We cover the basics and more about personal finance, answering frequently asked questions about credit and debt, identity theft, saving for college, retirement, estate planning, insurance, taxes, job hunting, and raising money-savvy kids. Check out the articles, columns, blog posts, radio shows and videos for tons of personal finance advice.
Health and Life Insurance for Animals: Is a Pet Life Insurance Policy Right for You?
Even though it can be painful to think about a hurt or sick pet, you might want to consider purchasing pet health insurance—and even pet life insurance. (Yes, it does exist!) It can be difficult to value a pet’s subjective worth, whether you’re considering the cuddliness of a kitten, the loyalty of a dog, or [...]
Your Tax Checklist: Six Months Ahead of Filing
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 [...]
Hunting Insurance Protects Both Landowners and Hunters
In some locations, allowing someone to hunt on your land requires none of the licenses or permits that being allowed to hunt does; in fact, in some places all that’s legally required is the landowner’s permission. But permitting others to hunt on your land can carry liability risks that a simple insurance policy can help [...]
Title Insurance For Your Home: Do You Need an Owner’s and Lender’s Title Policy?
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. [...]
Ep. 27: TRID Updates and the September Jobs Report
How will TRID affect your mortgage application process? Will the real estate market bow under the weight of the September jobs report? Get answers to these questions by listening to this week’s episode of the Ilyce Glink Show. You can click the audio link below to listen to the full show, or download the podcast via [...]
How Soon After Buying a House Can You Switch Homeowners Insurance?
Buying a home can be an exciting and overwhelming process. When all the paperwork’s been signed, you’ve moved in, and the dust has settled, you may be thinking twice about your choice in homeowners insurance. How soon after you buy your home can you switch insurance providers, what happens to the money you may have [...]
Five Things to Consider When Comparing Health Insurance Plans
Whether you’re in good health naturally or you rely on medication and specialists to stay that way, finding the right health insurance plan is key—and you could pay a penalty if you don’t have it. If you’re self-employed, your employer doesn’t offer health insurance, or even if you simply think you might be better off [...]
Boom or Bust: Is It Worth Investing in New Technology Companies ?
With the rise of Silicon Valley and the rapid growth of the tech industry, even armchair investors are paying close attention to tech stocks. Last year, the technology sector had a level of deal activity “not seen since the dot com era,” said Rob Fisher, PricewaterhouseCoopers’ (PwC) U.S. technology deals leader, in a February 2015 [...]
Should I Make a Homeowner’s Insurance Claim?
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 Add Rewards, But Will Consumers Follow?
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 [...]