Finance Specialist Career Guide and Counseling

Question: How did US National Guard Finance Unit Specialist Ciara Durkin DIE inside Bagram Airbase in Afghanistan? Ciara had a desk job doing payroll in an office about three miles inside the secure Bagram Air Base. About 90 minutes after she left work last Friday, she was found dead near a chapel on the base with a single gunshot wound to the head. Initially the Pentagon reported that she had been killed in action, but then revised its statement to read she had died of injuries "suffered from a non-combat related incident" She was in the finance unit and, on her last visit home 3 weeks ago, she told her family, "I discovered some things I don’t like and I made some enemies because of it." Her dying wish to her family was, "If something happens to me in Afghanistan, don't let it go without an investigation." Her family has not received autopsy results. They requested an independent autopsy, but the military has not responded yet. The military has refused to make her paperwork available so the family can determine her wishes as to her funeral. What did she see that got her shot? While many of our soldiers do turn suicidal due to the circumstances that Bush has put them in in his war, that does not seem to be the case at all here. Ciara left a very upbeat happy birthday message to her brother only a few hours before she was found slaughtered.

Answer: Osama Bin Laden's paystub? A receipt for 500 tons of opium? A contract for Halliburton to build that pipeline that Unocal and Hamid Karzai tried to get the Taliban to build back in 2001 Plans to mass the troops along the border with Iran so Bush can start one of his other planned wars?

Question: what is the difference between and analyst and a specialist in the finance industry.? This is for P&L in the finance industry. Are their general levels for an analyst vs. a specialist.

Answer: A specialist probably exercises his/her financial knowledge in the market (meaning he/she sells/buys financial options) based on available market information An analyst is likely the one who studies the buying & selling in the market, creates financial reports/analysis that are in turn used by the specialists.

Question: ASVAB scores to be an accountant/finance specialist. ? I'm taking the asvab test Wednesday and am wondering about the scores. I want to get into accounting/finance and am wondering what score i would need to be able to pick this job. I looked a little online and some sites say you need to do good in certain parts of the test, but if i have a good overall score, would that matter? (meaning is the doing good on certain parts of the test the bare minimum to be in that particular job?). Please help me out!

Answer: i have no idea.....good luck

Question: In serious need of finance specialist career counselor, where can I find one? I've been in a serious career rut for the last few years. I want to change fields and go into finance, but at this point, I think a one-on-one sitdown with a career counselor specializing in finance would do me a whole lot of good. Basically someone who will look at my background, my goals, strengths & weaknesses, help me figure out what my options are and what is the best route for ME for these options. Where can I find such a person? Of course I'm willing to pay for this. Forgot to mention, I'd much rather meet with someone in person rather than interact over phone or internet. I'm in the LA/SoCal area. Also forgot to mention... I'm open also to consulting, which isn't necessarily finance.

Answer: high schools..

Question: I need someone who is a specialist in finance !!!? What Kind of financing is ideal for an investor in a start-up technology company? Explain. the answer is supposed to be "convertible preferred stock" but please tell me what the hell does this mean !

Answer: Preferred stock that includes an option for the holder to convert the preferred shares into a fixed number of common shares, usually anytime after a predetermined date. Also known as "convertible preferred shares". Most convertible preferred stock is exchanged at the request of the shareholder, but sometimes there is a provision that allows the company (or issuer) to force conversion. The value of convertible common stock is ultimately based on the performance (or lack thereof) of the common stock. Hope this helps you

Question: Remember after 9/11 FoxNews Finance specialists were all upiddy on the forecast of the stock market? Well their predictions suck. The market has not prospered and it look like big invesment funds for the rich are what is paying off. Can't we as the public recommend that Fox fire these bozos.

Answer: It's just hype and entertainment. Do you really pay attention to that garbage, like they have a crystal ball or something? Listen to a trader, or someone that has their money on the line, not the entertainment specialists.

Question: To the finance specialists , which is a better company , France telecom or Schneider electric ? To the expert guys in the stock house and such finance stuff , which is a better more stable and growing , France Telecom or Schneider Electric ??

Answer: France Telecom, they are almost done with the 1 billion franks owned for unlawful subsidies. Bad thing they sold couple years back most ot their stock in Argentina Telecom and El salvador but still have a huge precense in the States thorugh Equant Enterprise.

Question: How good are CCSP & MCSE IT certifications if one is pursuing a career as a financial specialist? I am obtaining a MCSE & CCSP Certifications, I want to know how advantageous are those certifications if one decides a career as financial specialist with DoD. Does finance and IT coincide each other on a daily basis?

Answer: Hi There, Not sure you'll get much value in pursuing an MCSE type of certification if you're planning on pursing a financial job. An MCSE is a serious certification for us network administrators and IT admins, and it is focused on Microsoft Server based technologies. Good luck to you. Best wishes, Sam.

Question: Finance Specialists: I have about $45,000 in EE and I Savings Bonds ...... Should I cash in? I have about $45,000 in EE and I Savings Bonds I've purchased over the last 10 or so years. I am now retired, age 50. The bonds have current rates of 3% (most of them) to a few of them getting 9%. My last child is in her last year of college (so I can cash in many tax-free). Should I cash in some or most of the bonds and put them in a CD or mutual fund? I don't need the money, I'm just looking to make a slightly better return.

Answer: Another criteria to consider is the impact on your tax this year. You will have to pay federal tax on year you cashed in. You might be able to exclude this income from federal income tax if you are qualified for Education Savings Bond Program. To qualify for Education Savings Bond Program, your filing status must not be Married Filing Separate. These bonds must not be EE issued before Dec. 1989. Qualified education expenses do not include room and board, only tuition and fees. There are a number of other criteria that might affect (and reduce) the amount of benefits. The best thing to do is to ask your accountant, or someone who has a better handle on your overall financial situation. If you do decide to cash in for educational purposes start with EE bonds issued after 1989 that pays the lowest rate, particularly those that are lower than the other investment alternatives you are considering. I bonds are inflation adjusted, so I will leave those along. EE bonds that are paying 9% is very good return for almost no risk, so I will keep those as they are as well. Of course you might decide to cash in even if the proceeds aren't used toward education because you find better investments for the money. Risks and returns analysis is too complex to discuss here, and unrealistic with more specific information. Best wishes.

Question: Question to Accounting/ finance specialists? i will have completed my honours degree in Accounting hopefully this month. I am just wanting to know - is it necessary in the finance industry to do a masters or is it ok if you went straight onto the chartered accountancy exams?

Answer: You can go straight into it. Good luck!