Year-End Planning
Getting a Grip on your Finances for '98
December 3, 1997

Dear Santa,

I can imagine you're elf-deep in mail this time of year. But have you seen your tax accountant yet?

I know, I know. Who can think about such a thing when there are presents to wrap and eggnog to drink. But you'll be thanking your Foolish friends that we reminded you, come April. How about insurance on the sleigh? What happens if Rudolph's battery goes dead and you have a head-on collision with one of those stealth fighters we keep losing track of?

The fact is, now is the perfect time to take a good look at your finances and make plans for the coming year. With all of the new tax legislation, it's more important than ever.

-- Our Foolishly Taxing Quiz has a surprisingly random array of questions about taxes, end-of-year planning, and kids.

-- Use the handy checklist in Get a Year-End Grip to review your investments, insurance, career and general well-being.

-- Our 10 Foolish Money Savers offer advice on starting off on the right foot next year.

-- Pick up some juicy tidbits about money-saving tax tips for you and your kids in Play Dough.

-- And finally, this week's Stock-In-Trade looks closely at the very guys who are licking their chops at the thought of you not doing your tax homework... H&R Block.

It's never too late to get your life together. By making plans now, you'll have an even better chance of sticking to them when the new year arrives.

--Trudy Hoyden (TMF Hoyden)

(c) Copyright 1997, The Motley Fool. All rights reserved. This material is for personal use only. Republication and redissemination, including posting to news groups, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of The Motley Fool.