Dear Friend,

Today, personal finance education is about much more than whether or not you can balance your checkbook. That remains essential, but the financial framework of the world around us is growing more and more complex for each of us in everyday life. It is hard to know where to turn for quality, unbiased personal financial information. That's why I'm so pleased to announce a new Ohio Treasury website devoted to providing the best personal financial advice and information to Ohioans, www.YourMoneyNowOnline.org . In addition, be on the lookout for monthly Your Money Now E-Newsletters such as this one.

If your income falls into the low-to-moderate range, you're elderly or in the military, the IRS is probably offering free tax preparation somewhere close to where you live. Take advantage. It isn't often that the IRS is “giving” instead of “receiving!”

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today issued a notice that lists four additional erroneous legal positions that taxpayers should refrain from using as an excuse to avoid paying their taxes.

An individual or group may not avoid paying their fair share of taxes by making “frivolous” legal arguments such as those listed in this notice. The IRS publicizes these frivolous claims to help taxpayers understand the law and avoid penalties.

How the Ohio Treasurer's Office Recovered $1.4 Million by Reviewing Bank Contracts and Checking Unclaimed Funds

Sometimes, with the passage of years especially, large organizations and even governments can lose track of some of their assets. Contracts may not be updated, interest-bearing accounts may be forgotten, and sometimes an accounting error or omission leads to surplus funds. Most of these omissions are not malicious; they are just small mistakes that were never caught. Over time, however, especially with interest compounding, lost pennies can add up to big dollars. With a few easy steps, most of this money can be easily recovered, and that may mean a windfall for any government body.