so that you won’t have to pay more than necessary for tax preparation.

Create a Break-Down Kit

No one wants to get stranded, but with bad weather it can happen. Prepare for the worst by creating a car break-down kit. Include a blanket, hand warmers, water, road flares, a flashlight, extra batteries, gloves and snacks.

Carry Winter Safety Gear

If you’re setting out during less than perfect conditions, consider keeping an ice scraper, small shovel and even some kitty litter in your car. If your car is stuck in the snow the kitty litter may help your tires get enough traction to get out of a difficult situation.

Consider Joining a Motor Club

Since adding extras onto your car insurance policy can be costly, consider joining an automobile club like United Motor Club. Clubs such as these come with lots of great benefits including emergency road service dispatched 24 hours a day, assistance with emergency travel or ambulance expenses, and a travel itinerary service. When winter weather is particularly bad it’s a great idea to have a plan in place in case the unexpected happens when you are out on the road.

Drive for Conditions

Keep tabs on weather reports and drive for the conditions. That means if visibility is reduced or the roads are slick– slow down! You’ll also want to keep your headlights on so others can see you and don’t forget to leave plenty of extra room between you and the cars ahead.

Get a Tune Up

Before you hit the road during bad weather, schedule a tune up, oil change, tire rotation or any other routine maintenance that your car may need. Keeping your car running at its best will help ensure you won’t get stranded in the snow during a vehicle emergency this winter.

Image courtesy of lain Cuthbertson

Be Specific

If you want your New Year’s resolution to focus on finances, be specific. Instead of simply saying it’s your goal to save more, be specific by saying you want to save $100 extra each month. You’ll easily be able to tell how you’re doing with your goal and if you’re achieving it.

Make a Budget

First things first– if you want to get your finances in order for 2010 you need a budget. There are lots of free resources that make this much easier than you might think. Check out websites like Mint.com and Wesabe.com. Not only will you be able to easily make a budget but you’ll be able to track your spending. Find out where your money is really going and which areas you can cut back on so that you’ll be able to save more.

Tell Others

Experts say you’re much more likely to achieve your goals if you tell others about them. It makes failing more difficult. Tell friends and family members about your money goals for the New Year. Explain your plan of attack so they can help hold you accountable. You can also create a free online contract at StickK.com so that you’re more committed to those resolutions.

Celebrate Success

Set small milestones for yourself and when you tackle one take some time to celebrate. It’s easy to focus on the negative and let that stop you from achieving your goals– but don’t let it! Celebrate small strides because that is what will ultimately carry you to accomplishing what you set out to do in 2010.

Return Old Purchases

Perhaps you bought something you just had to have only to find out you didn’t need it so badly after all. Return past purchases that are still unused or in the package and get gift cards or cash to spend on Christmas gifts for others.

Sell Unwanted Gift Cards

You probably have some gift cards taking up space in your wallet. If you don’t want to use them up, then sell them. Use a site like PlasticJungle.com to unload those gift cards and get what you really need– cash. They’ll buy them off you for a percentage of what the card is actually worth.

Get a Loan

Get some extra cash quickly by applying for a loan online with Regional Finance. It’s quick and easy and could be the perfect solution to get you through the holidays. A wide variety of loan amounts are available and you don’t have to have perfect credit to be approved.

Visit a Pawn Shop

Have some old jewelry, DVDs or tools you no longer want? Then head to a pawn shop and sell your stuff. You’ll unload unwanted belongings and instead walk out with some extra money in your pocket.

Earn While You Search

Try using a search engine that pays you for what you’re already doing– surfing the web. Signing up for Swagbucks takes just a minute and is free. Once you create an account you start earning “Swagbucks.” You can cash Swagbucks in for gift cards or merchandise that will make great gifts this holiday season.

Negative: Relationship Strain

Consider the relationship you have with the person you’re thinking about asking for money. Have you and this family member always gotten along? If you’ve squabbled in the past, chances are when you throw money in the mix those fights could get worse. That means getting a loan from this person will put even more strain on your relationship.

Positive: Reasonable Terms

Unlike borrowing money from a bank, when you take a loan from a family member you can agree on the terms. The interest rate isn’t set in stone. Come to an agreement you both can handle and stick to it. You may benefit by not facing penalties and high interest rates like you would have if you’d gone through a traditional lender.

Negative: No Where to Fall Back

In a perfect world you’ll borrow the money and pay it back in the time that both sides have agreed upon. But what if something happens– you lose your job, get in a car wreck or some other emergency. Now you are unable to pay back that loan. Rather than just hurting a huge bank, you are hurting your family member. Have a back up plan for repaying your debt and make sure the person that is giving you the money is financially able to do so.

Positive: Unconditional Love

A bank doesn’t always understand your dreams and hopes like a family member does. If it’s your dream to start a business and a bank won’t give you the money, chances are your family understands your strengths and believes in you enough to help you get going. Not only are they giving you money, but they’re telling you that they believe in you.

The bottom line is, treat this relationship as a business relationship. Stick to the terms that both sides have agreed on and this transaction can go smoothly. But unlike taking a loan from a bank, there is a whole lot more at stake if something goes wrong. Relationships can be ruined over a loan. So don’t take advantage of your family member if you decide to borrow cash from a loved one.

How Many Owners Has the Car Had?

The vehicle history records may show when the title was renewed or issued which indicates how many owners the car has had. This is important because if a car was passed around several times that could be a clue that there may be some issues with it. Also, If the car has only had one or two more owners there is a chance that it was cared for better than a car that was owned for a short period by several people.

How Many Miles Did the Owners Drive It?

Along with the number of owners you’ll find out the estimated mileage that each owner put on the car. It’s important to look closely at these numbers because they could indicated odometer fraud if they don’t add up properly.

Where Did the Car Spend Its Time?

If you live in a more mild state, you may not want a car that spent several years enduring harsh winters in Minnesota. There could be additional rust from the sand and salt used to melt ice during the winter months.

Did the Car Experience Damage or Were the Airbags Deployed?

This is one of the biggest reasons to get a vehicle history report. You will find out if the car was in an accident or whether it sustained major or minor damage. If a car has had major damage, even though it’s repaired, there may be underlying issues that remain.

Did the Car Receive Regular Maintenance?

Sometimes the vehicle history report will also include detailed information about oil changes, routine maintenance and servicing. If a car was regularly serviced according to manufacturer suggestions, then you know it was well cared for.

Does the Car Have a Warranty?

If the car is still under a manufacturer warranty the vehicle history report should indicate that.