Choosing a Rewards Credit Card What could be better than a credit card that rewards you for using it? Credit card rewards programs can offer lots of exciting perks, including cash back, gift cards, and travel. But every reward costs something, and you should make sure you understand the trade-offs to ensure you find the credit card that fits you best. How do rewards work? Simply put, the more you spend with your rewards card, the more rewards you earn. The key is to find the best credit card rewards program for your needs. You may be tempted by that great rewards card your buddy just got, but make sure it’s suited to your lifestyle and what you value, before you apply. For example, if you don’t drive much, a card that offers gas rewards as its main perk won’t make sense for you. There are many different types of programs available. Look for one that makes it easy to earn something you’ll really enjoy. What can you get? Many programs allow you to earn one or more points for every dollar you spend in purchases. Some only let you earn points for certain items like gas or groceries, or for shopping at certain stores. There are also airline programs that let you earn miles for purchases. Some cards offer just a single type of reward, while others offer your choice of many different options. Reward types include: Cash back. Some cash back cards allow you to deposit the cash you earn into your savings or investment account, or credit it to your statement. Others mail you a check. Merchant-specific programs. These programs offer you money back when you shop with certain merchants. Some also offer discounts on future purchases. Travel. Travel programs offer rewards for using a particular airline, resort, hotel chain or even cruise line. Some cards give discounts on your choice of multiple airlines, as well as hotels, car rentals and restaurants.
Transcript
Choosing a Rewards Credit Card
What could be better than a credit card that rewards you for using it? Credit card rewards programs can offer lots of exciting perks, including cash back, gift cards, and travel. But every reward costs something, and you should make sure you understand the trade-offs to ensure you find the credit card that fits you best.
How do rewards work?
Simply put, the more you spend with your rewards card, the more rewards you earn. The key is to find the best credit card rewards program for your needs. You may be tempted by that great rewards card your buddy just got, but make sure it’s suited to your lifestyle and what you value, before you apply. For example, if you don’t drive much, a card that offers gas rewards as its main perk won’t make sense for you. There are many different types of programs available. Look for one that makes it easy to earn something you’ll really enjoy.
What can you get?
Many programs allow you to earn one or more points for every dollar you spend in purchases. Some only let you earn points for certain items like gas or groceries, or for shopping at certain stores. There are also airline programs that let you earn miles for purchases. Some cards offer just a single type of reward, while others offer your choice of many different options. Reward types include:
Cash back. Some cash back cards allow you to deposit the cash you earn into your savings or investment account, or credit it to your statement. Others mail you a check.
Merchant-specific programs. These programs offer you money back when you shop with certain merchants. Some also offer discounts on future purchases.
Travel. Travel programs offer rewards for using a particular airline, resort, hotel chain or even cruise line. Some cards give discounts on your choice of multiple airlines, as well as hotels, car rentals and restaurants.
Gift cards. With some cards, you're likely to earn rewards points that can be redeemed for gift cards for retailers, restaurants and more.
What else should I know?
Before you apply for a rewards credit card, ask yourself these questions:
How do the rewards add up? Consider how many points you earn for a dollar, and how many you need to get a reward. And check to see how
many points you can earn each year and how quickly those points expire. It pays to shop around.
How easy is it to get my reward? Many cash reward programs reward you automatically as soon as you’ve spent enough to qualify. With others, you can redeem your rewards online or by phone whenever you choose. It’s a good idea to check out how user-friendly the company’s website is before you apply.
Is there a catch? Rewards credit cards may charge an annual fee or have a higher interest rate than other cards. There may also be a fee to redeem your points or shipping fees to deliver merchandise rewards. A great program may be worth the extra cost, but make sure you know all the details up front.
What if I pay late? Late or missed payments can affect your ability to earn or redeem points or remove your reward balance completely. Some issuers charge a fee to reinstate rewards points when a payment is late after a certain number of days.
