Let’s play a short little guessing game. We’ll provide a few statistics, and you tell us what those stats represent. Ready? Here we go...

• One in 10 U.S. citizens has been personally affected by this.
• Nearly 26 million Americans carry insurance against it.
• Those involved lose an average of between $851-$1,378 in expenses.
• Worldwide losses associated with this are $221 billion a year.

Alright, what are we talking about? Natural disasters? Vehicle accidents? No. It’s identity theft. It’s you having your good name stolen and used for someone else’s benefit. Here are some other numbers to consider:

“If you make any money, the government shoves you in the creek once a year with it in your pockets, and all that don’t get wet you can keep.”

Will Rogers

Taxes. Sometimes it’s best just to laugh as you drop off another year’s return in the mailbox or hit the “send” button to file electronically. On this year’s tax day, here are a few facts/quotes to help keep your mind off the job at hand. Enjoy, and Happy Tax Day!

So your electronic fairy godmother (or if you still prefer snail-mail, Mr. Postman) finally got around to delivering that big, fat tax refund check you’ve been waiting for. Woo-hoo! You’re not alone, there’s a lot of woo-hooing going on these days. As proof, here’s some tax time trivia for you—according to Bankrate.com, last year (tax year 2008) over 96,000,000 taxpayers saw a refund from Uncle Sam worth an average of $2,683. That was up from 2007’s $2,371. Of the 131.5 million tax returns filed, over 73% received returns. Four out of five people say they expect a return this year.

Get your receipts lined up. Rip open the W-2s. Sharpen those pencils and make sure you have plenty of erasers. It’s tax time, the season for crunching numbers and squeezing blood from a turnip. It’s a chore not many of us relish unless we expect a big return (and if you do, for shame, you’re giving the government an interest-free loan, but more about that at another time).

It’s not that we don’t receive breaks from Uncle Sam. Last year, nearly 46 million citizens itemized their taxes via the 1040 form and claimed nearly $1 trillion in deductions. Those using standard deductions claimed half a trillion dollars. Yet when you take us as individuals, who doesn’t want to pay as few taxes as possible, whether it involves getting a bigger return or owing less?

Here’s a fun idea for your Valentine’s Day, treat yourselves to a “money date”! Okay, this may not seem quite as exciting as a night on the town, but it does provide a great opportunity to step back and discuss big-picture financial issues you don’t ordinarily give much time and thought to.

Start with the fun things — what are your dreams and goals for the future? Before your date, each of you should make a list of your financial goals, and then compare them over dinner as points of discussion. This is your chance to look beyond your daily financial needs and think big. Would you like to start a business? Go back to school? Own a vacation home? Take time off to be with young children? Travel in retirement?

The recent disaster in Haiti creates thoughts not only of aid for the victims, but also images of what could happen right here at home should a similar tragedy strike. After all, our area is in close proximity to the New Madrid fault. This powerful fault line produced a series of earthquakes in 1811-1812 that caused the Mississippi River to appear to flow backwards. Tremors were felt as far away as New York City. It’s important to note that experts predict a major quake could hit our area in the near future.

… as the shoppers rush home with their treasures. Yes, it’s the most wonderful time of the year, the “giving season.” But while all the holiday cheer surrounds you, be sure collecting and passing out all those treasures doesn’t get out of hand and leave your budget like so much tattered wrapping paper under the tree.

A recent Consumer Reports poll of 1,000 Americans showed only 38 percent of consumers made a budget for holiday spending last year. Of those, 44 percent exceeded it; five percent said they went “way over” their budget. Even more disturbing, six percent of those surveyed (a nationwide translation of over 13 million shoppers) are still paying off holiday debts from last year!