Bank Accounts
As hard as it is to believe, up to 50 percent of Chicagoans do not have bank accounts. But without a bank account, it's a lot harder to establish good credit, rent a car or even buy an airplane ticket.
Self Directed IRAs And Real Estate Investment
Real estate IRAs let you use IRA cash to invest in real estate. With stock market returns down, there's been a surge of interest concerning using IRAs to invest in real estate. Some self-directed IRA accounts give the flexibility to invest in real estate.
Wife Is Addicted To Saving Money
Can a savings plan work too well? If fun isn't part of your financial plan, then your personal finance goals may lead to personal disaster. While it's a great idea to committing to saving money, it's important to leave room for the fun stuff, too.
Avoid Gift Tax When Receiving Property
When receiving property from family members, not through inheritance, make sure you are careful to structure the arrangement to avoid triggering the gift tax. One way to structure the deal would be to "purchase" the house. You purchase the house from her and she acts as the bank and finances 100 percent of the purchase. You would then pay her as if she were your mortgage lender (which she would be).
Creating Financial Goals For Your Stage In Life
Defining your goals is an important tool for tweaking your personal finances. It gives you something to dream about at night, and something to work towards during the day. Saving money can be different at different stages of your life. Do you need to save for a mortgage? Student loans? Retirement? While it's always good to dream big, the truth is, most of us have the power to achieve almost all of our financial dreams. Getting there takes discipline and hard work, but it's more than doable.
How Much Should You Save Each Month?
The first step to saving money is to spend less, and that includes paying off your debt as quickly as possible. Choose the loan with the highest interest rate first and pay that off, then move to the next highest interest rate, and so on.