Several years ago after her stroke, Mom moved to California to be near family. She has been very stubborn about keeping her out-of-state accountant and stock broker and bristles at the thought of changing them. She has a large portfolio of investments in the family trust. Now Mom is 87, in assisted living and getting very forgetful. Her kids feel it's time to find advisors that are closer. I've been chosen to look for: 1. A local accountant / CPA to advise us on tax issues and the trust. 2. A local financial planner (may be included with #1?). 3. A local stock broker. Local = Walnut Creek, CA area. I need advice on finding the right people, what kind of questions to ask when interviewing them and any other helpful tips or resources.
posted by Anonymous on Jul 1, 2009 - 5 answers

What's the best way to keep my summer income separate from my savings? [more inside]
posted by Precision on Jun 25, 2009 - 7 answers

How can I get an emergency loan to pay the rent? [more inside]
posted by Anonymous on Jun 25, 2009 - 21 answers

As a former scientist, help me gain some faith in economics. What were the great successes of economics as a tool for making better decisions in the last 100 years? [more inside]
posted by zaebiz on Jun 23, 2009 - 20 answers

Recently converted from Quicken to Mint.com and am finding it a bit disorienting... [more inside]
posted by Slarty Bartfast on Jun 20, 2009 - 10 answers

Can anyone comment on the sovereignty implications of the putative debt agreements that the Icelandic government is seeking to enter into with Britain and the Netherlands? [more inside]
posted by laumry on Jun 18, 2009 - 7 answers

How can I redeem a municipal bond? [more inside]
posted by jjno on Jun 16, 2009 - 4 answers

We're moving to Canada in 3 months but we need a new car now. Buy? Lease? Here? There? [more inside]
posted by setanor on Jun 12, 2009 - 17 answers

I'd like an online savings account (no minimums, no fees) that lets me divide savings into 'virtual funds' to save for things like trips, a computer, emergencies, etc. Does anyone know of one? [more inside]
posted by cowbellemoo on Jun 3, 2009 - 14 answers

What are your favorite links for frugal living/frugality websites? [more inside]
posted by ian1977 on Jun 2, 2009 - 26 answers

What are the BEST credit card offers with values like cash back and other perks? I have excellent credit now, and want to buck up on credit now as I will be losing my job in August. I pay it off monthly. It's time the banks work for ME instead of THEM. Clark Howard was not helpful.
posted by ~Sushma~ on May 28, 2009 - 15 answers

Canadian who wants to open a high-interest savings account at a US bank, in USD - which bank? [more inside]
posted by Penelope on May 23, 2009 - 8 answers

How am I supposed to make financial projections for a business plan when I don't even know how much money I'd earn in a month? [more inside]
posted by divabat on May 19, 2009 - 11 answers

What are your favorite single-task iPhone and web financial tools? I already know about comprehensive stuff like Wesabe and Mint, but I'm interested in finding more specialized financial apps like Fuelly (lets you track vehicle fuel economy) or WhiteFence (lets you compare costs on certain utilities) or Zillow (lets you survey housing prices). Which ones should I know about? (Please note: I'm not talking about mortgage calculators, etc. I want actual web apps.)
posted by jdroth on May 16, 2009 - 7 answers

Should I accept the offer from company "A", knowing full well that I would go work for company "B" in 1-2 month? I'm sure 99% that B's offer will come, but should I do this as a way of hedging my bets? [more inside]
posted by Anonymous on May 15, 2009 - 23 answers

Scholarships/Fellowships for a law/business student interested in entrepreneurship and the environment. [more inside]
posted by HLS on May 9, 2009 - 3 answers

Should my refinance warrant such a long delay? [more inside]
posted by Anonymous on May 6, 2009 - 5 answers

How do you sell a car when you owe the car company money? [more inside]
posted by twiggy32 on May 5, 2009 - 10 answers

I use Quicken, Quickbooks, and Bank of America. Right now they are working like a champ, but Bank of America has announced that they're pulling support for 2006 versions of both Quicken and Quickbooks. Normally this would be OK; I'm thrifty, but not so much so that I'd complain about $150 every three years. The problem is that all the versions to upgrade to have lots of problems; what to do? [more inside]
posted by portabella on May 4, 2009 - 10 answers

I dig "Mafia Wars" for its investment features. Would love to find more games about modern money-making and investing. [more inside]
posted by skypieces on May 1, 2009 - 14 answers

I found an online-only bank that's better than my current one. Is being able to walk into a brick-and-mortar bank enough reason to keep my current accounts open? [more inside]
posted by xiaoyi on May 1, 2009 - 23 answers

What are the baby boomers going to do when they can't afford to retire? [more inside]
posted by Clambone on Apr 28, 2009 - 43 answers

Tricky car loan situation. I'm thinking about paying off the remainder of a car loan with my credit card. Is this a bad idea? [more inside]
posted by Anonymous on Apr 23, 2009 - 24 answers

Is there a realistic business model in personal finance advice/coaching? [more inside]
posted by junger on Apr 19, 2009 - 7 answers

How do I get a mortgage if I'm self employed? [more inside]
posted by Scientifik on Apr 14, 2009 - 11 answers

Just what exactly is it that hedge fund managers do that warrants the exhorbitantly huge amounts of money (IMHO) they apparently make? [more inside]
posted by qurlyjoe on Apr 13, 2009 - 32 answers

Is it insider trading to purchase and own shares of my client's stock? [more inside]
posted by Rae Datter on Apr 13, 2009 - 12 answers

Buying a first residence in a major city: can it be done? [more inside]
posted by cranberrymonger on Apr 13, 2009 - 15 answers

I recently started a job that I don't know much about. It's a commission only job for a company that does private placements for small public companies. All I have to do is qualify the leads, which comes down to two parts: do they have enough trading volume and does the company need money. My question is, how do I ask if they need money? [more inside]
posted by josher71 on Apr 13, 2009 - 3 answers

