Q: I tried to change my cell phone carrier and was horrified to learn that breaking my contract would result in a $200 early termination fee. Do I have any recourse? — Cindy Cell
Dear Cindy: Unfortunately, you’re stuck between the proverbial rock and a hard place. If you (hopefully) signed your contract fewer than 30 days ago and with AT&T, Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile or Verizon Wireless, then you’re OK. However, it sounds like the 30 days has come and gone, in which case that $200 termination fee per line is the only way to change carriers. If you just stop paying the monthly fee but continue to use your cell phone, you can pretty much plan on the carrier stepping in and stopping your usage. Heaven forbid that you’re in the midst of an important business call that may mean a billion dollar contract for your boss!
So what to do? One way to beat that large fee is to transfer your contract to another person, assuming he or she passes a credit check. This is an especially good deal for someone who’s looking for a short-term deal and doesn’t want to pay an activation fee. Check www.cellswapper.com and www.celltradeusa.com for information to list your trade on their sites. Good luck!
Q: It seems like everything I hear these days concerns the television “digitalization” to begin this time next year. Could I just have a straight answer so I know what I need to do? — Confused Craig
Dear Craig: I’ll be as straight as I can. Here goes: Beginning Feb.17, 2009, digital broadcasting will hit every television set in America. All sets sold after May 25th of this year are mandated by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to carry a label that tells the shopper if the set has an analog or a digital tuner. (Frankly, I wouldn’t purchase an analog if you paid me big bucks because of next year’s law.) If the label doesn’t state which kind you’re buying, then you can assume that it’s not digital. If any of your sets are NOT hooked up to cable and are analog, meaning they won’t receive over-the-air broadcasting signals as of next Feb.17th, then you must buy converter boxes to continue viewing your favorite (or even not-so-favorite) programs.
Very soon, consumers can check their mailboxes for two $40 coupons, compliments of the federal government, toward the purchase of up to two converter boxes. If you think your coupons have been misplaced, then call the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s hotline at (1-800) 388-2009) or log on to www.dtv2009.gov.
2008 IRS Tip: Even though a very sad topic, if your child died during 2007 and the exemption tests are met, you still can take the full exemption. This is true even if the child was an infant who lived only long enough to take a breath, although usually whether he or she was born alive depends on state or local law. There must be proof of a live birth shown by an official document, such as a birth certificate. Under the circumstances, you probably have no social security number for the child; therefore, you may attach a copy of the child’s birth certificate instead and enter “DIED” in column 2 of line 6c of the Form 1040 (PDF) or Form 1040A (PDF). For more information, logon to www.irs.gov.
Ellen Phillips is a retired English teacher who has written two consumer-oriented books. Her Consumer Watch column appears on Saturdays in the Business section of the paper. An expanded version is at www.timesfreepress.com under Local Business.