Remember, with a rewards credit card, the more you buy, the more rewards you earn. But running up a big balance just for rewards may not be your best option. It’s okay to use your card frequently, but make sure to spend only what you can afford to pay back. If you choose and use your card wisely, you may be in for a rewarding experience.
Searching for the right card? Learn about the NEA rewards credit card:NEA® Cash Rewards Card: http://www.neamb.com/finance/cash-rewards-credit-card-visa-bank-of-america.htm
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This article is proprietary information provided compliments of Bank of America, NEA Member Benefits’
NEA members save 25% on Corwin’s vast library of titles!
Charged with unlocking the potential in every student, it’s important for educators to find a way to create a productive and harmonious school environment. To ensure teaching and learning can successfully occur on a daily basis, effective classroom management is the key!
NEA members save 25% when you use promo code: D12BA5Through a partnership with Corwin, NEA members enjoy discounted rates on outstanding professional development materials, from books and eBooks to kits and more! Check out the items below or look for more classroom resource literature available for less through the NEA Bookstore (neabookstore.org).
Strategies for Successful Classroom Management
Helping Students Succeed Without Losing Your Dignity or Sanity
The Lighter Side of Classroom Management
Add a little levity and poignancy to your workday!
For information about Corwin, their products, and the NEA member-only discount, you can visit any one of the following sites:
Strategies for Successful Classroom Managementhttp://www.corwin.com/books/Book228883?siteId=corwin-press&subject=C00&qsupld=false&q=classroom+managment&fs=1
The Lighter Side of Classroom Managementhttp://www.corwin.com/books/Book228776?siteId=corwin-press&subject=C00&qsupld=false&q=classroom+managment&fs=1
As educators strive to develop the capacity to “attend to precision” in their students, the focus on clarity, accuracy of process, and the outcome in problem solving have become central targets for growth. It is essential for mathematics educators at all levels to cultivate the ability within their students to communicate mathematically. One of the eight Common Core Standards for Mathematical Practice states that students should be precise communicators who use clear definitions, provide accurate labels when measuring and graphing, calculate operations efficiently, and are versed in the meaning of the symbols included in their math course.
To help meet this challenge, the I CAN Learn® Program attends to precision throughout its engaging and interactive lessons designed for numerous learners including 5th through 8th graders and Algebra I students. Featuring course content that is fully aligned to Common Core State Standards for the levels mentioned above, the program fosters thorough note taking within instructional sections utilizing audio and visual prompts. Students have control over the speed at which they work through video segments using pause and replay features.
Additionally, lessons exploring multi-step equations demonstrate how to check answers by plugging their solution back into the original problem to make sure the student is on the right track. Plus, proper vocabulary is employed consistently throughout the lesson presentations to promote students’ fluency in the language of Mathematics. Accordingly, the data analysis units in the Fundamentals of Math and Pre-algebra software delve into proper labeling of graphs and explore with the use of non-examples to show how misleading a chart can be without the use of appropriate intervals and consistent data display.
Another key advantage for educators using the I CAN Learn® Program is that all practice and assessment sections present in-depth solutions to each incorrectly answered question and prompt students to copy the proper method shown into a notebook for future reference. The software does not solely display answers; it clearly explains proper solution steps.
“Starting in 6th grade, all students that attend my school utilize the I CAN Learn Program. I see VERY clearly how I CAN Learn helps students "Attend to Precision” especially with understanding and applying mathematical vocabulary. Having students on I CAN Learn for several years allows them to hear the correct mathematical language over and over as they refine their working definitions of mathematical terms and make them more precise. Curriculum must be meticulous in the use of mathematical vocabulary and symbols and I CAN Learn does this very well.”
— NEA member - Pam Peterson, Martin County, FL
The I CAN Learn Program’s online graduate credit courses offered through the NEA Academy have proven to be effective tools in helping members prepare to teach to the Common Core requirements for real-world application learning and get every child thinking like a mathematician.
