Many people buy term life insurance when they are young, because it is the most affordable way to protect a growing family from year to year. Term insurance offers basic death protection, often in policies that are annually renewable. Since the probability is very low that a person under…

Real estate has been grabbing headlines due to problems in sub prime mortgage lending, tighter credit standards, and slowing home sales – and many Americans are asking two important questions:

1. Will the value of my home decrease in 2007 and 2008?

2. What would a falling home value mean…

Since Congress passed the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001, the federal estate tax has been highly confusing to most people. While that law provided tax relief, it also increased uncertainty over how estates will be taxed in the future.

For example, the law mandated…

Many Americans are thinking about moving, for any number of reasons from seeking a home with more space to moving because of a job change. Buying or selling a home is likely one of the biggest financial transactions you will ever have, and it can often be a complicated…

By now you’ve read the headlines announcing the current housing rut. Too many homes are on the market, causing slow sales and falling asking prices. While it’s the perfect time to buy a home, it is certainly more challenging to sell your home. But don’t despair. With tips from…

Statistics show that between the ages of 22 and 62, the risk of suffering a disability is more than seven times greater than the risk of dying unexpectedly. For a person who is currently 30 years of age, the chances of suffering a disability lasting at least 30 days…

In this buyer’s market, how do you make your home stand out in a sea of "For Sale" signs? According to the International Association of Home Stagers, investing in small improvements that make your home look more inviting and appealing to prospective buyers can increase its ultimate sale price…

We’ve all heard the saying that warns us to be careful about “putting all our eggs in one basket.” When it comes to diversifying your portfolio, that adage is not only relevant – it can be the difference between financial success and failure.

Sound investment diversification means choosing…

Moving season is upon us. According to the American Moving and Storage Association, half of all household moves take place between May and Labor Day. Overall, 43 million Americans move every year.

Planning a move can be time-consuming and nerve-wracking, but two things can help make the process…

  In business, they say, showing up is half the battle. Disability Buy-Out (DBO) insurance, however, can be a valuable rear guard for businesses with more than one owner.

Normally, face time is not a problem for business owners with a vested emotional––and financial––interest in…

Home buyers have something new this spring to factor into their home financing calculations: A new federal tax deduction allows many qualified families to write-off premiums for private and government mortgage insurance on loans that close in 2007.

This is the first time that homeowners who have low…

What should children know about money, and what is the best way to teach them? In recent years, those very questions have been addressed by educators and child psychologists. In this article, I’ll summarize current thinking about "financial literacy for children" into nine basic ideas.

1. Children…

Try the Bank of Mom and Dad

News headlines continue to detail the struggles homeowners face keeping up with escalating adjustable rate mortgage payments, the collapse of subprime lenders and mounting home foreclosures nationwide. Even without these market troubles, banks offer so many different and confusing mortgage products…

When dreaming of traveling, everyone has something different in mind. And when investing in a vacation or second home, you want to make sure you get what you want. For many, destination clubs are the answer because they provide the best of many worlds.

If you’ve heard of…

Variable annuities (VAs) are financial solutions that can be used to pursue two long-term goals: 1) during an accumulation period, the VA participates in a variety of managed investment portfolios. Any earnings in these portfolios are tax-deferred; 2) during an annuitization period, the VA can provide steady retirement income…

Although no one knows for sure if interest rates are going to go up, down or stay the same, if you need to lower your monthly expenses or find some extra cash, now might be the right time to refinance your home.

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The advantage typically tilts toward those buying homes in today’s housing market. Interest rates are low and housing inventories are up. But the tricky part for everyone is that buyers are often also the sellers and typically depend on selling their existing home to buy a new one.…

  If you own a small business, part of your job is to make sure that all of the company’s employees and vendors are paid on time. But what about you? How can you make sure that you (or your heirs) will be paid for the value of…

Since last week’s article generated so much interest, I thought it would be helpful to give pointers for evaluating a Long-Term Care Insurance (LTCI) program. The ideas below can help you discuss choices with financial advisors and insurance company vendors that work in this market.

Until age 65, most people’s health insurance is either privately purchased or provided (in whole or part) by an employer, union, or association. Beginning at age 65, most Americans enroll in Medicare, the federal government’s insurance program for seniors. Because it is widely available and economical compared to…