My Mind on Mortgages

Readers of this blog are probably well aware of the fact that mortgage rates have basically remained in a tight sideways range since mid-January.  Followers of the stock market know that the equity markets have effectively traded sideways over that time as well.  The WSJ published this article today summarizing two opposing views of stocks [...]

For many people saving for a rainy day is hard enough as it is.  Add on top of that all the other financial objectives a person is typically concerned with (i.e. retirement, college savings, paying down debt) saving for a down payment on a home can be difficult.  Because of this I often have clients [...]

As I blogged about back on September 14th many first-time hombuyers have received gifts or loans from family members over the past year so that they can take advantage of historically low interest rates, affordable housing prices, and the government’s tax credit.  The onslaught of familial generosity is great for homebuyers who would otherwise be [...]

With so many homebuyers utilizing FHA mortgage financing in the past year I’m guessing many will have questions related to the tax deductibility of mortgage insurance premiums.  Before I jump into detailed tax information let’s do a quick refresher.  I also need to tell you that I am not a licensed tax professional.
What is mortgage [...]

I’m in the midst of the Estate Planning module in my financial planning curriculum and we are currently studying types of property ownership.  Since this is an important piece (although often overlooked) of buying and holding real estate I thought I would provide a quick run down of the various types.  I need to warn [...]

If you’re like me then you don’t appreciate junk mail, phone solicitations, and receiving big bulky phone books that immediately get tossed in the recycling bin.  Here’s how to opt out of each:
Phone solicitations- Click HERE.
Credit solicitations via mail- Click HERE.
Phone book delivery (Dex)- Click HERE.
1. go to www.dexknows.com
2. click on the link at the [...]

I am not a wealth manager or retirement planner but I do have a passion for personal finance and as I’ve mentioned before on this blog I am currently enrolled in an Executive Certificate in Financial Planning class at the University of Portland Pamplin School of Business.
I am currently in the middle of our retirement [...]

The WSJ ran this article today on WSJ.com.  I can’t tell if the author is trying to employ scare tactics or is genuinely trying to educate investors.  The thesis of the article is that when you factor in inflation to the returns of the Dow Jones Industrial Average the results are not as attractive.

This seems [...]

The other day my wife shared with me a great story about a college student who borrowed $10,000 from her parents to pay for college expenses.  Much like a bank provided student loan the student was expected to begin repayment after graduation.  After the student graduated and it was time for them to begin repaying [...]

I had no idea this was even possible but I was emailed this article from Kiplinger Magazine today.  If you click to the second page it describes a situation where a beneficiary began taking reduced benefits at age 62, paid them back interest free, and was able to reapply for higher benefits.
If you’re not familiar [...]