Be the first to find our 3 "hidden" eggs to win a $10 gift certificate to Amazon.com!

The Contest:
- The 1st 10 people to email us the correct numbers on our 3 "hidden" eggs by 5pm PST on Friday April, 6th will win a $10 gift certificate to Amazon.com.
- Like us on Facebook for an additional $10 on your Amazon.com certificate! (you must find the eggs to qualify)

Where the eggs are:
- On our Facebook page
- Right here...on our Blog (you might want to read About us...hint hint!)

How to claim your prize:

1. Send an email to: CustomerCare@mtgcapital.com with subject line: I found the eggs!
2. In the body - send in the correct numbers (each egg has a number written on it).
3. Indicate the name that should be on the Amazon certificate along with the email address to send the certificate to.
4. IF you have "Liked" us on Facebook, please let us know your Facebook name.
   

Winning names will be posted on our Facebook Page (first name, last initial)

Have Fun!

Contest Fine Print:
- Contest ends 5pm (PDT) 4/6/2012.
- Mortgage Capital Associates employees are not eligible to win.
- In order to claim a prize, egg #'s must be correct and a valid email address must be given by 5pm (PDT) 4/6/12.
- Amazon.com certificates will be sent via email by April 13, 2012.

Save money this Spring with energy-saving upgrades and repairs!

Spring cleaning is typically thought of as a time to clean out those closets and dust the cobwebs off the many boxes you have stored in your garage. However, with data indicating that people are staying longer in their homes these days, it may be time to think about a project to “spring clean” your home with important upgrades or repairs to improve your home’s value as well as to save you money in the long run. Recent housing data also highlights an increase in building permits, which means that people are starting to take advantage of the mild winter and spring to make these types of repairs and improvements in their homes.

There is no doubt that the longer you stay in your home, the more likely upgrades and repairs will be required. Most people tend to handle repairs or upgrades in their homes on an “as-needed” basis. If you are considering other upgrades or repairs to your home, it may be a good time to make it a project and handle energy-saving upgrades as well. With rising energy costs, these types of improvements can provide long-term financial and energy savings benefits which also improve the comfort and livability of your home. These can range from easy changes such as the kind of light bulbs you use, to bigger projects like upgrading to insulated windows and solar panel systems. Here are 3 ways you can save on your energy bills:

Step 1 - Assess where you will save the most.
Many companies now perform Energy Assessments as the first step of a home energy upgrade. This assessment typically involves a comprehensive evaluation of a home’s current energy use, which is performed by a Participating Contractor and verified by a third party consultant. This assessment will identify which specific home energy upgrades will result in the most energy savings. The assessment should take into account the varying local/state rebates and incentives offered for making energy-efficient changes.

Here is an example:
http://lacountymakeovercontest.org/county/los_angeles/energyAssessment.html

Step 2 - Implement the improvements/upgrades.
What kind of changes can you expect to make? Well, much of it will depend on your location and age of your home. Here are some examples of changes people have made to improve their energy efficiency while driving down energy costs:

- Upgrade to insulated windows
- Upgrade to light-emitting diode (LED) or compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) light bulbs
- Add/replace insulation so there is less heat loss in the winter, and less cooling loss in the summer (this will also allow your heaters/air conditioners to run more efficiently)
- Service major appliances such as heaters/air conditioners to ensure they are operating at their peak efficiencies
- Upgrade kitchens to Energy Star rated appliances
- Install dual flush toilets, low flow showerheads, and faucets to conserve water
- Install solar panels to generate your own electricity and reduce energy costs
- Install a solar hot water heater
- Seal doors/windows that have gaps

Part of your Energy Assessment will include an analysis of your savings. If you implement one or several of the recommended changes to help you save on energy, you should know how long it will take before the initial investment pays off for you. Some of these changes may have a long payback period that won’t benefit you financially for several years. If you don’t intend to stay in your home for that long, it may not make financial sense to implement the more costly measures. So, be sure you understand these numbers. It may be the case that you’re not making the changes for purely energy-savings reasons, so you may not need to recoup your costs right away (or ever). Just know ahead of time what you want to accomplish, so that you have a clear understanding of whether or not it’s doable.

