U.S. News & World Report – It may seem a bit strange to be talking about income taxes in September. There are, however, good reasons to think about taxes well before April 15. For starters, there are some big changes in the tax code that go into effect in 2011. Depending on your income tax bracket and investments, some simple planning now could save you a bundle later.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
U.S. News & World Report – More than four years after real estate values peaked, the historic plunge in home prices remains fresh in the minds of mortgage lenders. After taking painful losses on delinquent home loans, banks have imposed tougher standards–such as increased credit scores and higher down payment requirements–on applicants of all stripes. And as investors fled for the hills, the exotic mortgage products that helped fuel the real estate boom have largely disappeared from the private market. But that doesn’t mean all buyers need a big pile of cash to snag a home loan. …
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
U.S. News & World Report – The Latte Factor, a term coined (and trademarked) by personal finance guru David Bach, is one of the most talked about concepts in the world of personal finance. But it might be based on faulty math.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
U.S. News & World Report – American consumers hate being told what to do, and to prove it, we routinely make choices that are irrational and counterproductive. We make impulse purchases we can’t afford. We build bigger houses than we need, chaining ourselves to an onerous mortgage for years. We drive rugged, four-wheel-drive vehicles even though we never leave the pavement. We buy Snuggies.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
U.S. News & World Report – If you’re combining your life with a new spouse, moving from one house to another, or just frustrated with the amount of documentation you have filed (or unfiled) in your basement, it’s a good time to simplify your finances. Simplification is not only practical, it is beautiful. This is the concept of kanso, a Japanese aesthetic usually applied to gardens. Through a stretch of the mind, we can apply this beauty to our lives and our finances.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
U.S. News & World Report – The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) is developing a new reverse mortgage product that sharply cuts up-front payments by home owners but also significantly reduces the percentage of a home’s equity that can be paid to owners under the program. Reverse mortgages insured by the government are available on homes where the youngest owner is at least 62 years old. The program is called a Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM).
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
