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Veteran entrepreneurs have received a lot of attention in recent years.

Last June the U.S. Small Business Administration debuted a new lending program for Veteran business owners called the Patriot Express Loan Initiative that lets them apply for loans worth up to $500,000.

This June, the Arizona Department of Veterans' Services is holding its first Arizona Veterans Small Business Conference. The event, to be held June 11-12 at Ft. McDowell Resort & Casino in Fountain Hills, will address what assistance programs are available for Veteran-owned businesses, business plan development, marketing and procurement and contracting issues.

Last year, the SBA estimated that 14 percent of all small businesses in the United States were owned by Veterans. During the SBA's second quarter of 2008, which ended Marcy 31, lending to Veteran business owners increased 69 percent to 132 loans worth a total or $67 million over last year.

Visit www.ncaied.org for more information about the conference.

Are doctors and auto mechanics really easier to understand than financial professionals? One recent survey says so — the latest indication that there's a literacy gap out there when it comes to money issues.

Most Americans have a lot of financial burdens to carry, whether it's simply paying the monthly bills or investing for retirement, drafting an estate plan or borrowing prudently. Yet many signs suggest that millions of people aren't up to the task. Some examples:

' Americans think the financial-services industry does a poor job communicating, according a recent AARP Financial survey of 1,200 Americans. This was the poll in which 73 percent of respondents said money professionals use more jargon than mechanics, and 52 percent said they use more jargon than doctors.

No wonder half the respondents described themselves as not knowledgeable about investing, two-thirds couldn't explain terms like “basis point” or “index fund,” and 44 percent don't understand how Individual Retirement Accounts work. Also, more than half said they don't read financial literature because it's too complex.

About half the respondents said they suspect financial firms and advisers use jargon to distract investors away from fees or make them feel less confident handling their affairs.

' Another recent survey showed a sizable gap in financial literacy in several areas. Only 42 percent of respondents say they budget expenses, only 37 percent have ordered their credit reports within the past 12 months and just 36 percent have ever received professional financial guidance.

Also, 36 percent of the 1,000 adults polled by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling and MSN Money said they have no savings, excluding what might be in retirement plans. Of those with savings, most don't have enough to meet three months of expenses in a pinch — the minimum rule-of-thumb safety net.

' Equity-index annuities are a type of investment vehicle for which consumer literacy might be dangerously low. FINRA, a brokerage-industry regulatory group, recently alerted potential investors to the various complexities, which include different types of annuities, guarantees and payout options.

Equity-index annuities offer returns linked to stock market (or other) investment indexes such as the Standard & Poor's 500. FINRA officials say they're concerned about the different ways of calculating returns on equity-index annuities. The alert can be read at www.finra.org.

' Credit cards are another big source of confusion and cost for lots of people, but a new research tool from LowCards.com can help. It allows consumers to check interest rates, grace periods, annual fees and other information on more than 1,300 cards. LowCards.com says it's the most comprehensive tool of its kind.

The new service (under Complete Credit Card Index at www.lowcards.com) isn't just educational. It's also entertaining to see how many organizations offer credit cards, including professional groups, universities and sports teams such as the Arizona Cardinals, Arizona Diamondbacks, Arizona State University and University of Arizona. There are even cards for trout enthusiasts, Democrats, boat owners and Wizard of Oz fans.

You also can use the database to see if you're getting a good deal from your own card issuer. Many firms certainly offer a wide selection. The list includes 40 cards from Capital One, 49 from Chase and 64 from Citigroup.

' Most parents of teens consider themselves to be good financial role models, but many agree there's room for improvement. More than half the 1,000 parents surveyed by Charles Schwab said they wished they had learned more about finances when they were teens, especially in the areas of investing, retirement planning, budgeting and credit cards.

A majority also said they could do better teaching teens to save and budget, and one-third described their spouses or partners as poor role models.

Plenty of parents certainly hope their teens become financially savvy. One-third of the respondents expect to lean on their kids for support in their old age, and another third expect to be helping out their kids at that time.

This article appeared in the May 11 issue of the Arizona Republic
Reach Wiles at russ.wiles@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8616.

Fish with big appetites for mosquitoes are helping with Arizona's foreclosure problem.

"Mosquito fish," which greedily feed on mosquito larvae, are being used by city officials, real estate agents and even neighbors of foreclosured homes, which have green swimming pools.

The fish are being put into service in California, Nevada, Florida and Arizona - areas with lots of swimming pools and high foreclosure rates, according to the Wall Street Journal.

But the fish aren't an absolute solution to deserted swimming pools that turn green. The fish attract more birds, which can bring their own problems.

The Suns remain in denial.

Steve Kerr says he wants a coach who will keep the Suns' up-tempo offense. Up-tempo success, however, requires being consistently faster and quicker than the other team.

The Suns lost that capacity with the Shaq for Marion trade. This team maximizes its chances by pounding the ball inside and isolating Armare.

From the political notebook:

So, a temporary tax for a specific purpose, buying state trust land for a preserve, will now become basically a 30-year parks and rec slush fund.

(column for 5.11.08)

The shakeup in the scouting department that was announced today contained one surprise: the dismissal of Lonnie Young, who supervised the western part of the country.

Two other scouts -- Bill Dekraker and Rashaan Curry -- were fired in the last two weeks. Young, a former safety with the team, was viewed as an up and comer on the staff. He had been promoted from area scout to a supervisor, and there were indications he could be promoted again.

But just the opposite happened. According to sources, Young has a line on a job in the Ravens' scouting department and could be hired there soon.