For more information about how to “attend to precision” in your Common Core Math classroom, please visit the NEA Academy to review the I CAN Learn Program: neaacademy.org/icanlearn
For print media distribution: (full text links available below)
Standards for Mathematical Practice http://www.corestandards.org/Math/Practice
NEA Academy – I CAN Learn Program online graduate credit courseshttp://www.neaacademy.org/icanlearn
NEA Click & Save, the online discount buying service for NEA members, highlights select retailers and merchants each month. Check out these featured “Buy-lights” for November!
Cooking.com: Save $10 off purchases of $100 or more, plus free shipping on orders over $49
Fresh Produce: Get 20% off sale items
(women’s apparel)
PerfumeWorldwide.com: Get 10% off
eWatches.com: Save $30 off orders over $150 site wide, plus free shipping!
ONE90ONE: Save 30%
(men’s designer clothing)
SmartBargains.com: Get $10 off orders of $50 or more site wide, plus free shipping and returns
Zales: Save $50 on orders over $300
Join the 305,000 NEA members already registered for NEA Click & Save. Go to www.neamb.com/clickandsave or http://www.neamb.com/shopping-discounts/nea-click-and-save-retail-discounts.htm and start shopping today!
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Long-Term Care Insurance—Good for You, Good for Taxes
If you or a loved one need long-term care, you don’t want a significant portion of your hard-earned savings to pay for your medical and living expenses. That’s where long-term care insurance can help. Your premiums may even be deductible if you have a business, such as providing part-time tutoring. Read the recent article, LTC insurance and taxes, from the Wall Street Journal Market Watch. The NEA Long-Term Care Insurance Program offers discounts to NEA members and their families. Call 855-NEA-4LTC (855-632-4582) for a free long-term care planning consultation or email us at [email protected].
Prepare for the Holidays with Savings from Costco!
There’s no better way to get set for Thanksgiving and the winter holidays than to take advantage of great savings from Costco! As a Costco member, you can save money on thousands of brand-name items every day including small appliances and electronics, furniture and home décor, blankets and towels, kitchen and dining essentials—plus fresh and prepared foods to make entertaining fun and economical.
To become a new member of Costco, simply login and register at www.neamb.com and find Costco at the Discounts tab under “Everyday Discounts.” Complete and print the special Costco membership invitation and special offers page, and present them at any U.S. Costco location when you register to become a new member—it’s that simple!
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Delight Your Host or Hostess with a Lovely Gift from 1800FLOWERS.COM or 1800BASKETS.COM!
With the holidays coming up, show appreciation to your host or hostess with a lush plant, gorgeous floral arrangement, or tantalizing gift basket from 1800Flowers.com or 1800Baskets.com. NEA members save 20%! For more
information and to place your order, go to www.neamb.com and look for 1800Flowers.com under the “Discounts” and “Everyday Discounts” tabs.
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Kids’ Magazines Combo Offer—Great for Holiday Gifts!
Delight the kids, grandkids or other special children in your life with an entertaining and educational holiday gift. The NEA Magazine Service® is offering a combo deal consisting of one-year subscriptions to Discovery Girls (6 issues) and Ranger Rick (10 issues)—both for $35! That’s a combined savings of almost $8 off already discounted prices. To place your order, please visit www.neamag.com/kidsgifts. Happy Holidays!
The NEA Auto Buying Program offers Guaranteed Savings and a no-hassle car buying experience. In fact, members have seen an average savings of $2,973 off MSRP.*
With the NEA Auto Buying Program, it’s easy to 1) See what others paid for the car you want, 2) Get an Estimated Price and your Guaranteed Savings,** and 3) Save time and money with a hassle-free deal!
You’ve got an advantage—now take it! Visit www.neamb.com/buyacar today!
* Between 04/01/13 and 04/30/13, the average estimated savings off MSRP presented by TrueCar Certified Dealers to users of TrueCar powered websites based on user new vehicle configurations was $2,973, including applicable vehicle specific manufacturer incentives. Your actual savings may vary based on multiple factors including the vehicle you select, region, dealer, and applicable vehicle specific manufacturer incentives which are subject to change. The Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (“MSRP”) is determined by the manufacturer, and may not reflect the price at which vehicles are generally sold in the dealer’s trade area as not all vehicles are sold at MSRP. Each dealer sets its own pricing. TrueCar does not sell or lease motor vehicles.
