4th of July: What's Happening in Your Town

It's one of the most anticipated holidays on the calendar -- one that for many signifies the official start of Summer -- the 4th of July! 

Check out the festivities taking place in and around your community over the weekend.

4th of July Events

• Cape and the Islands
• Massachusetts by town and date
• Maine by town
• Rhode Island by town
• Vermont by date

Much of New England will continue to celebrate all month long. 

Our Marketing and Communications team curated a patriotic playlist. Just press play for your soundtrack! 

4th of July 2015 from sbenz-92968 on 8tracks Radio.

Have a safe and happy 4th of July!

-- Amy, Cate, Jaime, Lisa, Paula, Rachel, Steph and Taylor

Guest Blog: 5 Simple Steps to Saving Money and Getting Financially Healthy

We all want financial health but achieving it can sometimes be daunting to get started. But, pushing yourself to move forward with a plan can pay off big. There are many things you can do, but keeping it simple can help jump start the process and give you some definite objectives that are both reachable and easy to put in motion. Because financial health has such a positive impact on our daily lives taking the steps towards your goals should be a very important priority. 

To help, here are five easy steps to get you going: 

Begin with a Budget
Budgets get you thinking about your money and help you take control of spending. First, identify how you’re spending your money now. You might be surprised to see that morning cup of coffee is costing you over a $1,000 a year when it would cost pennies to make it at home. Second, decide what you could live just fine without, and what is necessary like your mortgage payment and groceries. Use available websites or apps to help. Set a goal to spend no more than 80-90% of your total income with 10-20% left to save. 

Pay Off Credit-Card Debts
Tackling your credit-card bills can be daunting, but it’s necessary for financial health. Begin by making a list of your credit cards as an extension of your budgeting process above. Then, set a plan to pay off the one with the highest interest rate first, regardless of the amount owed on the card. Once done, move onto the second card and so on, but continue making at least the minimum payment on the other cards as well. If you are able, try to transfer balances from high interest rate cards to lower rated ones.

You should also be checking your credit report at least once a year and checking for any inaccuracies, identity theft, etc. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, you are entitled to a free credit report every year at annualcreditreport.com. If there are inaccurate items on your credit report, you can use our Free Credit Report Dispute Kit to make sure you get them items corrected and protect your rights.

Build Your Emergency Savings Fund
Because you never know what the future holds, it is important to build a financial cushion or emergency savings fund in cased you lose your income or have an unforeseen expenditure. Credit cards should not be the fall-back since using them for life expenses can end up costing you much more in the long run. Begin by saving 5 – 10% of your income until you have at least 3 – 6 months’ worth of basic living expenses set aside. A low impact way to get there is by saving a tax refund, a bonus, or the difference in income from a recent raise.

Target Your Savings 
A great way to help you save is to take the thinking about it out of it. Have a portion of your paycheck direct deposited into your savings account each pay period. You are less likely to spend it if you never see it in your regular account. Instead of having your entire paycheck deposited to your checking account, have 5-10% put directly into your savings account.

Save for Retirement
It is never too early to start saving for retirement and permanent financial health. If you have access to a 401K plan with a company match, it’s an easy choice to participate and make sure you are getting the full benefit. Start by setting aside 3% of your salary to the 401K. This deduction is pre-tax so you will hardly notice, plus, it will reduce the amount of taxable income you are bringing home. Increase your savings by just one percentage point a year until you get to 10% and you’ll hardly feel a pinch. It’s also good to start saving your emergency fund before your retirement fund because if you get stuck and need to use some of the money, you will be taxed on the withdrawals and may even be hit with penalties. If you’re self-employed or your company does not provide retirement benefits, opt for an individual retirement account (IRA). For specific advise on your particular financial situation, you should consult with a reputable financial planning professional to help you make the most of your money.

Start moving towards financial health using these steps and an overall savings plan that works for you. As with any positive step forward, soon you will begin to feel the benefits and greater peace of mind. 

Culik Law is a Massachusetts Attorney / Law Firm. The post is not intended as legal advice.

Culik Law is a BBB Accredited Business located in Woburn, MA. They have been Accredited since 2010.

Small Business Expo in Boston, MA

Next month the Hynes Convention Center in Boston, Massachusetts will be hosting the Small Business Expo from 10 am-5 pm on October 17, 2013. The Small Business Expo is the largest nation-wide B2B trade show  conference and networking event for small business owners. Typically this event brings together thousands of business owners and decision makers seeking new products, services and innovations to help their businesses grow.

Why Should You Attend?

-It’s Free!

-Network with other business professionals & check out the exciting exhibitor hall.

-Establish new contacts & clients and reconnect with old ones.

-Further your education by attending crucial workshops & seminars.

-Learn about new products and services that will help grow your business.

-Interact with the movers and shakers of your industry.

-Discover new and innovative technologies.

The Small Business Expo is a one day event to meet thousands of prime contacts in one place at one time. Over the next month leading up to the expo we will be diving deeper into the many benefits offered during the event.

To learn more about this event, please visit http://www.thesmallbusinessexpo.com/. 

Rhode Island Secretary of State Warns of Deceptive Mailing

Small businesses owners should be on the lookout for a deceptive mailing that claims to be from Rhode Island Corporate Compliance. According to ABC6, the letter asks businesses to fill out a form and attach a $125 check. Many businesses are being misled because the documents look official.

In April 2013, a similar mailing scam targeted Maine businesses and was sent from Corporate Records Services, located in Augusta. The letter offered to complete corporate meeting minutes for a $125 fee. Other states including Massachusetts, Georgia, Ohio and Indiana have issued warnings against deceptive mailing scams from Compliance Services.

BBB encourages business owners to do some research on any solicitations they receive that ask for payment, even if the document looks official.  Do not provide business information or a payment until you have completely checked out the offer and organization.