The Treadway's

THE MONEY QUIZ

What’s Your Score?

25-30 correct: Move over, Warren Buffett!
16-24: More like Jimmy Buffett
8-15: Still can afford a weekly lunch buffet
0-7: Time for Financial Literacy School


Answers will be posted tomorrow, April 18, 2012


1. America’s financial epicenter—Wall Street—is named after:

a. The Wall Street Journal
b. James Haverford Wall, who conceived the short-lived $3 bill
C. THE WALL BUILT BY DUTCH COLONISTS TO DEFEND AGAINST INVADERS

2. Which statement about a certificate of deposit is false?

a. A CD is an interest-bearing savings certificate insured by the FDIC.
b. It pays a fixed interest rate for a fixed term.
C. IT HAS NO FIXED TERM AND USUALLY HAS A VARIABLE INTEREST RATE.
d. Penalties result if money is withdrawn before the term ends.

3. Which of the following is false?

a. An IRA and a 401(k) are both retirement savings accounts.
b. A 401(k) is offered through your workplace, usually with employer contributions.
c. An IRA is funded with your own money, sometimes with contributions by employers.
D. AN IRA CAN BE OPENED WITH $1,000; A 401(K) REQUIRES $401.

4. What does APR mean?

a. Annual penalty rate, what you owe if you don’t pay in full
B. ANNUAL PERCENTAGE RATE, THE TOTAL COST OF CREDIT OVER A WHOLE YEAR, INCLUDING INTEREST RATE AND FEES
c. Annual payoff rate, how long it takes to pay a debt
d. Average payment ratio, what other people pay in debts similar to yours

5. What does it mean when your house is “underwater”?

a. Your basement frequently floods.
b. Your mortgage has been paid off.
C. THE HOME’S VALUE IS LESS THAN WHAT YOU OWE ON THE MORTGAGE.

6. If interest rates increase, what typically happens to bond prices?

a. They rise.
B. THEY FALL.
c. They stay the same; bond prices don’t change.

7. Most credit scores range from 300 to 850.

A. TRUE
b. False

8. At what age can you generally start to take money from a 401(k) or traditional
IRA without early-withdrawal penalties?

A. 59 1/2
b. 62 1/2
c. 66 1/2
d. 70 1/2

9. After what age must you start taking minimum withdrawals from your 401(k) and most other retirement accounts, or face heavy tax penalties?

a. 59 1/2
b. 62 1/2
c. 66 1/2
D. 70 1/2

10. A mutual fund is:

A. A POOL OF ASSETS OWNED BY MANY INVESTORS AND OPERATED BY A MANAGER
b. A group of people who mutually agree to sponsor the same single stock
c. A group of people who mutually agree to sponsor the same charity

11. The Down Jones Industrial average is named for whom?

A. WALL STREET JOURNAL FOUNDER CHARLES HENRY DOWN AND STATISTICIAN EDWARD JONES
b. Emerson Dow and Hereto Jones, who donated land to build the New York Stock Exchange
c. Dow Chemical and Jones Apparel, the first stocks offered to investors
d. Railroad maven Dowetta Jones, Casey Jones’ mom

12. For late savers in their mid-50s, what’s the recommended amount of an $80,000 annual income that should be contributed to an IRA or other retirement account in order to retire comfortably at age 65?

a. 22%
B. 37%
c. 43%

13. What is the difference between a stock and a bond?

a. Nothing. They are the same.
b. Investing in stock means you’ve bought part of a company; investing in bonds means you’ve loaned money to companies, governments or other groups in exchange for interest payments and redemption of the bond when it matures.
c. A stock has no expiration date; bonds are issued for specified time periods.
D. B AND C

14. How much are you liable for if your debit or ATM card is stolen?

a. No more than $50, if the loss is reported within two business days
b. Up to $500, if reported after two business days
c. The total amount, if reported after 60 days
D. ALL OF THE ABOVE

15. AnnualCreditReport.com is the only authorized source for the free report that’s yours by law.

A. TRUE
b. False

16. With no catastrophic illness, how much does a typical retiree pay out of pocket for health care, with Medicare and private insurance covering the rest?

a. 10%
B. 20%
c. 40%

17. What should you include in a basic retirement budget?

a. Income and regular expenses
b. Savings goals
c. Unexpected or infrequent expenses
D. ALL OF THE ABOVE

18. There are how many federal income tax brackets?

A. SIX: 10%, 15%, 25%, 28%, 33%, 35%
b. Four: 15%, 25%, 28%, 33%
c. Two: 15% and 35%

19. If you have a high credit score – 750 or better – how much lower would your mortgage rate be than for someone whose score is around 620?

a. About 1/4% lower
b. About 1% lower
C. ABOUT 1.5% LOWER

20. If your credit card is stolen, federal law says that you’re responsible for what amount of any fraudulent charges?

a. All of it
b. 10 percent
C. $50, BUT MOST CARD ISSUERS WILL WAIVE ANY LIABILITY IN CLEAR CASES OF A STOLEN CARD OR NUMBER

21. A credit report is:

a. A list of your financial assets and liabilities
B. YOUR BORROWING AND BILL PAYMENT HISTORY
c. Your available credit line at banks and other lenders

22. What is a reverse mortgage?

a. An agreement to sell your home, once its mortgage has been paid in full, directly to a bank or other lender. That lender then pays the seller monthly “mortgage” installments.
B. A LOAN, FOR HOMEOWNERS 62 AND OLDER, THAT ALLOWS THEM TO CONVERT HOME EQUITY INTO CASH WITHOUT HAVING TO SELL OR VACATE. THE LOAN IS REPAID WHEN THEY DIE, MOVE OR SELL THE HOME.
c. A one-time cash payout by lenders to reward homeowners who pay off their mortgages before their due dates

23. Which of these statements about debit cards is false?

a. The money for purchases comes out of your bank account.
B. YOU WILL GET A BILL FOR YOUR PURCHASES AT THE END OF EACH MONTH.
c. You can use your personal identification number (PIN) or sign for your purchases.
d. You should treat your debit card like cash.

24. Which of the following statements about credit cards is false?

a. There’s a preset limit to how much you can spend.
b. A credit card expense is a short-term loan, and by signing the receipt, you’re
agreeing to repay.
C. YOU’RE CHARGED INTEREST EVEN IF YOU PAY YOUR BILL IN FULL AND ON TIME EACH MONTH.

25. Who can access your credit report?

a. Employers considering you for a job
b. Lenders considering issuing you a loan or credit card
c. Insurers issuing you an auto policy
D. ALL OF THE ABOVE, AS WELL AS GOVERNMENT AGENCIES

26. What currency is used by many European nations?

a. Pound
B. EURO
c. Rupee

27. Which statements about the benefits of a 401(k) are true?

a. You get “free” money, since your contributions are usually matched by your employer.
b. You get tax-deferred growth—no annual taxes on capital gains, interest or dividends.
c. You get the immediate tax break, because your contributions come from your paycheck before taxes are withheld.
D. ALL OF THE ABOVE.

28. The word “tax” originates from:

A. THE LATIN TAXO, MEANING “I ESTIMATE”
b. The Greek taxum, meaning “to take”
c. The Old English taxus, meaning “to fee the coffer”
d. “Taxi,” a vehicle that takes you places for a fee

29. Who wrote “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes”?

a. William Shakespeare
B. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
c. Uncle Sam

30. Which is better?

a. Getting $100,000 at once
B. GETTING A PENNY THAT’S DOUBLED EVERY DAY FOR A 31-DAY MONTH (A penny whose sum is doubled daily for 31 days will yield nearly $11 million. )