What would you do if you had a passive income stream which covered your mortgage? [more inside]
posted by lilyflower on Apr 12, 2009 - 29 answers

Writing a finance 'book' for my niece...What do you know now about money that you wish you knew at 17? What have you learned the hard way? [more inside]
posted by nineRED on Apr 8, 2009 - 75 answers

Last year I lived and worked in two different states (RI and CA) I worked two jobs in RI and then got another temp job in CA and moved out there in the fall. So I am using TaxCut to file my returns (yes I know its cutting it close) but I am confused when it asks for the "Employee's address" under the W-2 section; what do I put? Do I put my address where I used to live for those jobs back in RI or my current one in CA? I still consider myself a RI resident and will be moving out of CA in two weeks back to New England.
posted by Rustbeard on Apr 7, 2009 - 4 answers

How do I do taxes when I haven't worked all year? Let me explain: I spent all of 2007 saving money so I could spend the first half of 2008 teaching myself a new career path I'm interested in. I had originally intended on picking up a job halfway into the year, but as it turns out I was able to spend the whole year learning. I'm not enrolled in any school, so I'm not technically a student or anything. I also didn't make any money in 2008, I just lived very frugally. So how do I approach taxes?
posted by OccamsRazor on Apr 6, 2009 - 10 answers

I've decided it makes sense to refinance my mortgage. I'm going to call the mortgage broker I used for my initial mortgage. a) Where else should I call (and how do I find them?) b) What questions do I need to make sure I ask of everyone? [more inside]
posted by davebug on Apr 3, 2009 - 12 answers

Please help me find facts about the banking/economic crisis and the impact of the financial meltdown for a demonstration against the no-strings-attached billions for banks while Americans suffer. Your help will be rewarded with a just and fair financial system that works for all Americans and not just Wall Street. Thanks so much! [more inside]
posted by willie11 on Apr 1, 2009 - 2 answers

Simple question: what is the cheapest method to send $30k from the USA to Dubai, UAE? Any advice or experience is greatly appreciated! Options I have considered are - Paypal - Western Union - Moneybookers
posted by lupefiasco on Mar 29, 2009 - 11 answers

What would happen if the United States defaulted on all of its debt, or simply said 'Screw off, I ain't payin!'. I know nothing about global finance, economics and power, but would like to understand what would happen if the U.S. could or would not repay its debt. If I default on a loan, someone is going to kick me out of my house. If the U.S. defaults on its loan, who would do the taking away, and what exactly would they take? [more inside]
posted by kaizen on Mar 25, 2009 - 19 answers

How do I get a loan modification without ruining my credit? I have heard many conflicting ideas that range from not paying the monthly mortgage to hiring a lawyer to sue. [more inside]
posted by ccpearce5 on Mar 23, 2009 - 3 answers

So where is all this bailout money actually GOING? It winds up in someone's pockets eventually, right? [more inside]
posted by scaryblackdeath on Mar 23, 2009 - 8 answers

Should I take this FHA refinance, or wait for the new mortgage plan to take effect? [more inside]
posted by RobotNinja on Mar 23, 2009 - 5 answers

How do I get the most out of a meeting with a financial advisor I don't particularly trust? [more inside]
posted by LN on Mar 19, 2009 - 10 answers

[MonetaryPolicyFilter] In relation to the Fed's huge injection of money yesterday, please explain to me how, if at all, the Federal Reserve can destroy money on its balance sheet in a way that offsets the inflation that normally would result. [more inside]
posted by Pastabagel on Mar 19, 2009 - 16 answers

Ways to make extra cash during the economic downturn? [more inside]
posted by mintchip on Mar 11, 2009 - 10 answers

In the article below there is a reference to a 21-page presentation AIG made to federal regulators to get them to bail them out yet again last month. The presentation was supposedly confidential, but it seems to have been leaked to Bloomberg. I have tried tracking it down on the internet by the usual Google-fu.... any suggestions? [more inside]
posted by yoyoceramic on Mar 9, 2009 - 2 answers

Please help me calculate the risks and likelyhoods of the Euro rising or falling against the Australian Dollar in the next twelve months. [more inside]
posted by kandinski on Mar 4, 2009 - 8 answers

Bank Fraud Filter: A friend has just asked me to add him to my credit card as an 'authorized user' as a way to boost his credit. After doing a little research, I see that 'credit card piggybacking' is a well-known credit-repair tactic. Should I help? [more inside]
posted by shew on Mar 4, 2009 - 40 answers

Do any online budgeting tools exist that (a) allow manual entries and (b) don't require any access to my account information? [more inside]
posted by Raze2k on Feb 23, 2009 - 4 answers

What is meant by the term "Organic Profit"?
posted by rongorongo on Feb 19, 2009 - 5 answers

I have four mutual funds in my IRA account - a Total Market index fund, a Small-cap index fund, an International stock index fund, and a Bond index fund, and I'm trying to figure out how to allocate my assets between them. I've read a little bit about "Modern Portfolio Theory" and the "Efficient Frontier", but I'm struggling to understand some of the math. So, is there a simple way I can test whether a particular allocation is on the efficient frontier? Or, see all the possible allocations on the efficient frontier and choose between them? How do I figure this out? Ideally, I'd love to see a simple enough formula that, given the mean and standard deviation (and maybe correlation matrix), of my four funds, would tell me what allocation is on the efficient frontier. Or, some type of online tool, or an Excel spreadsheet or something. [more inside]
posted by stuehler on Feb 17, 2009 - 10 answers

Is there a good source for daily stock market information for the last 100 years or so? [more inside]
posted by rr on Feb 15, 2009 - 9 answers