Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 12 December 2003 — Page 26

AGE 02

THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2003

IREDIT Continued from Page 1 nliutinj; the information proi'Iit and ivqiirsting an invcstiilion ol’tluMr lik 1 and a follow,l> report. • Thorrodit hureau is re(|iiired repii! * tile results of the reinsligation to the individual. If liere is an n ror or inaeeuraey it ns| he eorreeted. However, it lie information provider eoni ins the original information, the ndividual has the right to appeal. 1 there is no response from the nformation provider in areiisoni hie amount oftime, the disputed em must be eorreeted or tleleted. • Alter the reinvestigation is onipleted, the eredit bureau is etpiired to provide the individual , ilh written results and a free ipilated eopy of their eredit re-

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If an individual has damaged i edit heeause of a poor payment n eredit history, there are two irimary options. The self-help ipl ion works for most people. The irst step of this option is to create ' realistie budget. Then, develop I'J-month plan to either elimisate or substantially reduce high

Holiday shopping Nps from ^he Better Business Bureau

From LINDA CARMODY President BBS Kvory year, during the holiday season, the Better Business Bureau gets many calls from consumers in the Indianapolis area asking us to help them wit h their buying disputes. Here are some typical problems: • "The company ran the ad, hut when I went to their store they were sold out!” No store can know the response each ad will have, and they can’t control slow shipments or weather delays. Shop early. Ask for a rain check or ask if they can give you the same savings on a similar item. Many retailers will do this. • “I bought a gift from a TV home shoppingservice but they won’t let me return it.’’ When buying, be sure to tell them the gift is for Christmas so their return policies will begin Dec. 25th. You may also have to pay shipping charges to return items.

• "I want my money back!” Stores set their own policies on refunds, exchanges and layaways. Know in advance the store’s policy on returns. While many will give you a refund or exchange your merchandise, they also have the right to insist that goods be returned in salable condition with all packaging materials intact. Most also insist that you have proofofpurchase.sosaveall those receipts. And some businesses have signs posted that say,” All sales are final.” This is legal. Ask about the return policy before you buy. • “Their ad said the prices were 7 r > percent oft’, but now I\ e found the same merchandise elsewhere at a lower price.” Big savings claims may indicate bargains, but you must still shop around. You may find the giant "discount” is actually off an inflated “manufacturer’s list price” which means nothing. Also, don’t be misled by ads that insist, "We have the lowest prices in town.” No seller can possibly know every other store's price. Do they offer a price guar-

antee? How easy is it to use? • “ I mailed the company a check for a holiday purchase, but now they have gone out of business (or lost my order.)” When buying gifts by mail or over the Internet, order as early as possible and keep detailed records in case your order is lost. Always pay by credit card if possible. • “I couldn’t find any sales clerks and the checkout line was too long.” Ask to speak to the store manager. In any case, please be cou rteous to the overworked sales clerks. It isn’t their fault; they just want to help. Remember to always check BBB reports on companies before you buy. Visit BBB’s Web site, www.indybbb.org, or call to get reports 24 hours a day at (317) 488-2222. If you have a complaint, visit www.bbb.org or write: BBB, Victoria Centre, 22 E. Washington St, #200, Indianapolis, IN 46204. The office serves Indianapolis and all of Central Indiana.

BUSINESS BRIEFS

iterest rate debt. The overall bjcctivcs should be to reduce the >tal debt level, lower interest ites and reduce the number of

i editors.

II self-help is not enough, conict a legitimate non-profit credit r debt counseling service. The ounsehng sendee can set up a ivment plan, in which the indiidunl makes one monthly payuent to the counseling agency, Inch then pays each of their i editors. The sendee can save loncy by negotiating lower paylents and possibly lower interest ites. Most people can pay oft’ heir unsecured debt in three to i v cyears by follow ing these plans, i he National Foundation for redit Counseling w w w.nfcc.org) has a referral line hat automatically directs calls to h<‘individual’s local area. (1-800-

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There is no quick fix for a low iedit score. It takes patience, hard work and follow-up, but it ■ au be done. Avoid the scams adertised on TV and the Web. Filler do-it-yourself or seek help Tom a legitimate credit counselng sendee. Michael (I. Shinn, CFP, Regis'“red Representative and Adviory Associate of and securities Tiered through Financial Network Investment Corp., member TIT. Visit . u w .shinnfinaiuial.com for uore information or to send your omments or questions.

