The days are getting shorter, and the weather is getting cooler, signaling that it’s a good time to prepare your winter home-maintenance checklist. Inspecting (and, if necessary, repairing) a handful of key parts of your house can help keep you warmer, save money, and prevent a number of cold-weather nuisances this winter. Seal windows and [...]
This article was written by guest blogger Tali Wee. Most homebuyers know that when buying a home, getting a professional home inspection is considered to be almost standard operating procedure. A home inspection study conducted by the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) found that at least 88 percent of home buyers felt more confident in [...]
The open enrollment period for 2016 health insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act begins in November, so if you’re ready to switch health insurance providers, or are on the open marketplace for the first time, now might be a good time to get educated. Under the Affordable Care Act, often referred to as Obamacare, [...]
Consumers today have more tools available than ever to help them shop, compare, and ultimately purchase automobile insurance. Drivers can now research and buy auto insurance coverage through an insurance professional, over the phone, by mail, and on the Internet. Before you begin shopping, however, you need to investigate the basis for the cost of [...]
Income tax season is months away, and you may still be basking in the glow of being done with this year's filing. But if you’re looking to make next year’s taxes easier on you and your budget, a little preparation now could be very helpful. “The starting point for tax planning is at the previous [...]
By the time you have saved for your down payment, put funds in escrow for your dream home, and paid for a home inspection or survey, you may be in the mood to conserve some cash. But if skipping the purchase of title insurance seems like a good idea, you might want to think twice. [...]
It feels good to close on your first home. But once you’ve got everything moved in, you become a homeowner and that means lots of homeowner responsibilities and sometimes spending money on those responsibilities. From the moment you move in—actually from the home inspection—you should consider how to maintain your home in order to avoid [...]
Major damage to your home can also do damage to your wallet, and homeowner’s insurance is intended to help manage some of that cost. However, simply having insurance doesn’t mean that you should file a claim every time something goes wrong with your house. “Insurance isn’t meant to be a home warranty program,” says Colt [...]
Mobile payment apps like Apple Pay, Google Wallet, and PayPal give consumers the ability to make purchases from their devices both in stores and online, but the demand hasn’t caught up to the wealth of options. As more companies take aim at mobile payments, Apple may hope that its recent addition of reward cards and [...]
The very best way to project your tax liability is to work with a tax professional who uses professional tax tools. So, the first tip to calculating what you owe is to establish a relationship with a tax preparer that you see at least once a year for a consultation. Even if you prepare your [...]
