Are you and your spouse ready for retirement? Even if you have saved an adequate amount in your nest-egg, there are additional issues that many couples overlook. Here are 3 of the more common retirement mistakes: – not being able to agree on where to live during their Golden Years; – challenges regarding retiring at […]
Retirement Mistakes That Couples Make Read More »
Closing credit card accounts can seem like a smart way to simplify your finances—but if done improperly, it can cause a dip in your credit score. After a recent financial seminar, a participant asked a great question about this. She wanted to streamline her cards and wondered how it might affect her credit standing. Here’s
Tips for Closing Credit Card Accounts Without Hurting Your Credit Score Read More »
To improve your credit rating or increase your credit score, you likely already know that it’s important to do the basics: such as paying your bills on time each month, and keeping your accounts out of collections. But are you aware that a host of other financial decisions you might make – especially seemingly innocent
Financial Decisions That Can Hurt Your Credit Rating Read More »
If you lose your job, you may qualify for unemployment benefits. The payments may serve as much needed relief. But did you know unemployment benefits are taxable?
Key Facts About Unemployment Benefits Read More »
What is a W-2? Simply put, a W-2 is a tax form your employer sends you, known as a Wage and Tax Statement. Sounds simple, then why are there so many boxes and codes? Familiarizing yourself with the most important parts of this form can help you understand the income you made, taxes you paid, and prepare you
If you’re living in one of America’s 40 million renter households, there’s an easy way for you to quickly and painlessly increase your credit score and even help qualify for a mortgage. What’s the secret? It’s simply adding your rental payment history to your credit reports. How to add rent and utilities to credit report
Secret Trick For Renters That Boosts Your Credit Score Quickly Read More »
After a recent financial seminar I gave at a company in New York City, I received a question from one of the workshop attendees who wanted to know the best way to handle her credit card payments, as it pertains to her credit score. Here’s what she asked: “I generally pay off my entire
Is It Better to Pay a Credit Card Balance in Full or Not? Read More »
The White House has released an alphabetized list of states with residents who have student loan debt, including a breakdown based on the number of borrowers and the amount of student loans outstanding as of January 2015. Not surprising, California leads the list, with about 4.2 million borrowers owing a staggering $122.3 billion in student
States with the Highest and Lowest Amounts of Student Loan Debt Read More »
Getting approved for a mortgage these days takes more than a sufficient down payment and having a good credit score. To secure a home loan you also need to know how to communicate effectively with realtors, bankers, and other professionals in the real estate and mortgage industries. Simply put: borrowers in today’s market will fare
5 Confusing Mortgage Terms Explained Read More »
If you have a young adult heading off to college, now’s the time to make sure your student knows how to manage money on his or her own. Without proper financial guidance, many young adults develop bad money habits in college — and end up paying a big price for years to come. Similarly, being independent offers kids a good opportunity
Keeping Your College Student Out of Credit Card Debt Read More »
Most Americans don’t live on a budget – which may explain why so many people feel like they’re living from paycheck to paycheck. But even those who do budget often feel like they can’t stick to their spending plan of action. The truth is that if you’ve tried and failed at budgeting it could be
The Truth About Why Your Budget Keeps Failing Read More »
If you’ve gotten yourself deep in debt, or have fallen behind on your monthly bills you may be wondering if credit counseling or debt management can help. Despite the promise of assistance that credit counseling companies firms offer, many consumers nonetheless remain worried about using a credit counseling agency for fear of potential damage to
Will Credit Counseling or Debt Management Hurt My Credit Score? Read More »
If you’ve ever been frustrated at receiving two different credit scores, you probably wondered why or how it’s possible that you can get one specific credit score from a certain source and then receive a vastly different credit score elsewhere. You’re not alone. Millions of other people have also questioned the crazy, seemingly haphazardness way
Two Different Credit Scores? Here’s Why Read More »
If you want a home loan, you may be wondering how high your credit score needs to be in order to qualify for a home mortgage. Well, there’s good news and bad news regarding your credit and how it relates to your chances getting a “yes” from a home lender.
The Credit Score You Need to Get A Mortgage Read More »
Most of us don’t particularly enjoy dealing with the deadlines and paperwork required to file federal income taxes. But just because taxes may not be the world’s most pleasant topic, doesn’t mean you can sweep this issue under the rug. Think about it this way: by filing your federal income tax return on time, you
4 Tips to File Your Taxes Without Stress Read More »