** Estimated Price and Savings currently not available in AR, CO, KS, LA, MD, NE, OR, TX, VA and WA. In these states a “Target Price” is presented, which is not an advertised price, but an example of what you can reasonably expect to pay.
Please note: While new Certified Dealers are continually being added to the NEA Auto Buying Program, the program is currently unavailable in certain areas of the U.S., including AK and HI.
How to Boost Student Performance in Your Classroom! NEA Academy Offers Discounts on Classroom Management Courses for NEA Members
It's not easy to keep student enthusiasm and performance in high gear throughout the year. The NEA Academy has hand-selected the following peer-reviewed courses to help you find new ways to motivate students and keep them focused in class!
Stopping Disruptive BehaviorOffered through CE Credits Online.
Stop disruptive behavior with three carefully worded questions! Teachers and administrators will enjoy this effective strategy for dealing with problem behavior from K-12 students.
Examine four-step verbal skills to give student directives Master fast and effective behavior management techniques Over 15% OFF this 15-hour course / CEUs available
The 5 Practices of Highly Effective ClassroomsPresented by Educational Impact.
Every educator’s approach is different - Multiply your knowledge with proven instructional strategies presented by your colleagues. For greater impact, this course can be taken in school or district groups, too.
Focus on literary skills, learning styles, curriculum design, and instructional learning teams Content provided via streaming video NEA members get $20 OFF + Graduate credits are available!
Classroom Management Provided through Learning Bridges.
We all have a need to feel some control over our own environment. This course focuses on understanding and implementing a positive classroom, including strategies for culturally diverse students, students of poverty, and ELL students.
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The 5 Practices of Highly Effective Classrooms: coursehttp://lms.neaacademy.org/topclass/topclass.do?expand-OfferingDetails-offeringId=6087-type=wbt-fragment=0-thirdParty=1
How much to give the people who help you all year — and when to do it.
By Lisa Gerstner
1. Give the traditional way. PayPal? Forget it. An end-of-the-year tip should be handed over in person. Tuck the money (crisp, new bills are a plus) into a card with a handwritten note expressing your appreciation. If you can’t do it face-to-face — in the case of, say, the newspaper deliverer who passes by at 4 A.M. —mail a check or gift card, says Jodi R.R. Smith, president of etiquette consultant Mannersmith. And don’t wait until the final weeks of December — the recipients may be depending on the money to buy holiday gifts. The optimum time for end-of-year tipping is the week before Thanksgiving or shortly thereafter.
2. Make a list. The people who make your life easier should be at the top of your list. They may include your nanny or caregiver, hairstylist, fitness instructor, housekeeper, dog walker, garbage collector and, if you live in a condominium or apartment, handyman or concierge. For a nanny, a week’s pay is appropriate. The cost of one session is a good benchmark for many others on your list, such as a pet groomer, weekend babysitter or weekly cleaning person.
3. And check it twice. Take into account your relationship with the provider. If you have worked together closely or for a long time, or if you’ve received outstanding service throughout the year, you might tip at the higher end of the scale. The local cost of living matters, too; $50 goes further in the Midwest than in Manhattan.
4. Know whom not to tip. Check a company’s policy before you tip one of its employees. Mail carriers are not allowed to take cash; they may accept gifts worth less than $20. Nursing-home workers might not be permitted to take tips or gifts. Don’t pass cash to a professional, such as your doctor, lawyer or accountant; home-baked goods, a bottle of wine or chocolates are acceptable. And don’t give cash to your child’s teacher — it could look like a bribe. Consider pooling your resources with other parents to give a gift card, if the school’s gift-giving policy permits. “A teacher doesn’t need another mug,” Smith says.
