michaeljsmeriglio-blog

[michaeljsmeriglio-blog]

Gray Charges and How to Prevent Them

For more than 30 years, Michael John Smeriglio III has served as a certified public accountant in Greenwich, Connecticut. As a CPA, Michael J. Smeriglio offers comprehensive financial advice, which includes such daily money management tips as how to avoid gray charges. Gray charges are those recurring financial obligations that a credit card holder takes on without fully knowing to what he or she is agreeing. One common example is the free trial of a service that escalates to a paid subscription, simply because a cardholder clicked “I agree” without reading the fine print on the initial offer. Others include the monthly membership resulting from a one-time purchase that the buyer made without unchecking a certain box, and the recurring merchandise purchase that does not stop until the buyer specifically says so. Also common is the zombie subscription, which continues to appear on the subscriber's credit card bill even after its cancellation. This is similar to the phantom transaction, which is a second product or service that the buyer did not know would follow his or her first intended purchase. One of the best ways to avoid these charges is to read all terms and conditions carefully, though this can be difficult, considering the length of many such documents in the current market. It is easy for a gray charge to slip through, and so it is important for all card holders to carefully review all statements. If a card holder sees a subscription or membership charge, he or she can contact the company and cancel it, though the buyer must continue to check statements to ensure that the cancellation has taken effect. A card holder may be able to dispute certain charges, particularly those for transactions that he or she has already asked to cancel. If the merchant cannot process the cancellation, the card holder may be able to file a complaint with the credit card company, provided that this takes place within 60 days.

[michaeljsmeriglio-blog]

Three of the Best NASCAR Seasons of All Time

Michael John Smeriglio is the proprietor of Michael J. Smeriglio III, CPA, an accounting firm in Cos Cob, Greenwich, Connecticut. Beyond his professional activities, Michael J. Smeriglio enjoys following NASCAR. As is the case with many sports, it can be difficult comparing the seasons of individual NASCAR drivers due to changes in automotive technology, the seriousness and depth of race preparations, the overall structure of the tour, and many more factors. That said, there are still a handful of NASCAR seasons that stand out above the rest. In 1976, for example, David Pearson won 10 of the 22 NASCAR races he entered, including a historic finish at that year’s Daytona 500. One of the sport’s most accomplished drivers, Pearson had won more total races in other seasons, but with considerably more entries. His 45 percent win rate and consistently high finishes at the races he did not win make for one of NASCAR’s finest seasons. Moving forward in time, Jeff Gordon’s 1998 campaign included 13 NASCAR trophies, 26 top-five finishes, and 28 top-10 races, leaving just five races on the season in which he failed to place among the 10 best drivers. At the time, his 5.69 average finishing place would not only have been good enough to win every NASCAR season of the decade, but the majority of all seasons since the start of the tour. Many view Gordon's 1998 run as one of the most dominant in all of NASCAR. Also warranting mention, is Richard Petty’s 1967 season. Solidly among NASCAR’s all-time great drivers, Petty entered 48 races that year and won 27, finishing top five in 38, plus two additional top-10 finishes. Petty’s team performed significant renovations to his signature blue Plymouth Belvedere ahead of the season, but opted not to replace the vehicle. The decision paid off, as Petty’s 56 percent win rate and 83 percent top-10 finish rate resulted in not only a truly dominant season, but also one of NASCAR’s most enduring and apt nicknames, “The King.”