OPTIONS ► Continued from Page 1 should keep in mind ifyou could be facing foreclosure arc: (1) Don’t lose your home and damage your credit history. (2) Call or write your mortgage lender immediately and be honest about your financial situation. (3) Stay in your home to make sure you qualify for assistance. (4) Arrange an appointment with a housing counselor to explore your options. (5) Cooperate with the counselor or lender trying to help you. (6) Explore every alternative to keep your home. (7) Beware of scams. If a solution sounds too good, it probably is. (8) Don’t sign anythingyou don't understand. Know that signing over the deed to someone else does not necessarily relieve you of your loan obligation. (9) Act now. Delaying can’t help. Ifyou do nothing, you will lose your home and your good credit rating. For further information, visit HUD’s Web site at www.hud.gov/foreclosure/ index.cfm. For information on the Indiana Housing Finance Authority and its programs, visit our Web site at www.indianahousing.org or call toll-free in Indiana, 1-800-872-0371.

IPIC ► Continued from Page 1 ority for IPIC. The organization already has worked with representatives of community and faith-based groups to raise awareness about the employment and training services offered through the seven WorkOne Centers it oversees. The WorkOne Centers offers services such as resume writing and interviewing skills workshops, job placemen t assistance, skills training, as well as resources for Marion County employers to access skilled workers. Through Project KEEP, IPIC is working to match the needs of Martindale-Brightwood employers with the skills and talent of neighborhood residents. This neighborhood forum serves as the culmination of the first phase of the project, which included compiling workforce surveys from employers and residents to assess the skill need in the area. Surveys can be picked up and turned in at our host survey sites: Indiana OIC State Council Inc.; Oasis Christian Community Development Corp.; and IndianapolisUrban Enterprise Association. for more information on Project KEEP call, (317) 6842276.

Water company offering new payment method Indianapolis Water customers now have two more ways to pay their bills. Beginning last month, Indianapolis Water is offering "pay on-line" and "pay by phone" options to all its customers. To pay by computer customers can simply log on to www.indiaapoliswater.com and click on the "Pay Your Bill Online” icon and begin the online payment process. This payment option means that customers can pay their water bill in the privacy of their own home, day or night. Free budget planning classes Holiday spending can result in hefty credit card bills and cause after-holiday stress. To learn how to keep spending on target and begin planning now for buying a home this spring, the Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnership (INHP) offers classes to help. Learn how to budget your finances and keep spending in line at INHP’s Money Management Work-

shop at 6 p.m. Dec. 16 at Glendale Mall. Pre-registration is required. To register or to learn more information about classes call INHP at (317)925-1400. Unwanted vehicles wanted Do you have an unwanted car, truck boat or RV taking up space in your garage or driveway? Perhaps Volunteers of America is the answer to your problem. By donating your unwanted car, truck, boat or RV, you may qualify for a tax deduction if you itemize. Volunteers of America can accept your unwanted vehicle, arrange for towing and provide you with a proper receipt. Vehicles need not run. Vehicles must have a clear title and all components must be in the vehicle. Call Volunteers of America and they will tell you how easy it is at (317) 333-6331. Holiday reception and donation The Central Indiana Chapter of the CPCU Society will host a December holiday reception and Riley Hospital Toy Drive on Dec. 16 at Maggiano’s Italian Restaurant on 86 ,h Street across from the Fashion Mall beginning at 5 p.m. The cost is $15 per person.

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Stale earns national recognition for electronic tax filing Special to The Recorder Indiana’s effort to provide Hoosiers with accessible and efficient ways to file their taxes electronically has earned national recognition, Gov. Joe Kernan said. The Indiana Department of Revenue’s tax filing programs received the 2003 Value in Technology Achievement Aw ard from the National Electronic Commerce Coordinating Council. Indiana earned first place among a field of more than 70 nominations from across the country. “This is the latest of several honors the department has received for its efforts to effectively serve Hoosiers,” Kernan said. “We continually challenge state agencies to take advantage of the latest technology , available to bring government services closer to those we serve. This is just one example of our many successes in that area.” Through software developed by the department, taxpayers have options that allow them to file and make payments electronically. Hoosiers have five methods for filing their taxes: • Electronic filing through accesslndlana at www.ln.gQv/dor. • Joint filing of both federal and state taxes electronically. • TelefHe from a touch tone telephone. • 2D bar coding of paper returns. • The traditional paper return. Additional options available to taxpayers include payment by credit card or echeck, direct deposit of refunds, electronic data interchange (EDI) and electronic fund transfer (EFT). The department also offers a voice response system that allows taxpayers to check the status of their refunds via telephone 24 hours a day. During the last tax season, approximately 58 percent of all Indiana individual income tax returns were filed electronically, including 2D bar coding of paper returns. This marks the second consecutive year that more electronic returns were received by the state than traditional paper returns.