5. Don’t fret if money is tight. You don’t have to blow your budget. It’s okay to tip only your A-list providers, such as your nanny, says Smith. But you should show your gratitude to anyone you don’t tip with a card and a note — and a small gift, such as a box of candy. Once your cash flows again, you can make up for a missed tip any time the following year. Or you could use your talents and skills as currency, says Mary M. Mitchell, author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Etiquette. Mitchell herself once gave a lesson in dining etiquette instead of a tip or gift. And homemade crafts and food are always low-cost, thoughtful ways to say thank you.
6. Be generous if you can. A fatter-than-usual tip could mean a lot to someone who is struggling financially. Be careful not to set an expectation that you’ll tip extra each year, and avoid making anyone feel like a charity case, says Diane Gottsman, a national etiquette expert and owner of the Protocol School of Texas. She advises that you say that you know times are tough and that your ability to help out this year is a gift to you, too.
Insurance can help protect your finances in case of an emergency. But you shouldn't pay more than you have to for this protection. Whether you're buying a policy for the first time or have had coverage for years, you can keep insurance costs under control by avoiding these ten common mistakes.
1. Setting Low Deductibles
With low auto and homeowners insurance deductibles, you often pay more in premiums than you can recover in claims. Low deductibles also encourage you to make small claims, which could cost you a claims-free discount or prompt your insurer to drop you. Boosting your homeowners deductible from $500 to $1,000 could reduce your premiums by 25%; increasing your car insurance deductible from $200 to $1,000 could save you 40%. Add some of that savings to your emergency fund to cover the extra out-of-pocket expense.
2. Failing to Ask for Discounts
You won’t get credit for some discounts unless you let your insurer know that you qualify. The list varies from company to company but often includes installing a home alarm system, adding stormproof shutters, taking a job with a shorter commute (or not commuting anymore), carpooling and even working at certain occupations.
3. Giving in to Inertia
The insurer that offered you the lowest rate a few years ago may no longer have the best deal. Get price quotes from several insurers whenever you experience a major change — for example, if you get married, move to a new state, buy a new car or your teenager starts driving. Also go shopping if you’re hit with a rate hike. Get quotes at www.carinsurance.com, www.insweb.com or insurers’ sites (such as www.allstate.com, www.statefarm.com and www.progressive.com). You can find an independent insurance agent at www.iiaba.org.
4. Ignoring a Bad Complaint Record
It’s a good idea to shop around every few years, but switching insurers just to save a few dollars can backfire if the new company hassles you on claims. Look up the insurer’s customer-service rating through the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ Consumer Information Source, and avoid companies with a higher-than-average complaint ratio.
5. Assuming That Group Life Is Cheaper
Free group life insurance from your employer is a great benefit. But if your boss offers extra life insurance for an extra charge, don’t automatically say yes. Insurers that offer group policies assume that people who are not in the best health will apply. They also tend to boost their rates every five years instead of locking in a fixed rate for 20 or 30 years, says Byron Udell, of AccuQuote.com. If you’re healthy, you can generally get a better deal on your own.
6. Dropping Long-Term-Care Insurance
Many people with long-term-care policies were recently stunned by rate hikes of 40% to 90%. If your insurer notifies you that your premiums are about to soar, you might be tempted to drop your policy. But because you’re older, a new policy will usually be more expensive than the old policy, even with the rate hike. Plus, rates for new policies have been rising even faster than rates for older policies. You can make the premiums more manageable by reducing the benefit period to three years, which is the average claim.
7. Signing up for COBRA
Under the federal law known as COBRA, employers are required to let you continue on their group health insurance policies for up to 18 months after you leave your job. But you have to pay 102% of the cost yourself (most employers pay 60% to 75% of the premiums for their employees). If you’re healthy and live in a state with a competitive insurance marketplace, you could get a better deal on your own. Get price quotes at eHealthInsurance.com or find policies in your area at HealthCare.gov.
