Writing a Will
We all have hesitations and questions about wills. When to write them, do you even have to write one? And, the list of questions goes on. AARP has put together 10 things you should know about wills HERE. From who should do what to clearing up the language for you - they take some of the fear out of the process. … Continue reading...
Understanding Trusts
Trusts - What do They Do? Steve Lander from the Nest.com writes, "You can put jointly held property in a living trust. However, what you end up placing in the trust depends on the structure by which the property is held jointly as well as the structure of the trust. In some cases, it might be unnecessary to put the property in a trust at all." Understanding what trusts do and don't do is important to know and I hope this article helps you in understanding them more. Enjoy! … Continue reading...
Tax Breaks for Homeowners
U.S. tax season officially runs from Jan. 31 to April 15. While several energy-efficient home improvement tax credits recently expired, there are still many tax breaks available to homeowners. Whether you own a single-family home, condo, co-op apartment or mobile home, you may qualify — just be aware that, in most cases, you’ll need to itemize your taxes in order to take advantage of these deductions and credits. Here are a few of the tax breaks you’ll want to check out. This … Continue reading...
If You Are Buying a Home This Year – Whip Your Taxes Into Shape
Ah, tax time—that magical time when all your accomplishments of the previous year can be used against you. After all, the more you made, the more you owe! No wonder there’s so much advice out there about finding (perfectly legal) ways to whittle down your adjusted gross income. But if you’re looking to buy a home, you’ll want to try a different tack—the higher your reported income, the bigger the home loan you’ll qualify for. So if you’re planning to buy a house in the next year or two, you … Continue reading...
Knowledge is Golden – Closing your Insurance Gap
by Sarah Cecil If you work for a fairly sizable company, you may be entering your open enrollment season, when you can add or adjust your employer-sponsored benefits. While you probably should review all your benefits, you may want to pay special attention to your life insurance to determine if you and your family are adequately protected. How much life insurance do you need? You may hear that you require anywhere from seven to 10 times your annual income in life insurance coverage, but this … Continue reading...
Tax tips and debt advice to round out the year
With summer officially over, the end of the year will be around before you have time to figure out whether it is better to finally take down the Christmas lights or, at this point, just leave them up. That makes it a good time to look ahead at your taxes, as well as take care of a few other financial chores. The first step is to check your taxes, to make sure that you are not giving Uncle Sam a tax-free loan until next April 15. On the other hand, if you use your tax refund as a kind of … Continue reading...
