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EPISODE 61~ Searching for Your Unclaimed Money Just Got Easier!

Find unclaimed money with The Easy Money Show

One of the biggest battles is getting people to actually conduct a search for their money, even though it only takes 5 minutes and 1 in 10 of us has unclaimed money out there.  So a smart unclaimed money entrepreneur decided to go where the people are: on their phones!  Please welcome Nick Anderson, CEO of Ironwood Recovery back to Easy Money. 

Nick, you joined me on Episode 51 to talk about the tricky unclaimed money cases you tackle for people.  And you were super polite and waited until the very end to mention that you had a new app coming out that helps people locate their unclaimed money.  The app is called iRecovery.  How long has it been available, Nick?

OK, so I’m going to have you walk us through the app, to show people how simple it makes it to find and claim your money.  First off, what does it take to create an account?  Anything complicated or sensitive?

No, we make it really easy and just ask for a name, email address and for you to create a password.

Next, you click the “Discover” button and what information do you have to put in to do the actual search?

iRecovery asks you for your first and last name and your city and state.

And I noticed, you can leave the city box blank and the app will still search for you.  Why might that be an advantage?

Yes, that way, if you’ve lived in lots of different cities in one state, iRecovery will search ALL of them for you.

Fortunately, California has the biggest population of any state and many people more there for a little while in search of some fun in the sun.  So back to the app.  If iRecovery finds something for you, what do you do next?

You click on the unclaimed money account listed, and it opens up to tell you more about it.  You’ll see the street address the account is associated with, so you’ll immediately have a good idea whether it’s yours or not.  You’ll see which company reported the unclaimed money.  And California is one of the few states that tells you, right online, how much unclaimed money you have waiting.  So our app is able to tell you that too.

How do you and Ironwood get paid?

WE CHARGE A MINIMAL PROCESSING FEE THAT IS CONTINGENT ON THE PAYMENT OF YOUR CLAIM. IF YOU DON’T RECEIVE ANYTHING, NEITHER DO WE.

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EPISODE 61 ~ GUEST BLOG: Introducing a New App That Helps You Find and Claim Your Missing Money

Usually it is because you switch houses and you do not fully update your new contact information with the “holder” of the money. If the holder of your money can’t locate you or you do not engage in any activity with your account, the holder sends it to the state government for safekeeping.

Another reason why the state is holding on to money is because the owner of it has passed away. Individuals should be encouraged not only to search their own name but for relatives as well. This money will sit in perpetuity until it is claimed. Please make sure your financial records are kept up to date so this does not happen to you. And leave a list of your accounts somewhere safe so that your heirs will know what you have in case you die.

I have been helping people discover and recover their unclaimed money for years and estimate I have reunited people with more than $25 million of unclaimed money. Now I want to help you help yourself with a new app that makes it quick and easy to find your unclaimed money. My new app is called iRecovery and it will be available in the iTunes store and Google Play store in June of 2018. The iRecovery app is a free download and search tool to see if you or someone you know has money out there that has gone unclaimed.

Once you discover your lost funds, you answer simple questions to prove ownership of the money. Once you have provided this basic information, the app will process the necessary claim documents for your review and e-signature. You will be able to easily identify what documents are necessary to submit your claim and upload them straight into the app. If you are unable to provide certain documentation to prove ownership of the funds, iRecovery will locate them and attach them to your claim at no cost.

iRecovery is the only app that allows you to search, file and track your unclaimed property claims all in one place. Identify unclaimed assets owned by your family and friends and share your findings with them so they can claim what’s theirs. Search deceased relatives to make a claim as their next of kin with the proper death claim documents that are generated by the app.

iRecovery was designed for the individual to get their money back with ease and simplicity all from your mobile device. Just download the app and start your search to see how helpful we can be. iRecovery was made by unclaimed property experts and designed for an easy, user friendly experience. Search as much as you like. There’s no wrong way to use it and nothing to lose to get started.

Check back to your client portal for updates and notifications on when your claim is approved and your money is sent. iRecovery will automatically update you with any new progress on your claim. You will always know where you stand.

