Monthly Archives: May 2010

One of the most popular mortgage loan products sold to homebuyers in the last few years leading up to the bursting of the housing bubble was the option ARM. This loan allows borrowers to choose between a few payments options during the first several years of the loan, giving homeowners the flexibility to pay what […]

Inflation is a big buzzword in the media today as economists and analysts predict when inflation will hit and how severe it might be. Inflation is a general increase in prices and some inflation is normal. Over the past 20 years or so, inflation has averaged between two and three percent every year and a […]

After the longest period of economic contraction since 1947, the economy grew at a rate of 3.5% during the third quarter, signaling what many are calling the end of the recession. The stock market responded to the news with a 200 point gain as investors celebrated the return of economic growth, but many question whether […]

Since they have been available to investors starting in 1997, Roth IRAs have provided the unique ability to put away after-tax dollars in a retirement account and to withdraw those funds and their market gains tax-free during retirement. Investors lose the tax write-off of contribution to a traditional IRA, but the gain the ability to […]

If you have ever lost a loved one and been asked to help settle their personal affairs, you will understand that tracking down important financial documents and finding all the assets and liabilities for a loved one can be extremely difficult. Coupled with the emotional pain in losing a loved one, it can become a […]

The last few months of the year are a great time to review the year we’ve had and plan ahead for 2010. One of the most essentially areas of planning that we should be thinking about over the last two months of the year is tax planning. Many time people fail to think much about […]

A lot of people who have never owned a home before are considering making their first home purchase right now for a few reasons. Prices are as low as they have been in years and in attractive markets all over the nation, houses are on sale. In addition, the $8000 tax credit for first time […]

There has been a lot of news recently about Alzheimer’s becoming a rapidly growing problem among the elderly. One study indicated that Alzheimer’s cases are likely to double every 20 years, adding to an already devastating problem for many families. Alzheimer’s usually begins with dementia and the gradual loss of cognitive and mental abilities, progressing […]

In one of President Obama’s first big moves as President, he announced a $787 billion stimulus package that was intended to give a kickstart to the economy. One of the purposes of the money was job creation, and he specifically predicted that 4 million jobs would be either saved or created thanks to the massive […]

When it comes to our finances, we often look at the big picture of where we are in life compared to where we want to be. We make plans for the future in hopes of achieving our financial goals, but we don’t pay as much attention to the smaller decisions that we make with our […]