Posted 3 weeks 23 hours ago by Mark P. Cussen
A great many sellers are entitled to the home sale exclusion, but counting on it when you may not be eligible will provide unpleasant surprise come tax time.
Posted 5 weeks 18 hours ago by Julie Rains
Ever met a rich idiot? I’ve known at least two. Not counting my telephone conversation with self-proclaimed Rich Idiot and multimillionaire Robert Shemin (author of “How come THAT idiot’s rich and I’m NOT?”), I’ve also shaken hands with a guy who impressed me with his simplicity and wealth. We met briefly in a parking lot before a company meeting: I was dressed in standard corporate attire; he wore a khaki jumpsuit with his first name (“Don”) stitched in red. A college dropout, Don had just purchased my employer, a food processor with an Ivy League grad as its chief executive and a Ph.D. at the helm of its largest subsidiary. So what do Robert and Don (#346 of Forbes’ The Richest Americans in 2005) have in common?
Posted 7 weeks 3 days ago by Xin Lu
I never knew that cities in America could file for bankruptcy until recently a Northern California city named Vallejo made the news for being on the edge of bankruptcy. So how does this happen, and what happens to a bankrupt city or municipality?
Posted 7 weeks 3 days ago by Thursday Bram
It seems like, every other week, there is some natural disaster threatening people’s homes. Worrying about that sort of thing has lead me to be a little more prepared than I might be otherwise. I’ve got an emergency plan, I’ve backed up my hard drive, and my cats’ carrier is easily accessible. Now, I’m starting to focus on what might happen after a disaster. The key to starting over again seems to be knowing what you might need to replace. Insurers will insist on such a list, for instance. So, I’ve been developing my own home inventory.
Posted 8 weeks 21 hours ago by Catherine Shaffer
The truth is that rents sometimes do not cover the monthly costs of owning the rental home, so how is it that these real estate gurus make their money? A lot of people think that it must involve unfair tactics, such as buying investment property at below-market rates from gullible elderly people, but there can't possibly be enough gullible elderly people to keep the whole industry going.
Posted 8 weeks 2 days ago by Philip Brewer
You used to hear the term "land rich, cash poor" for people who owned valuable land but didn't have quite enough money to make ends meet. It's an expression that dates back to the days when property was the only kind of real wealth there was. It's kind of fallen out of fashion of late. But as property values keep falling, it's worth thinking about the ways in which land is wealth.
Posted 8 weeks 4 days ago by Catherine Shaffer
With dropping home prices, a long term investment in real estate is looking pretty attractive. Whether you want to buy rental property outright, or renting is your plan B when your house doesn't sell, the most important thing you need to think about before you become a landlord or landlady is risk. The concept of risk in renting property tends to draw blank stares. After all, you have insurance on the property. You have a lease. What's the problem?
Posted 9 weeks 1 day ago by Xin Lu
I moved to the United States when I was a child from Yangzhou, China. After sixteen years, I could easily pass as an American because I speak English without an accent, and I am well versed with the popular culture. However, if you ever examined my attitudes toward money you will see that I am undeniably Chinese. Here are some of the principles I grew up with.
Posted 9 weeks 5 days ago by Margaret Garcia-Couoh
Are you stuck on the coast paying a big mortgage on a tiny property? Do your kids spend more time with their daycare provider than with you? Do you worry that they've never seen a real tree or animal? Do you sit in traffic more than 20 minutes a day? If you said yes to any of that and wished you could have said no, then maybe it's time to start thinking about relocating to rural California...
Posted 10 weeks 2 days ago by Nora Dunn
When you sign for your mortgage, you are offered mortgage life insurance as part of the deal, with liability forms to sign if you decline it. Which is better - mortgage life insurance or individual term insurance? This article compares the two so you can make the right decision.
Posted 11 weeks 21 hours ago by Xin Lu
Dealing with financial products can be very confusing and stressful, but there are some products that you should absolutely stay away from for the sake of your financial health. Read on for a list of six things I think people should avoid.
Posted 11 weeks 1 day ago by Xin Lu
My goal has always been to work for ten years and then have enough financial freedom to do whatever I want to do. Whenever I tell people this they seem to be rather incredulous and sometimes say things like, "sure, you could try." Even though I am quite young, I have met enough people to see what keeps them from quitting their jobs and living a life of financial independence. Read on for a few of my observations.
Posted 11 weeks 2 days ago by Xin Lu
Since I got married people have been constantly asking me two questions. One is, "are you pregnant yet?", and the other is "are you going to buy a house?" One day I told someone that I do not want to afford a house right now and he asked me what I meant, and I told him my reasons why I should not buy something just because I can afford it now.
Posted 12 weeks 3 hours ago by Paul Michael
Here’s a little help. It takes two people to lift and carry the box. It measures 47.2 inches in length, 35.4 inches in height and 31.5 inches in width. It's from Europe. Oh, and it’s ideal for people with itchy feet. All will be revealed.
Posted 15 weeks 1 day ago by Xin Lu
The Federal Reserve just cut the interest rate by 0.75% between two official meetings! This is the largest cut since 1982 and it was like an adrenaline shot to the sagging stock markets. This move means different things for different people and for some consumers it is excellent news. How could these consumers take advantage of this event?
Posted 15 weeks 3 days ago by Myscha Theriault
I like to do my ecological part. I’m no eco-goddess, mind you. I don’t necessarily research the recycled packaging content of my bagged flour purchases, nor have much of a care whether the fabric in my T-shirt is organically grown. But my husband and I each implement more than our fair share of active, conscientious strategies to support the well being of the world we live in. This month however, a situation arose which will impact several of those efforts, at least for the short term.
Posted 16 weeks 4 days ago by Xin Lu
Have you seen homes in your neighborhood sell for unreasonable prices and quickly end up in foreclosure? If this is a common occurence then perhaps there is a ring of thieves committing mortgage fraud near you. Learn about mortgage fraud, and some egregious examples of people who indulged in what the FBI calls "the fastest growing white collar crime in America".
Posted 22 weeks 3 days ago by Philip Brewer
Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson gave a speech yesterday, talking about the administration's plan to "address the challenges" of the housing market downturn and related credit squeeze. Part of their plan is to freeze the low teaser rate on the mortgages of people who have been making their mortgage payments okay, but who would face foreclosure if the rate went up. If you have a mortgage with one of those low teaser rates, you might be interested to know how to keep that lower rate--perhaps even get it back, if it has already reset.
Posted 22 weeks 5 days ago by Philip Brewer
Because homeowners are also voters, and because the subprime lending crisis threatens the whole economy, the federal government is trying to come up with ways to head off a massive foreclosure crisis. Last week the treasury secretary was meeting with lenders, trying to negotiate a change in the rules.
Posted 24 weeks 4 days ago by Myscha Theriault
When I first starting putting this article together, it was to show how people could get the popular “loft” look at home for lots less. As I kept delving however, I realized there was also a whole other way to look at it. The loft look itself can also cost a lot less overall than other popular design trends. I’ve broken things down into four major categories, each with supporting strategies and suggestions, that can save you money and move you further along your desired financial path.
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| Posts | Cmts | |
|---|---|---|
| Carrie Kirby | 3 | 2 |
| Julie Rains | 3 | 13 |
| Linsey Knerl | 13 | 28 |
| Mark P. Cussen | 3 | 4 |
| Myscha Theriault | 4 | 31 |
| Nora Dunn | 6 | 6 |
| Paul Michael | 10 | 22 |
| Philip Brewer | 11 | 47 |
| Thursday Bram | 3 | 1 |
| Xin Lu | 11 | 25 |
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