January 15 is the due date for the final payment on estimated 2012 IRS, state, and city income taxes. (You may have already paid the state in December to snag that extra deduction last year). Generally, if you’re going to owe more than $1,000 to the IRS on April 15, you’re going to be on [...]
The homeowner's association has rules and fees, and can foreclose on your home and put a lien on the property if you don't pay. Q: We have not paid our homeowner fees since early 2007 and I have received a Notice of Intent to Foreclose Lien from a local law firm. It states that if [...]
When problems pop up in your new home, first figure out if those issues will be covered under your new home builder warranty. Q: I moved into my new home about two years ago. The house had been built about one year earlier and had never been lived in so I did not think I [...]
Refinancing your home at a lower rate makes sense if you can keep your refinancing costs to a minimum. Q: We have a mortgage loan on a second home (it’s a vacation home) with our credit union. The APR is at 4.039 percent and the loan is just a little over a year old. We [...]
A tip I often read in “Save 50 percent off your grocery bill!” types of articles is to buy in bulk. The article might suggest buying a 50-pound bag of rice, a whole butchered cow, or a year’s supply of toilet paper. Is this saving money? There are certainly times when it makes sense to [...]
When you think of your house in terms of what needs to be insured, it’s easy to think only of the physical structure outside. However, your homeowners insurance policy doesn’t just cover the cost of rebuilding your home; it also covers the value of the items inside. But filing a claim can get dicey if [...]
I recently received this question from a reader: “I’m 17 and I’m going to be getting my first job. What kind of tax forms do I need? Do I claim myself as a dependent?” A first job is pretty exciting. You start out feeling a little bit hesitant because you’re not entirely sure what to [...]
Foreclosure is scary. Before the bubble burst and the housing crisis hit, it was taboo to go through foreclosure. Now it’s almost common. And, unfortunately, despite the rosier outlook for the real estate market, too many homeowners are still facing foreclosure. The most important thing for any homeowner in this situation to know is that [...]
A fiscal cliff deal reached and we have new taxes but it seems we're relying on small business to revive the economy. I'll explain why. And as usual, providing personal finance advice, real estate advice and consumer advice on the Ilyce Glink Show on January 6, 2013 at 11:00am Eastern Time on WSB Radio. Welcome [...]
For those that took advantage of the first-time home buyer tax credit in 2008, you still need to repay the IRS back over time. Q: I bought a home in April, 2008 and took advantage of the $7,500 home buyer tax credit. My understanding is I will have to pay back the full amount to [...]