Check the app store soon for the iRecovery app and see what money you may be missing out on!

Guest Bio:
Nick Anderson is a genealogist, heir hunter and skip tracer who is the Founder and CEO of Ironwood Asset Recovery. He founded Ironwood Asset Recovery as a response to the billions of dollars in money and other assets that go unclaimed by Americans each year. Nick has dedicated his career to reuniting private citizens and companies with their rightful property. Over the last decade, he has reunited clients with millions of dollars in lost assets and does not plan on stopping any time soon.

Guest Contact: Nick Anderson, Ironwood Recovery
Website: IronwoodRecovery.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ironwoodrecovery
Google+: plus.google.com/108171121525414996579
Instagram: www.instagram.com/irecoveryusa/?hl=en
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/ironwoodrecovery/
Twitter: twitter.com/iRecoveryUSA

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EPISODE 60~ The IRS Could Be Writing You a Check!

Nobody wants to be audited by the IRS, but if you are and you win your case: you may be able to get the IRS to pay your attorneys’ and accountants’ fees. Yes, the IRS writing YOU a check for a change! You can ask for reimbursement if you won the biggest point in your case or the majority of points in your case. You must also be able to show that you cooperated with the IRS at every stage of the case and did not drag out the proceedings. Your litigation costs must be reasonable, usually about $200 dollars an hour for attorneys’ fees, for example. And speaking of reasonable, Thanks to a Texas Court case, the IRS must prove that it’s case against you was reasonable. If it wasn’t, that’s one more argument for you to get compensation!

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EPISODE 60 ~ MAKE MORE: Ever Dream of Becoming a Chef, Writing a Cookbook, or Opening a Restaurant? Here’s How You Make Your Dreams Come True

Attention fabulous amateur chefs: Are your knives —and your skills— sharp enough to go pro? Could you make money as a restauranteur? How about as a cookbook author?
That is our featured “make more” segment of this podcast. My guest is Jennifer Brule who —you guessed it— just opened a restaurant and has a new cookbook out. Welcome to Easy Money, Jenny.

You are obsessed with food —in a good way. Was that your clue —and would that be a good clue to others— that a culinary career could be for them?
I think about food all the time. I’m either shopping for food, cooking it, eating it, talking about it, researching it, writing about it, or day dreaming of it. Thoughts of cooking and food consume me. I met an astrologer once who told me that in a past life I starved to death and have spent every lifetime since then trying to feed people.

You say that when you went to culinary school, you finally found a curriculum at which you excelled. Is that another clue for people? If they don’t love the book learning, but have a mad knack for hands-on learning?
I graduated with honors from Baltimore International Culinary College. And it’s true, I felt like I had finally found a curriculum at which I excel.

Despite thriving in culinary school, for a long time you preferred to write about food professionally, rather than cook food professionally. Where did you write and why was that best for you for a while?
•I started my career as food writer for the Newburyport Daily News  in Newburyport, Massachusetts.
•Move to Augusta, Georgia. Food writer for the Augusta Chronicle and Augusta Magazine.
•But I also had 4 daughters during that time. At one point I had four children under 7 years old!
•I have 4 daughters and we lived abroad. Not a money maker for a long time but I was always cooking. That is my passion.

You were edging closer and closer to what it takes to run a restaurant by opening restaurants for others. Tell us about that part of your food background.
•Test recipes for Cook’s magazine; manage to be simultaneously invisible and irritating to editor, Christopher Kimball.
•Write the menu for Sam Adam’s Brew Pubs.
I developed recipes for national magazines, like Cooking Light, Shape, Fitness and Draft Magazine.
•Culinary consultant and recipe developer for S&D Coffee and Tea (North America’s largest custom coffee roaster), Tropical Foods Summit Coffee and Alino Pizzeria.

