Old Post - Nov 7, 07 - Ducks Still for the Year

This was year was all about cleaning up the messes left by my poor financial management in the past. At this point, here is the update on what’s been done and what’s left to do:

• Back Taxes - All handed to the tax lawyer we found at a discounted rate through Dan’s Xbox benefits. Cost so far - $1500 in attorney fees, around $5000 in back taxes (I need to check on that figure, plus there will be a payment plan for this with more interest tacked on).
• 2007 Taxes - Still need to find a CPA, pay $2k in student loan interest, correlate receipts. We did get a business checking account though. I need to find a CPA who knows about this kind of business and maybe find one with a discount through the EAP with Smilebox.
• Jill’s Student Loans - Under control, finally, with a $120 payment each month. I am very excited, since I actually received a credit card solicitation this week. Which must mean, at long last, that my credit score is rising.
• Dan’s Student Loans - We are paying $160 a month for the loan taken out in his mother’s name. Which does not help his credit at all. We have not yet TOUCHED the rest of his loans, which makes me terribly nervous. His credit I am sure still sucks sucks sucks. I would like to set up a payment program of some sort with his loans soon. His credit is my credit, so I feel a bit trapped by this situation.
• Jill’s Credit - I need to pull an update this month, since I have been paying student loans for three months now (1), and (2) some old bad marks should have fallen off last month. I am hoping for a high 500s to middle 600s score. I still have to check on what happened with Wells Fargo, and follow up with Scottrade.
• Dan’s Credit - It’s time to set up a MyFICO program for him ( I signed up for the affiliate program, so we can get a kickback). By this time some of his bad marks should have fallen off, plus there are some glaring errors to correct with odd names on them. I do not expect his credit to significantly increase until some time in the spring, when hopefully we will have been paying his student loans a bit. There are also a few small outstanding items I would like to get resolved with previous utility companies.
• My Car - I am so proud of myself for getting out of the house enough to bring my car in to the Ford Center for a free “check-up”. They are saying I need new front pads (300) and two new tires w/alignment (another 290, for TIRES - what, are they nuts?). When I called “Dan Fast” to price check, their price - $130 for each pad, will be cheaper than even Ford’s coupon discount of 10%. So it pays to shop around. I will also be shopping for tires. Retreads are fine. Right now my Escort is still being looked at by Ford for the transmission issue. I am pleased about the brake pads being a lot cheaper than I had feared. I may just fix them and keep the little beater after all.
• Sell Stuff - I have been bringing furniture to Far Fetched - go me. I still need to try Craigslisting and maybe eBaying some things, like books - while we have time before the big move to California in April. The goal is to declutter almost everything. Bring our possessions down to what’s really used and loved. Flylady is my guru in this.
• Career - I am pleased to say I actually know what I do for a living by now. It’s only taken decades to figure this out.
• 401 (k) - Still need to move my old AZ one and Dan’s Xbox one to IRAs. Dan’s current Smilebox one is going well enough with entered 15% pretax.
• Roths - Mine is set for 2007. Yay! Dan’s is close - still needs a grand. When this month’s ED CD comes available, I will finish his 07 Roth. We will be on track soon enough for 2008 Roths after the holidays, if all goes well.
• Emergency Fund -Slowly rising. It had a few bumps this year, when Dan was in his “100 Days” at Microsoft (the Evil Empire). We will need to seriously fund this before any thought of moving to CA.
• Estate Docs - I decided to move this off until 2008. We both have Powers of Health Attorney docs and a few others, but the whole “death book” isn’t set yet. Nor the Emergency Planning Kits or the Control Journal. But I did decide that this really is a Year of the Pig thing (next year). More explanation about that on another day.
• Health - That is also set aside for another year. However, there were strides in this area for us: I had my miserable wisdom teeth removed (bloody hell), I found a doctor to discuss medications last spring, and I have new doctor appointment to update things this week. I have a Dawn Lamp (some day I will perfect how to use it) and a sorta SAD-related task light. I set Dan up for a medical checkup and cholesterol test (he’s fine), a dental cleaning and checkup, and a PT session for his shoulder. I was supposed to continue this and find some accupuncture for him…but this slipped my mind. I also had some reflexology a few months back, which was very nice and I would like more of it. Anyway, our health will be handled more assertively after the Years of the Duck and Pig are complete.
• Exercise - This has been sliding for us both, which is rather shocking since we love working out. I have been concentrating on the Ducks so much, but feel a little unbalanced as a result. I need to discuss this with Dan during our accountability sessions.now.
• Spiritual Health - I need more outside adventure. We are getting very, very little of what I need for my spiritual maintenance. The wilderness is my temple. I want to start running again but I hate breaking up this habit every winter. Anyway, I am going to put aside thinking about this for another year or two.
• Mental and Emotional Health - I am so not ready to consider these things right now. Once old, pressing life issues (the Ducks and Pigs) are under control, then the softer side of life can be attended to.

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