8. Relying on Life Insurance Rules of Thumb
The standard advice is to get enough life insurance to equal eight to 12 times your annual income. But two people who earn the same income may need very different amounts of coverage — say, if one is the sole earner in a family with several young kids and the other has a working spouse and children in
college. Instead, you need to consider what your family’s income and expenses will be after you die (see How Much Life Insurance Do You Need?).
9. Insuring Your Home for Its Market Value
The market value and the insurance value are not the same. You need enough insurance to pay to rebuild your home if it is destroyed. But you’ll still have the value of the land, which is part of the market value. Run your numbers through the calculator at www.accucoverage.com ($7.95) for the same rebuilding-cost estimates that insurers use.
10. Picking a Health Policy Based on Premium Alone
In addition to boosting premiums, health insurers have also been raising rates in less-obvious ways — such as by increasing coinsurance rates (the percentage you pay for doctor’s visits and procedures) and adding new pricing tiers for prescription drugs. You could also pay a lot more in out-of-pocket costs if your doctors aren’t in your plan’s network. Compare overall costs and limits, make sure your doctors are in-network, and check out the insurer’s complaint record (www.naic.org/cis).
No matter what your personal finance style, one of these online money-management tools will help you stay in control.
By Stacy Rapacon
As the economy continues to sputter — along with the balance sheets of many families — the Internet has supplied an abundance of online tools to help repair the damage. Competition has been fierce, and many promising sites, including a few that we’ve recommended in the past, have bowed out of the budgeting game.
From that first crop of contenders, Mint.com remains the best overall money-management site. Not only has it survived, it’s earned a powerful sponsor: Intuit acquired Mint in 2009, two years after it launched. Since then, it has gained the confidence of the mainstream and multiplied its number of users by a factor of seven, to 10 million.
In general, Mint has gotten better with age (save for a few hiccups during the ownership transition period). It has improved original features and periodically added new ones, including the popular budgeting tool. On your budget page, you can add sliding bars — each bar represents an expense category you want to track — and set dollar limits for how much you can spend within a selected timeframe. Mint even starts you off with a recommended amount based on your spending history. Your budget bars fill up with each transaction you make; as they approach the limits, they go from green to yellow to red.
But the king of online money-management sites shouldn’t rest on its laurels. Many contenders, old and new, are looking to take its crown. Like Mint, they each offer their own brand of budgeting tool and track your cash flow by collecting your financial information in one place, providing access to your complete financial picture anywhere you have Internet access. Some even let you do your budgeting on the go with their mobile apps. And others let you export data and work offline when you’re grounded.
Most help you streamline the budgeting process by automatically updating your numbers and labeling your transactions by spending category. You’ll need to keep an eye on mislabeling issues, which can throw off your budget tracking. But the tools can be taught; with certain businesses, you can create rules to categorize transactions automatically.
Which Budgeting Site Is Best for You?
Instead of competing head-on with Mint, our other favorite online money-management tools focus on offering added value. For example, the granddaddy of financial Web tools, Yodlee, offers customization capabilities with its MoneyCenter. Newcomer ReadyForZero homes in on the debt portion of your financial picture. It motivates you to go debt-free by monitoring and sending you messages about your progress. When you manage to pay off a debt, it even posts a golden trophy icon beside your filled-in progress bar.
Although all of these free sites aim to help you with your money, they need to make money, too. Mint and ReadyForZero push products and services of paid sponsors to help you save, such as credit cards that can get you lower interest rates. Mvelopes and LearnVest offer premium, paid subscriptions in addition to their free services. Yodlee’s MoneyCenter is a small portion of its business; the company makes money working with institutional clients.
Weighing the Risks
To maximize their benefits, most budgeting sites require that you link them to your financial accounts by providing your online user names and passwords. Although that “statistically increases the odds of your information being breached,” says Paul Stephens, director of policy and advocacy with the Privacy Rights
Clearinghouse, none of our favorite online money-management tools has experienced security problems. BudgetPulse.com does not ask you to supply your private data. The rest of our picks guard your information from hackers with bank-level security; they encrypt your user names and passwords, meaning they cannot be viewed anywhere in plain text without a key.
