Personal Finance

June 3, 2008

  • Second Mortgage versus Refinancing

    There will come a time when most of us need extra cash.  It could be for any number of things, but the point is that you may not have the cash resources to meet your need.  The one resource that you do have is your home.  If you are in this situation you must decide:  Do I need a second mortgage or should I refinance my current loan? (…)

May 30, 2008

  • Three Ways to Reduce Tax Bill

    Sometimes we have to bite the bullet.  I mean that we have to pay some of our hard-earned money to Uncle Sam.  However, there is a big difference between owing him $5,000 and owing him $500.  Here are three ways to reduce the amount you have to produce at tax time:
    1.  Use as many tax credits as you qualify for.  Tax credits are better than deductions.  Tax credits lower the amount of money that you will owe to the IRS.  There are education tax credits that you can take advantage of if your child is in college.  Why not open a Coverdell education savings account?  At least $2,000 can be put into an account by you and other family members for use by your child towards educational expenses. 
    Parents may also opt to use the HOPE tax credit or the Lifetime Learning tax credit.  Child and dependent care tax credits can be deducted on a tax return as well.  You must have paid these expenses during the calendar year for your child.  The earned income tax credit applies to both single and married people in low to medium income homes. (…)

May 28, 2008

  • Debits and Credits Revealed

    We hear the terms "debit" and "credit" used on a daily basis.  In the context of a conversation they can mean a different thing each time that we use them.  In the context of accounting practices, debits and credits actually mean the opposite of what we would expect. (…)

April 11, 2008

  • Save On Taxes While Buying A Home

    by Tax Maven
    If you plan to be buying a house, you need to pay attention to that most critical matter involved with home purchase. (…)

April 10, 2008

April 9, 2008

  • Children's Savings Accounts

    by William Blake
    If your son or daughter's piggy bank is nearly overflowing, it may be time to consider opening up a bank account for them. (…)

  • Money and Infidelity

    by Jeannie Giordano
    Unexpected bumps might be in store for couples who fail to discuss financial expectations before marriage.
    Balancing marriage and financial issues can be daunting. (…)

April 8, 2008

April 7, 2008

April 5, 2008

April 4, 2008

September 1, 2006

August 24, 2006

August 22, 2006

  • The Four Levels of Wealth

    There are basically four levels of wealth you must aim to attain.
    Level 1: Financial Stability
    The first level of wealth is known as financial stability. (…)