AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) – Sen. Susan Collins of Maine is part of a congressional delegation that’s visiting the Middle East. Collins, a Republican member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, is accompanied by Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz.; Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., and Lindsey Graham, R-N.C. Collins’ office said a detailed itinerary is not being released for […]

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) – The Baldacci administration is defending itself against a charge by the Taxpayer Bill of Rights referendum campaign. TABOR II campaign officials said Gov. John Baldacci’s public safety commissioner, Anne Jordan, abused her power by sending an e-mail to the governor’s staff about the impact of the proposed spending curb law. It […]

Budgeting: Making a plan Prepared by Jane Conroy, Extension educator During tough economic times, many people ask, “How can I keep up with the expenses of food, gas, and other necessities? I am just making it from paycheck to paycheck as it is now.” According to United States Department of Agriculture’s Cost of Food at […]

Understanding fees and expenses By learning the types of fees associated with mutual funds, you will be better able to make the right investment choices for you. Keep in mind that fees should be evaluated as just one element in your investment selection process and should not be the only factor in selecting the appropriate […]

Preventing foreclosure If you are having trouble making your mortgage payments or have already fallen behind and are in default or foreclosure, you may feel scared, ashamed and overwhelmed. At this critical time it is very important that you act quickly. The information and resources below may help you create a plan to prevent foreclosure. […]

I’ve got that receipt right here By Ronda Addy How many years now have you sworn you were going to keep better records? It seems like every time April 15 rolls around you scramble to get everything in order. Why not surprise everyone this year and have your records together and ready to go? By […]

INDIVIDUAL HEALTH INSURANCE in Maine Individual health insurance is available in Maine from Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, MEGA Life & Health Insurance Company, and several health maintenance organizations (HMOs). This brochure is intended to help you to understand your options and to compare premiums. Who is eligible? Any Maine resident who is not […]

What is long-term care and how will you pay for it? Long-term care is a variety of services that includes medical and non-medical care to people who have a chronic illness or disability. Long-term care helps meet health or personal needs. Most long-term care is to assist people with support services such as activities of […]

What About Bonds? An often overlooked, yet essential component of Your Investment Portfolio By Joyce Cassidy O’Reilly First, the ‘What’: Simply stated, a bond is a promise to repay the principal mount loaned to the issuer, along with interest (coupons) on a specified date (the maturity). Stocks and bonds are both securities. Unlike with equities, […]

My mortgage balance is WHAT!? From the desk of Charlie Craig: I was recently working with a client that had purchased a small shopping center listing of mine nine years ago. My client financed the acquisition through a conduit and the 10-year term of the loan was expiring in a year. I ran financing projections […]