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Newsworthy	July 2008

Smart uses for your tax refund
Each year, roughly 70 percent of Americans get an income tax refund. Thanks to the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008, beginning in early May most also will receive an additional tax rebate check of up to $600 (up to $1,200 for joint filers) - even those who don't earn enough to owe federal income tax.

Innovative Educator: Cindy Barlow, Heritage School, Provo Utah
A healthy relationship with money is the foundation for financial success. That's what Cindy Barlow tells her students at Heritage School in Provo, Utah. The school, which has been called a "refuge of last resort," is designed for at–risk teens who have exhausted traditional educational options. Barlow says a healthy relationship with money, "motivates you to do the things that are good for you in life." Find out how she uses Practical Money Skills to help students build financial futures. Read more...

Welcome to the Job Market: Get a real–world plan for saving money
Entering the job market can mean new found freedom and a steady stream of income and benefits. But be careful. It's easy to start spending right off the bat even before you consider saving money. Here Jean Chatzky shows you how to start saving early in your career and how to live within your means. Read More

Financial Literacy Education: Early intervention is everything
Jean Chatzky on Financial Education
There's a very simple reason so many millions of Americans find themselves overwhelmed by personal debt. They don't know any better. They've just never received training that could help them manage their finances.

Money management skills aren't something you're born with. They're something you're taught and learn how to do. Yet millions of young adults graduate from high school and college without basic skills - things like balancing a checkbook or critically comparing credit card offers. Read More

Watch online. Anytime. Financial Literacy & Education Summit 2008 On-Demand Video
The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and Visa Inc. thank all who watched the Financial Literacy & Education Summit 2008 webcast on April 21st. This year's event was a unique gathering of some of our nation’s leading thinkers and practitioners in the field of financial literacy education. We heard extraordinary insights, powerful inspiration, and new and surprising connection. Watch now.

Free FICO® Score Estimator
Keep on top of the scores - not of the big games, but of your own credit risk. Use Visa's free score estimator from FICO®, the most trusted name in credit scoring, to answer 10 easy questions. Based on your answers, you'll get a free estimated range of your three scores from the main credit bureaus - Experian, TransUnion and Equifax. Your FICO scores affect the amount and terms of loans lenders offer you. Stay ahead of the financial game and get your score today.

Jason Alderman’s Practical Money Matters

July 7, 2008
Get your financial resolutions back on track
You probably began 2008 with the best intentions: lose a few pounds, reduce debt, start saving for college or retirement. You may have even written New Year's resolutions and started working on them. But you get busy, unexpected expenses come up, and suddenly it's summer.

June 30, 2008
Understanding Social Security
Since its creation in 1935, Social Security has provided countless Americans with a degree of financial stability through its retirement, disability and survivor benefits. While never intended to fully support people when they retire, Social Security provides many retirees with their only safety net against poverty. So naturally, concerns about its solvency make headlines.

June 23, 2008
The high cost of raising kids
I hope you're sitting down. According to an annual study by the USDA, the average cost for a middle–income family to raise a child born in 2007 until age 18 is estimated at a staggering $204,060. And that doesn't even include college costs.