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Top 10 Personal Finance Tips | |
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Introduction | |
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Setting Goals: Your Financial Road Map | |
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Why Financial Goals Are Important | |
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Calculating Net Worth: Your Financial Snapshot | |
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Decide What You Want to Achieve | |
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Break It Down | |
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Evaluating Your Progress | |
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Educating Yourself about Money Matters | |
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Guilt-Free Budgeting | |
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It's All about Attitude | |
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Customizing Your Budget | |
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Set Spending Goals by Category | |
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Monitor Your Progress Monthly | |
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Plug Any Spending Leaks | |
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Personal-Finance Software | |
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Stay Motivated | |
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The Secrets to Saving Money | |
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The Magic of Compounding | |
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The Rule of 72 | |
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The Danger of Inflation | |
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The Time Value of Money | |
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Building an Emergency Fund | |
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The Fun of Frugality | |
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Luxury Items and Loss of Value | |
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Banking Basics | |
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Choosing a Bank or Credit Union | |
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Online Banking | |
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Banking Costs | |
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Overdraft Protection | |
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Automated Teller Machines | |
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Debit Cards | |
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Balance Your Checkbook | |
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Best Places to Stash Your Cash | |
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Credit Cards 101 | |
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The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly | |
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What's Out There | |
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Choosing What's Best for You | |
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If You Have Damaged Credit | |
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Using Credit Cards Wisely | |
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Pay It Off! | |
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Protecting Yourself Against Losses | |
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The Credit CARD Act of 2009 | |
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Digging Out of Credit Card Debt | |
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Your Credit Report and How It Works | |
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Paying Down Debt on Your Own | |
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Finance Companies and Bill-Paying Services | |
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Transferring Credit Card Balances | |
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Borrowing from Your 401 (k) | |
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Credit-Counseling Service | |
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Negotiating with Credit Card Companies | |
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Avoiding Credit-Repair Scams | |
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Other Credit Issues | |
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Installment, Secured, and Unsecured Loans | |
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Creditors and Debt Collectors | |
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Filing for Bankruptcy | |
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Chapter 13 Bankruptcy: Reorganization | |
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Chapter 7 Bankruptcy: Liquidation | |
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Bankruptcy as a Debt Management Tool | |
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Avoiding Financial Scams and Schemes | |
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The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau | |
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Living with Student Loans | |
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Stafford Loans | |
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Federal Perkins Loans | |
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PLUS Loans | |
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Keep Track of the Interest Rates | |
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Defaulting on Your Student Loan | |
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Rehabilitating Your Defaulted Loan | |
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Resolving Student Loan Disputes | |
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Consolidating Your Student Loans | |
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A Tax Break | |
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Income-Based Repayment Plans | |
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Creative Financing for Your Children | |
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Show Me the Money: Work and Career | |
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Choosing a Job with Potential | |
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Your Worth to an Employer | |
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Negotiating Your Salary and Benefits Package | |
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Evaluating Your Employee Benefits | |
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Employee-Ownership Plans | |
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Asking for a Raise | |
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Losing Your Job Without Losing Your Shirt | |
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So You Want to Be Your Own Boss? | |
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The True Cost of Happiness | |
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Moving On: Finding New Living Space | |
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Your Housing Options | |
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Finding an Apartment | |
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Signing the Lease | |
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Deposits and Other Charges | |
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Renting with Roommates | |
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Renters' Insurance | |
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Cost of Living Differences | |
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Automotive Costs Related to Moving | |
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Tax Issues Related to Moving | |
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Buying a Home | |
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Getting Ready for Home Ownership | |
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How Mortgages Work | |
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Types of Mortgages | |
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Choosing the Best Mortgage for You | |
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The Home-Buying Process | |
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Making and Negotiating the Purchase | |
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Closing the Deal | |
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Home Ownership Tax Savings | |
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Be Prepared for Other Expenses | |
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Owning a Condo | |
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Owning a Co-Op | |
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Living with a Mortgage | |
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Planning Home Improvements | |
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Building a Home | |
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Home-Equity Loans and Lines of Credit | |
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Escrow Accounts | |
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Refinancing Your Mortgage | |
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Tax Deductibility of Mortgage Interest | |
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Prepaying Your Mortgage | |
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Facing Foreclosure | |
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The Short Sale Alternative | |
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Getting Deals on Wheels | |
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New or Used? | |
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Paying for a New Car | |
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What about Leasing? | |
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Negotiating the Price | |
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The True Cost of Ownership | |
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Extended Warranties | |
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Buying Credit Life Insurance | |
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Marriage and Family | |
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Tying the Financial Knot | |
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Do You Need a Prenuptial Agreement? | |
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Planning an Affordable Wedding | |
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What about the Marriage Tax Penalty? | |
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Beneficiaries, Name Changes, and Wills | |
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Planning for a Baby | |
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Can You Afford to Stay Home? | |
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Raising Financially Savvy Kids | |
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The Financial Impact of Divorce | |
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Unwed but Not Unwise | |
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Moving In Together | |
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Nonmarital Agreements | |
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Common-Law Marriages | |
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Mingling Your Assets | |
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Buying a House Together | |
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Sharing Expenses | |
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Taxes for Unmarried Couples | |
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Other Issues | |
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Minimizing Income Taxes | |
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Federal Income Taxes-the Basics | |
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Standard and Itemized Deductions | |
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Preparing Your Tax Return | |
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Hiring a Tax Accountant or Service | |
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Making Tax-Wise Financial Decisions | |
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Keeping Good Tax Records | |
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Surviving an Audit | |
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When You Can't Pay Your Taxes | |
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Credits and Deductions | |
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Investing: Profits and Risks | |
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The Big Picture | |
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Investing in Stocks | |
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Investing in Bonds | |
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Mutual Funds | |
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Alternative Investments | |
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Using a Financial Planner | |
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Sample Investment Allocations | |
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Investing in a Low Interest Rate Environment | |
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Retirement: Planning for Tomorrow | |
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The Younger, the Better | |
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Defined-Benefit Plans | |
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Defined-Contribution Plans | |
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401(k) Plans | |
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403(b) and 457 plans | |
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Individual Retirement Accounts | |
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Roth 401(k) and Roth 403(b) | |
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Small Business Plans | |
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Choosing the Right Investments | |
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A Word on Social Security | |
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Insurance and Estate Planning | |
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Life Insurance | |
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Health Insurance and COBRA | |
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Disability Insurance | |
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Homeowner's and Auto Insurance | |
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Other Types of Insurance | |
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What Is Estate Planning? | |
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Where There's a Will, There's a Way | |
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Durable Power of Attorney for Finances | |
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Probate and Trusts | |
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Estate Taxes | |
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Living in a Postrecession World | |
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Be a More Savvy Consumer | |
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Institute a Savings Program | |
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Investing in a Postrecession World | |
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Keep Your Investment Decisions Simple | |
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Glossary of Financial Terms | |
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Internet Resources | |
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Index | |