Take the personal finance challenge

My latest column features four high school students from Little Falls who won the first-ever national personal finance challenge against teams from a dozen states. See if you can answer the questions from the competition.

1. What is it called when you make an impromptu purchase without considering your needs, goals, and the consequences of the purchase?

2. Name one of the sources of what is termed "easy-access credit".

3. What is a long-term retirement product that is issued by insurance companies that makes a series of payments at regular intervals over a period of time?

4. This is a math problem. What is the rate of return for a $34 share of stock which pays a $3 annual dividend?

5. What is the program that is financed by state and federal tax revenues, that pays specific health care costs care for those who cannot afford them?

6. Name one type of trade restriction that causes prices to consumers to increase on foreign imports.

8. According to the IRS, what is the maximum amount you are allowed to give up to any number of people, every year, without facing any gift taxes?

9. A written authorization from a stockholder that empowers someone to vote on the stockholder's behalf.

10. A 529 Savings Plan is designed to fund what specific expense?

11. The price at which the money of one country can be converted into the money of another country.

12. What regulation, established by the Federal Reserve Board, governs the amount of credit that is allowed to be advanced to customers to enable them to purchase securities (so-called "margin requirements")?

14. What is a municipal or city regulation that restricts the amount that can be charged by a landlord.

15. A "baby bond" usually refers a bond that has a par value of less than _____________.

16. The final payment that repays all the remaining principal and interest of a partially amortized or unamortized loan is referred to as a ________________________.

17. What summer's day term is used to refer to state laws that cover the offer and sale of securities?

18. A bond that permits the issuer to redeem the bond before the stated maturity date, at a specified price (usually at or above par) is referred to as a ___________________.

20. What is a short term unsecured promissory note issued by a company, typically for a maturity of less than 270 days called?

21. This is a two-part question. A non-cash contribution of time, service or goods made by a donor to help support a charity is what kind of contribution? Is it tax-deductible?

22. An income tax system where a higher tax rate is often imposed as one earns more money.

23. A form of banking in which banks are only required to keep a fraction of their total deposits on hand.

24. When companies enjoy large, above-average profits these profits are often referred to as____________________.

26. Which index is usually considered the benchmark for U.S. equity performance. It represents 70% of all U.S. publicly traded companies.

27. A loan, often with a higher interest rate, made to borrowers whose credit rating is lower than a typical qualified buyer.

28. What do we call an individual who continually donates personal wealth to charities?

29. A contract entered into by two people prior to marriage which commonly includes provisions for the division of property accumulated during the marriage should the couple divorce.

30. What is meant by a Buyer's Market and in what type of market do we usually use the term?

32. What would the price be for a good for that is not scarce?

ANSWERS

1. Impulse buying

2. Pawnshop, Payday Loans, Rent-to-own, Title loans

3. An annuity

5. Medicaid

6. Tarrif or quota

7. An underwriter

8. $13,000 (in 2009 and 2010)

9. A proxy

11. Exchange rate

12. Regulation T

13. A prospectus

14. Rent Control

15. $1,000

17. Blue sky laws

18. A callable bond

19. 4:00 PM Eastern Time

20. Commercial paper

21. In-kind contribution and yes

23. Fractional reserve system

24. Windfalls or windfall profits

25. Workers compensation

26. S & P 500

27. Subprime loan

29. A prenuptial agreement

30. A situation in the real estate market when sellers significantly outnumber buyers, driving prices down. This is historically a good time to buy your home.

31. Two years