Step 3 - Consider your options for financing the home upgrades.
It is not uncommon for people to use the equity from their home to finance certain home improvements. If you are considering this or just want more information on whether it makes sense to do this, you can contact our office for rate and payment information to take “cash out” of your home equity.

Lastly, whether or not you decide to take on a project to implement more major upgrades or repairs to your home, you can always look into local/state renewable energy incentives. Many areas have programs sponsored by the city or state to incent homeowners to reduce energy use. Why not take advantage of these, especially if you already in the process of making upgrades or changes to your home? Some of these rebates or incentives are no-brainers (i.e. an incentive you would receive from the city by using a certain type of light bulb).

Here is one site that helps homeowners nationwide find local incentives for renewables and efficiency:
http://www.dsireusa.org/

The bottom line is there are many things you can do to help drive down the long-term energy costs in your home. It may be worth the effort this spring to consider short and long-term energy savings upgrades or repairs, not only for financial reasons, but to conserve resources for generations to come. You may be surprised by how much savings are available to you!

11 things you must know about Social Security

Whether you already receive Social Security retirement benefits or not, below are 11 things to know so you can maximize your retirement benefit and sound erudite at your next cocktail party.

General

1. Social Security is believed to be solvent for another 30 years without changes to the system. It is far healthier financially than Medicare.

For Those Already Receiving Benefits

1. You will enjoy a 3.6% inflation increase in benefits in 2012.
2. Your benefit may be taxed. Find your tax filing status and “provisional” income bracket below to find out what you might be in for.

For Those Not Yet Receiving Benefits

1. The Social Security tax is 12.4% (employer + employee) of the first $110,100 of annual income. There is no Social Security tax on income above $110,100, which makes it a regressive tax – the more you make the less you pay proportionally.
2. To qualify for Social Security benefits you need 40 credits. 1 credit is earned for each $1,130 of earnings, but a maximum of 4 credits can be earned each year. In other words 10 years of even reasonable income gets you your 40 credits.
3. Your benefit is based upon your 35 highest earning years. If you have 30 years of earning $75,000 and 5 of earning $5,000, working an additional 5 years to replace the $5,000 years with $75,000 years will have a noticeable impact on your benefit.
4. Due to budget cuts the Social Security Administration has suspended the practice of mailing annual Social Security statements for those under the age of 60 as well the ability to request a statement. You can however get a benefit estimate via http://www.socialsecurity.gov/estimator/ or by calling 800-772-1213, and surprisingly, those answering the phones are quite helpful and knowledgeable.
5. Each worker has a “Full Retirement Age” (“FRA”), which is currently 66. Social Security is based upon taking benefits at this age. However, you can elect to begin benefits anywhere from age 62 to 70. Each year benefits are not taken increases your benefit by roughly 8%, which is a VERY good return, particularly considering the return is not subject to stock market risk.
6. Whether you take your benefit at 62, 70 or anywhere in between is mathematically identical if you die at the age Social Security expects you to die. Your life expectancy can be found via http://www.socialsecurity.gov/OACT/population/longevity.html. If you don’t expect to reach this life expectancy, you are generally better off taking your benefit earlier. If you expect to outlast this life expectancy and can afford to postpone taking your benefit, you are generally better off doing so.
7. If you take your benefit prior to FRA you are subject to the earnings test, which can reduce your benefit. In years prior to FRA, your benefit is reduced $1 for every $2 earned in excess of $14,640. In the year of FRA, your benefit is reduced $1 for every $3 earned in excess of $38,880 until the month of FRA.
8. If you qualify for your own benefit, but it is nothing to write home about, you may be able to get more money by piggy-backing a spouse or ex-spouse’s benefit. You are able to receive the higher of your own benefit or 50% of your spouse’s benefit or your ex-spouse’s benefit if you were married 10 years and haven’t remarried. The benefit is reduced if you take it before your FRA.
   

Social Security benefits are complicated and important. Spend time getting to know how it works so you can maximize your benefit for yourself and your loved ones. Oh, and have fun at your next cocktail party….

* All figures are 2012 based and change each year

Contributed by Kevin Mahoney, CFP^®, Integris Wealth Management