And in the case of Mint, the servers that hold all of its users’ data are protected in Bond-movie-like fashion — caged away from the company’s other servers and under constant surveillance in an unmarked building requiring a biometric palm scan for entry. The key to decrypt the stored data is divided among several smart cards and carried by different people entrusted with their safekeeping. Periodically, Intuit calls in so-called white knights, or good-guy hackers, to test the security and spot where there’s room for improvement. “Mint has done a really exceptional job developing these security measures and protocols,” says Karen Barney, program director with the Identity Theft Resource Center. “I don’t really see that there is much of a risk in using it.”
Even if your account with a money-management site were hijacked, your finances couldn’t be tampered with directly. None of your bank account or credit card numbers are accessible. Unfortunately, intruders would be able to view your account transactions — making you a prime target for phishing scams (when would-be identity thieves send you e-mails falsely claiming to be from a legitimate business). But they would not be able to execute any money moves because the sites access your financial accounts on a read-only basis.
Another wrinkle: If your account were compromised and it resulted in a financial loss, the consequences are unclear. Typically, your bank or credit card company would cover your losses in cases of fraud. But sharing your account’s user name and password with a third party, such as a money-management site, may be a violation of your online services or user agreement with the financial institution. So the bank may not be legally responsible for recovering your cash. Because the situation has never come up, liability has not yet been determined by a court of law. If it were to happen, says Stephens, “you as the consumer would potentially have to suffer that loss.”
But you don’t have to forgo the benefits of budgeting sites to keep from becoming the first such case. You just need to be a careful consumer. To avoid the hook of phishing scams, never click on the links provided in a questionable message; go directly to the company’s site or give the company a ring.
LEARN MORE About How to Plan for a Richer Retirement
Retire on your terms with FREE tips and tools exclusively for educators.
Whether you’re just starting your career, approaching retirement or already retired, you’ll find custom-tailored solutions at the new Online Retirement Planning Center, compliments of NEA Member Benefits. Create a practical plan for maximizing your income, managing investments, and stretching your retirement savings.
With the Online Retirement Planning Center, you can take advantage of these educator-specific benefits:
Timely tips and articles geared toward your life/career stage FREE subscription to the monthly Kiplinger’s Retirement Reports—a $40 value! The NEA Retirement Income Calculator, which helps you project what you need to meet
your retirement goals—the great thing about it is the calculator has your state’s pension plan data already built-in!
Learn more about how the Online Retirement Planning Center can help you plan for a more rewarding future. Visit www.neamb.com/learnmore today.
Monthly Reprint Privileges for Up to 3 Select Articles
from Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Magazine
NEA Member Benefits is pleased to announce a licensing arrangement with Kiplinger’s Personal Finance that offers you the capability to reprint up to three select Kiplinger articles per month in your print or online publications and websites.
About Kiplinger’s Personal Finance MagazineFor 65 years, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance has been the authoritative source of guidance on investing, managing and spending money. With a monthly readership of more than 2 million, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance is one of the most widely distributed and highly trusted personal finance publications.
Articles Available for Reprint
Each month, NEA Member Benefits will provide Microsoft Word versions of three select Kiplinger articles in the NEA Member Benefits Monthly Communications Update. The Monthly Communications Update is distributed by email around the 15th of each month by Maureen Weaver, NEA MB Communications.
You may reprint any or all of the three articles on your Affiliate website or in any printed or electronic publications intended for your members, subject to the reprint requirements enumerated below.
Important Reprint Requirements
In order for NEA Member Benefits to comply with the terms of its licensing agreement with Kiplinger’s, states reprinting Kiplinger material must adhere to the stipulations below:
The three articles provided each month by NEA Member Benefits are the only ones that may be reprinted. You may not reprint other Kiplinger’s content in lieu of these articles.
Articles must be reprinted in their entirety, including the original title. Original author attribution must also be retained.
