"Recently my associate and I were at a business lunch and the subject of investments came up. One diner mentioned that he had just met with his financial advisor. Someone else said, 'I always thought I needed one of those, but didn't think I made enough money.' Most of the people in the room agreed with this position. We are often asked things like, 'How much does it cost to see you?' and 'How much do I need to have to invest with you?' Our answer is, 'We don't charge by the hour, and we are always happy to sit down with you and review your financial situation.' There is never any obligation. Taking advantage of this opportunity can benefit nearly everyone and you owe it to yourself and your family to hear what we have to say," ~ Janelle M. Koester, financial advisor of The Shipper/Koester Group of Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC 818-226-1480

"One of the smartest choices you can make (no matter your age or circumstance) is to choose to put aside a set amount of savings every month. Note the "Miracle of Compounding Interest": If you were to put just $50 each month into a savings account beginning the month your baby or grandbaby is born, by the time they turn 21, there would be nearly $21,000 in that account (you have deposited only $12,000). Better yet, if they were to continue saving at the same rate until retirement at age 65, there would be more than $300,000 in that same account (actual deposits of $39,000)!," ~ Marti Heinbaugh, vice president & regional manager of Mission Valley Bank
www.missionvalleybank.com

"The California Lemon Law is a great consumer-oriented law giving California consumers the right to return their defective vehicle to the manufacturer, for a full or partial refund, when their vehicle cannot be properly repaired after a reasonable number of attempts. If you think you've bought a 'lemon,' don't wait to act. An experienced Lemon Law lawyer can make all the difference," ~ Barry L. Edzant, Esq. of Law Offices of Barry L. Edzant 222-9929

"Caregiving might be a little less taxing this year if you are one of the many people eligible for tax exemptions for care. (It is strongly recommended that you consult with a tax advisor before submitting your return.) In order to declare your elderly relative as your dependent, you both must meet certain criteria: You must be related to the person. The person you are caring for must not have received more than $3,700 in income in 2011 (not including social security payments). You must have provided more than 50 percent of the person's living expenses. (The person you are declaring as your dependent does not need to live in your home.) This could equate to a reduction of your taxable income," Geneva Knoles, director of Visiting Angels 263-2273

"Keep in mind that it's impossible to borrow your way out of debt. The first step to get out of debt is to stop the vicious cycle of endless borrowing and come up with a realistic debt reduction or elimination strategy. The time to act is now to figure out all your available options. Your situation doesn't have to be a financial emergency - unless you let it become one by doing nothing," ~ Ray Bulaon, Esq. of Ray Bulaon Law Offices 866-477-7772

"Besides doing business law and family law, I also do appeals. One published decision that is very noteworthy in the family law area is Marriage of Fossum. I represented the husband at the appellate level. Prior to the date of separation, his wife took a cash advance on a credit card of $24,000, but never disclosed the transaction to my client. The trial court found that she had breached her statutory fiduciary duty to her spouse. I argued successfully that the trial court was obligated to award my client attorney fees once it found a breach of fiduciary duty. The Court of Appeal agreed and found that once a breach of duty was shown, the trial court lacks discretion to deny an aggrieved spouse's request for attorney fees," ~ Richard A. Marcus, Esq. of The Marcus Law Firm 257-8877

"Is accounting not your forte, yet you want to know what is going on with your business finances? You don't have to be an accountant to use QuickBooks. You do have to know how to apply income and expenses to the right accounts. We can help you learn how to use QuickBooks with a simple three-hour class," ~ Santa Clarita Technology & Career Development Center 287-3599