If you purchased your home paying less than 20% down, chances are you had to purchase “mortgage insurance” in order to qualify for your loan. A mortgage insurance policy protects the bank in the event they are forced to repossess your house and sell it at a loss. As...
What Is Permanent Life Insurance And When Does It Fit Your Needs?
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Once you have determined that you need life insurance and calculated how much coverage you require, you will have to choose between several types...
Do You Really Need Private Mortgage Insurance?
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If you purchased your home paying less than 20% down, chances are you had to purchase “mortgage insurance” in order to qualify for your...
Health Insurance – How It Works
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Without health insurance, a single illness can cause serious, and often irrevocable, financial hardship.
Insurance of any kind is intended to transfer financial risk to...
Debt
Debt
Structuring The Terms Of Your Loan
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Often it is necessary to borrow money in order to make large purchases like cars, home improvements, college expenses and emergency purchases. Fortunately, our...
Credit Cards
Using Credit Cards Wisely
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Credit cards were first introduced to the public just about 60 years ago, in 1959. With the introduction of credit cards, consumers were given...
Debt
Life After Debt
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If you find yourself in trouble financially, there are usually no easy answers — but there are many ways out for those willing to...
Tax
Tax
Taking the Mystery Out of Capital Gains
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The profit you make on the sale of stock is known as a capital gain. If you have owned the stock for a year...
Tax
New Tax Legislation – Benefit Summary
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Congress recently passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act changing the tax code beginning 2018. This new tax law made significant changes to the...
Tax
Tax Aspects of Working at Home
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How much of their home office expenses can be deducted is one of the most misjudged tax questions faced by home workers. The reality...
Finance
Finance
Selling Your Home
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Once you have decided to try to sell your home, the next big decision you will face is whether you want to sell it...
Finance
The Time Value Of Money And Your Financial Objectives
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One well-known fact of economic life is that a dollar received today is worth more than a dollar received a year from now.
Time And...
Finance
Life Cycle Planning
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Financial planning means something different to everyone. For some, it's about getting by on their paycheck, for others, it's about watching the stock market...
Finance
Your Personal Financial Statements
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Personal financial statements are the roadmap that guides us from where we are today, to where we want to be tomorrow. They also provide...
Finance
Year-End Financial Planning
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The best financial decisions are made with the benefit of time, thoughtful consideration and trusted professional advice. As tax time once again approaches, there...
Budgeting
An Introduction To Budgeting
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Budgeting is the systematic allocation of one's limited resources (income) to a potentially unlimited number of needs and wants (expenses.) Budgeting your income, though...
Investment
What Is A Qualified Annuity?
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Many employers allow their employees to contribute to an annuity program. This becomes an investment option in a salary reduction retirement plan. Under this...
What Is A Variable Annuity?
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Variable annuities offer more choices than fixed or guaranteed annuities. Some of the things they offer that are not the same as a fixed...
Introduction To Certificates Of Deposit
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How Cds Work
A Certificate of Deposit (CD) is a low risk investment vehicle offered through banks. CDs offer a fixed interest rate with a...
Where Bonds Belong
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Bonds are essentially loans to a corporation or the government. Bonds are often referred to as income investments because, in return for the use...
Managing Your Assets
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When you start organizing your portfolio you will want to consider how you will be spending your money after you retire. Some money will...
Keeping Your Plan In Balance
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Investing can be a complex and confusing process. Even success can throw your investment strategy out of kilter. For instance, let's say you want...
The Importance of Asset Allocation
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Diversifying your funds among different types of investments is an important way to minimize your investment risks. It can also play a large role...
College
College
The Increasing Cost Of Education
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A college education is an investment which usually pays off. According to the U.S. Department of Education, in 2015 those with a college degree...
College
Financial Aid For College Students
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Even if you have not been able to save all the money you will need for college, several alternatives exist to assist you in...
College
What Is A Coverdell Education Savings Accounts (ESA)?
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Similar to a 529 plan, a Coverdell ESA offers the potential for tax-free growth when you use the account to fund a child's qualified...
College
Section 529: College Savings Plans
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A 529 plan is a state-sponsored education savings program that allows an individual to save in a tax-deferred account to pay for qualified costs...
Retirement
Retirement
Roth IRA Conversion Review
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If you have existing retirement assets in a traditional IRA, you may want to consider converting those assets to a Roth IRA - also...
Retirement
Minimum Retirement Plan Distributions
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Most qualified retirement plans offer significant tax benefits for those willing to follow a few IRS specified rules. The government wants to make these...
Retirement
Retiring At An Early Age
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Historically, most Americans have considered 65 to be their target retirement age. This is likely the result of past Social Security laws which allowed...
Retirement
Calculating Your Social Security Benefit
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Social Security was originally introduced in 1935 in the aftermath of the Great Depression. It was intended to provide a safety net of income...