Smart Tips to Help Manage Your Debt Debt is not always a bad thing. Taking out a loan can make it possible to buy a home, purchase a new car or send your child to college. However, building up too much debt — and failing to manage your outstanding balances wisely — can be costly mistakes.
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Protecting Your Child Against Identity Theft Is someone using your child’s Social Security number or other personal information to commit fraud? According to the Federal Trade Commission, the number of cases of identity theft committed against children is on the rise, and parents may be completely unaware until the child is denied a driver’s license or a college tuition loan because of the bad record that an identity thief has built in the child’s name.
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Saavy Mortgage Shopping What’s the best advice for people who are buying or refinancing a home? Get the best mortgage. Shopping around for the best mortgage and being informed about the right questions to ask mortgage lenders can be the most important things you do.
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Tips for First-Time Home Buyers Given the volatility in real estate prices lately, many first-time buyers may be wondering if this is a good time to enter that market. Purchasing a home can be an excellent investment, but there are some important issues to consider first:
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Answers to Frequently Asked Tax Questions When you think about filing your tax return, do you have more questions than answers? The entire process can be confusing and frustrating, but a little information can make the experience much more bearable.
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Tax Tips for Members of the Military At this time of year, people are organizing their records in preparation for filing their tax returns. This is often a challenging task, and that may be particularly true for those who are serving in the armed forces.
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The Smartest Way to Spend Your Income Tax Refund Getting a tax refund? Great. Now, think before you spend it. Put your hard-earned money to the best possible use.
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Financial Advice for the "Sandwich Generation" Many Baby Boomers are trying to balance supporting a parent while also raising a youngster or providing financial help to an adult child, according to the Pew Research Center. Several factors make it likely that this trend will continue.
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Understanding Medicare Advantage Plans Are you or a loved one enrolled in Medicare? This government health insurance program for older Americans offers many choices in terms of coverage and available plans. Given this wide range of options, it is recommended that those enrolled in Medicare understand the options available to them:
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Five Signs Your Finances Are in Trouble The loss of a job, a sudden illness or another crisis can spell financial trouble for any family. Sometimes, however, people make small mistakes that add up over time to create big problems for their finances. CPAs recommend that you watch out for these warning signs that can signal potential financial pitfalls:
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Sure-Fire Steps to Achieve Your Financial Goals
What are your financial aspirations? Would you like to pay off some high-interest debt? Step up your retirement savings? Set aside enough for an exciting vacation? Here are some recommendations to turn financial dreams into realistic goals:
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Tax-Deductible Donations: What You Need to Know
Americans donated an estimated $295 billion to different charities in 2006, a new record, according to “Giving USA 2007,” a report from the Giving USA Foundation. Our generosity allows us to make a difference to a wide range of worthy causes.
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Eight Retirement Mistakes to Avoid
Effective retirement planning is often equated with making good decisions, but avoiding common mistakes can be equally important. Just one or two things done incorrectly can set you back in achieving your retirement dreams.
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Understanding the Home Office Deduction Can Lower Your Tax Bill
One of the many benefits of working from home is the home office deduction. Home-based workers who qualify can deduct a portion of their expenses related to operating an office in their home. However, the rules covering the home office deduction are complex.
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Savings Strategies for Any Life Stage
Some habits are good – like saving money. While most people would admit that saving money is critical to their financial well-being, many people lack the discipline or know-how to sock away the money they need.
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Insuring Your Home-Based Business
Depending on who is doing the counting, there are anywhere from 10 million to 25 million home-based businesses in the U.S. But there is little disagreement that too few home-based business owners have insurance — and all of them should.
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How Much Do You Need to Retire?
Determining how much money you need for retirement is a highly personal and complex decision. It depends on a number of factors, including the retirement lifestyle you desire, your target retirement age and your life expectancy.
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