Jenny, I know you recently turned 50. Tell us about the shocking turn of events in your life, at this age, that was so devastating, but has also been a new beginning for you.
I turned 50 in February, one month later I fulfilled a dream by opening my restaurant, one week after that, my world as I knew it ended, when my husband of nearly 25 years left me for a woman he met on an airplane. 
Most of running a restaurant is a mental game. While I was thrown into an emotional tailspin, I had to get up every day, put one foot in front of the other, lead my kitchen brigade and muddle through– I couldn’t afford to let let my dream slip away. In that way, my restaurant saved me– kept me focused and continues to bring me so much joy. It is truly a place of happiness– happiness that customers feel. for support.

Final question is about advice for others. Writing a cookbook or opening a restaurant is a big deal. Many people may not be ready —yet. What should they do to prepare?
Find something related that you can tolerate. For me it was catering. I catered the Masters for several years. Very hard work. Up at 5 and bed at midnight and physically tough work but I made incredible money. I would not be happy catering 5 days a week. But having it every once in a while as a cash injection allowed me to be able to prepare for what I love and that was a good balance for me.

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EPISODE 60~ Pay for Your Car in Cash and Save Thousands on Interest Payments!

Save more money with The Easy Money Show

How to pay cash for a car, thus saving interest payments that can add up to thousands of dollars.
OK, I realize not everybody will be able to pay cash for a car – at first. So first let’s talk about how to limit the damage if you must take out a car loan. The problem is that most people make a small downpayment on a long loan. That’s upside down! Instead, you want to make a big downpayment on a short loan.
Make as big a down payment as you can. The national average is less than 20 percent. You can do better. 40 to 50 percent is more what I have in mind. The more you put down, the less you will be paying interest on. If you already own a car, a big down payment may not be as hard as it sounds because you might be able to combine your trade-in value and some savings to come up with a nice-sized down payment.
Now, let’s talk loan term. According to Edmunds.com, the most popular auto loan term in America is five years. Horrifying but true. Your car could easily depreciate faster than you pay it off, putting you “under water” in your car loan. Instead, I recommend, a maximum of 2-years for auto loans. A two-year loan should assure that you are paying the car off faster than it depreciates. And it will limit the amount of interest you shell out. And, because you made a chunky downpayment, the monthly payment should be manageable.
OK, so you’ve just taken out a loan to buy a car, so how do you put yourself in a position to pay cash for your NEXT car? There are two strategies. Choose whichever resonates with you:
1. Method number 1: After you’ve figured out a monthly car payment your family can truly afford, subtract $50 from it. In other words, if you can afford to spend $400 a month on a car paymjent, resolve to spend only $350. Then use the other $50 a month to immediately start a savings account to put toward your next car.
2. Method number 2: save nothing now, but after you’ve finished paying off your car loan, continue making that payment, but into your own savings account instead. You’re used to paying that amount, so it’s easy. Then, keep your first car as long as you can stand it, rather than trading it in in 3 years like so many people do, and that should give you plenty of time to save up for your next car, the one you’ll pay cash for.
What kind of savings will you see when you succeed in paying cash for a car? Let’s say you buy a $15,000 used car. If the interest on your car loan is 6 and a half percent over 5 years, you’ll end up paying $17,598 for the vehicle. So by paying cash for that same car, you save $2,598. THAT is the kind of savings I like. Big and bold!

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EPISODE 60~ Insurance Demutualization as a Source of Unclaimed Money

Find unclaimed money with The Easy Money Show

A mutual insurance company is one that is owned by its policyholders. So when you take out a policy, you are buying a tiny portion of the company and get to share in the profits of the company in the form of dividends or reduced insurance premiums. Insurance demutualization is when a company owned by its customers transforms into a publicly traded stock company. Maybe the most recognizable mutual insurance company is Mutual of Omaha, famous for sponsoring the Wild Kingdom TV show in the 1960s through 80s.
That one is still a mutual company, but more than 200 US-based mutual insurance companies have demutualized since 1930. They include biggies like John Hancock, Metlife, Mutual of New York and Prudential. Now here’s where it gets interesting: When those companies demutualized, they had to buy out their policyholder-owners. But many policyholders didn’t realize they were owned money because over the years they had always gotten discounts on their premiums rather than dividend checks.
In fact, on Episodes 1 and 2 of Easy Money, I interviewed Spencer Hathaway, who I helped find several different unclaimed money accounts, and 2 of the biggest he found were available because of insurance company demutualizations.
The rest of the story is that Spencer had let his policy lapse, when he bailed out of the fraternity, and he STILL got $600 in unclaimed money from it!! Remember, most of these demutualizations occurred between 1930 and 2001. That’s a long time span when you or your family may have owned a policy. So be sure to check MissingMoney.com and unclaimed.org to see if you and yours are owed any unclaimed money from insurance demutualizations.

