A survey* of 1,000 students ages 16-22 reported that 49% of students always save money when they get paid or receive an allowance.  However, only about one in five students has ever taken a personal finance course, although many admit they don't know as much about money management as they should.

The survey also found gaps in what parents are teaching their children about money.  While 94% of students indicate they are likely to use their parents as a financial information source, 31% of students say that their parents rarely or never discuss setting financial goals with them, and 30% maintain that their rarely or never discuss saving and investing.

Now may be a good time to sit down with your children and discuss the importance of budgeting, setting savings goals, and taking advantage of compound interest.  And don't forget about credit card debt.  According to the survey, 28% of students with credit cards are already rolling over credit card debt each month- not a good habit for anyone, least of all a student.

(*The 1999 Youth and Money Survey by the American Savings Education Council, the Employee Benefit research Institute, and Mathew Greenwald and Associates Inc.)

With a little planning toward the end of your company's 2000 tax year, you may be able to boost you tax deduction for depreciation.  Before you buy additional equipment or other non-realty assets this year, know how the depreciation rules work.

General rule. Usually, a business can claim a full half year's worth of depreciation for assets (other than real estate) it places in service at any time during the tax year.  When this rule applies, a last-minute purchase of equipment may yield a generous first-year depreciation deduction.