Are you looking for a job? According to a new survey, so is the rest of the world. The numbers are kind of bleak. Last week, unemployment claims fell below 400,000 for the fourth week in a row. Which seems like good news, especially since the ranks of those receiving unemployment benefits declined to a [...]
When you obtain a mortgage, your lender will likely require a real estate tax escrow and an insurance escrow to protect the lender's interests. Q: Is it true once a tax escrow has been created as part of a mortgage loan application or refinancing and the loan has closed, and if the loan is with [...]
Given a choice in this housing market, buying a new house may be a better long term option than refinancing your home into a lower rate mortgage. Q: My husband and I have approximately $140,000 left on our mortgage with only 7 to 8 years left. It’s a 15-year mortgage with a 5 percent interest [...]
The choice might be to buy a home during a short sale, while in foreclosure or once the bank owns the home as an REO; each of these has its pros and cons in the home buying process. Q: I live in a house on our two hundred acre farm. The property next to us [...]
Discussing your final wishes with your family is not always an easy task, but it’s an essential step in estate planning. Having your wishes on the table and making sure your family is aware of them can help to make the grieving process—and everything else that takes place after the death of a loved one—a [...]
Enrolled agent is often a better source to help with problems with the IRS. Q: I gave money to a well known tax advocate advertised on talk radio. They are terrible. I need to get a tax attorney or lawyer to help me out in Atlanta on an issue of back taxes I have. The [...]
With the U.S. in debt to levels never exceeded before, high unemployment rates, rising loan defaults, and politicians who can’t agree on how to deal with the financial crisis, many people are fearful of making any kind of investment. It’s natural to be nervous about investments, especially those that could be risky, but a good [...]
Abandoned camper claimed by mom may be up for grabs. Q: I live in Alberta Canada. On August 11, 2011 my son and his girlfriend unloaded a camper (hers) in my yard. They didn't ask but he is my son. They have now separated. Can I withhold the camper from her as it is on my property [...]
When I was researching this auto insurance blog, I posted to a question to my Facebook page: “Have you ever purchased a lemon? What did you do about it? What help were you able to get, from where, and from whom?” The response I received? “Yes, I squeezed it into my water, it was good.” [...]
Is it time to refinance your mortgage again, even if you have recently refinanced? Maybe. Q: I was listening to your radio show on Sunday and after what you said about your mortgage, I'm thinking I should refinance again. My house appraised at about $400,000, and my mortgage balance is about half that on a [...]