Search for your unclaimed money: missingmoney.com

Find your unclaimed property: www.unclaimed.org

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Episode 60 ~ Guest Post


How To Make Baked Zucchini Wedges, The “Pizza” of Vegetable Dishes
By Jennifer Brule

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon coconut, vegetable, or olive oil
2 large or 3 medium zucchini
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 eggs
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup panko-style bread crumbs
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Using a paper towel, grease a sheet pan with the oil.
Trim off both ends of each zucchini, then cut each one in half lengthwise, then in half lengthwise again to form thick wedges. (If you want them long and thin, you could cut them in half lengthwise once more.) Cut each wedge into 3- to 4-inch-long segments.
Place the flour in a pie plate. In a second pie plate, beat the eggs. In a third, combine the Parmesan, bread crumbs, onion powder, garlic powder, pepper flakes, salt and Italian seasoning.
Working in batches, toss 4 to 6 wedges at a time into the flour, shake off the excess, dip them in beaten egg to coat (use a fork or your fingers to turn them), then into the breadcrumb mixture. (To keep from gunking your fingers up with large amounts of dough, try to remember to use one hand in the flour and bread crumbs and the other hand with the egg. In restaurant kitchens, it’s called “Standard Breading Procedure.”)
Place each coated wedge on one flat side on the baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, flip the wedges over to the other flat side and continue baking for 10 to 15 minutes, until brown. Serve hot.

GUEST LINKS:
Jenny’s Restaurant: www.davidsonicehouse.com
Jenny’s Professional Website: www.jenniferbrule.com
Jenny’s First Book: www.25southernclassics.com/#southern-classics
Restaurant on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/davidsonicehouse
Jenny on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jenniferbrule
Jenny on Instagram: @Jenny_Brule
Restaurant on Instagram: @davidsonicehouse
Jenny on Twitter: @Jenny_Brule

GUEST BIO:
My name is Jenny Brulé. I think about food all the time. I’m either shopping for food, cooking it, eating it, talking about it, researching it, writing about it, or day dreaming of it. Thoughts of cooking and food consume me. I met an astrologer once who told me that in a past life I starved to death and have spent every lifetime since then trying to feed people. Fair enough.
I develop recipes for national magazines, like Cooking Light, Shape, Fitness and Draft Magazine. I also write for regional magazines. I am an on-air chef for the Carolina’s largest NBC affiliate, WCNC as well as a regular on ABC Charleston, and the Food Network chose me to be in 5 cooking videos for their website. I am excited right now to be writing my second cookbook for UNC Press due out autumn 2018. And I recently opened my first restaurant, Davidson Ice House, outside of Charlotte.

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EPISODE 59~ These Top Two Airlines Have the Most Availability

Last week I talked about the “best” frequent flyer programs. Now let’s talk about the ones with the most availability. Those would be Southwest and Jet Blue, according to an Ideaworks survey. But here’s the surprising one: American Airlines made changes, opened up more seats —mostly to Europe and Hawaii— and now the giant airlines ranks third for available award seats. United is fourth, followed by Delta. Interesting about Delta, since WalletHub considers its frequent flyer program the “best.” For more airlines and more info, I will link you to the report from EasyMoneyShow.com/59.

Link:
Airlines with the most frequent flyer seats: www.ideaworkscompany.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Press-Release-127-Reward-Seat-Report-2018.pdf

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