Photos or illustrations included with the article are not part of the license and may not be reprinted.
Articles sometimes include hyperlinks to related material on the kiplinger.com website. You are welcome to include these links if you like, or edit the piece as needed to remove them. Note that the linked material may not be reprinted on your website or in your publications.
You may not resell or relicense, or otherwise authorize anyone to use the Kiplinger’s content.
Articles must be removed from your website within one year from the date you first post them.
Each article you reprint must include the attribution and Kiplinger logo as shown below and the following copyright notice:
You may resize the Kiplinger’s logo to conform to the design of your publication so long as it is still clearly legible.
Please note: Our current licensing agreement with Kiplinger’s runs through February 2014. It is our intent to renew our agreement with the same provision for state reprint permissions as we have now. Should we be unable to do so for some reason, we will notify you of the date by which you must cease using Kiplinger’s content and remove any Kiplinger’s material from your website.
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November is Healthy Lifestyles MonthTips to Help Your Family Through Cold & Flu Season
Last year brought one of the worst cold and flu seasons in almost a decade, with children and older adults most impacted. Illness can affect more than just a child’s health - 38 million school days are lost each year due to the influenza virus.1
Cold and flu season is back again, and as part of Healthy Lifestyles Month, the National PTA provides tips on recognizing differences between the two illnesses and how to help protect your family against the spread of cold and flu germs.
While both the cold and flu are respiratory illnesses characterized by similar symptoms, they are caused by different viruses, and the influenza virus is considered more severe. For this reason, it is recommended to seek advice from a doctor immediately upon developing flu-like symptoms.
Is it a Cold, or the Flu?2
It’s a Cold, if experiencing: Runny nose Sneezing Weepy eyes Nasal passage congestion Chills Body aches and fatigue Fever (uncommon in children
The single best way to help prevent catching the flu virus is to get vaccinated each season. In addition, taking extra care of your family is principal during the winter months. You can help ward off the cold and flu with simple preventative actions, such as limiting close contact with sick people and not touching your eyes, nose and mouth.3 Daily efforts can also be made at home and in the classroom to help ensure good health, such as increasing hand washing before and after eating, while handling pets and especially after caring for someone who is sick. Cleaning and disinfecting commonly-touched surfaces often will reduce the chance of spreading germs.
Cold and flu season shouldn’t be an afterthought, as it can quickly spread to the entire family once one member is infected. The best prevention is protection – and fortunately, there are things you can do to help yourself and family stay healthy.
1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Vital Health and Statistics. Current Estimates from the National Health Interview Survey, 1996. Available at
# # #Supplemental Links to Kiplinger Personal Finance Articles of 10/11/13
As a sidebar/supplement to the Kiplinger article “10 Insurance Mistakes to Avoid,” here are some related links on the NEA Member Benefits website you may want to include:
Life Insurance Needs Calculator: http://www.neamb.com/safetynet Life Insurance Basics: http://www.neamb.com/insurance/life-insurance-basics.htm NEA Life Insurance Programs: http://www.neamb.com/insurance/life-insurance.htm NEA Auto and Home Insurance Program: http://www.neamb.com/insurance/nea-auto-home-insurance.htm 23 Financial Mistakes You Can’t Afford to Make: http://www.neamb.com/finance/financial-mistakes.htm
As a sidebar/supplement to the Kiplinger article “Best Online Money-Management Tools,” here are some related links on the NEA Member Benefits website you may want to include:
23 Financial Mistakes You Can’t Afford to Make: http://www.neamb.com/finance/financial-mistakes.htm Pay Yourself First: Cut Your Home Expenses and Build Your Nest Egg: http://www.neamb.com/finance/cut-
home-expenses.htm
As a sidebar/supplement to the Kiplinger article “6 Things You Need to Know about Holiday Tipping,” here are some related links on the NEA Member Benefits website you may want to include:
Take the Stress Out of Tipping While Traveling: http://www.neamb.com/travel/take-the-stress-out-of-tipping-while-traveling.htm
