From building equity to giving you a chance to settle down and plant roots, homeownership comes with potential benefits that renting simply doesn’t offer. Among them are several tax advantages worth knowing about. Here’s a quick look at how to make the most of those tax deductions. DEDUCTING MORTGAGE INTEREST Unless you recently won the … read more »
Start Building Wealth In Your 20’s
Start Building Wealth In Your 20’s There are so many things to love about being in your 20’s; you have ample time to explore new and exciting career opportunities, and to build independence. You also have valuable time to do something that will be very important when you get older — build your wealth. Here … read more »
Renting vs. Buying a Home: Things to Think About
Renting vs. Buying a Home: Things to Think About (FDIC Consumer News) With housing prices still low in many areas and a favorable mortgage-rate environment, people who don’t own their home may be thinking about buying instead of renting. Here are points to consider: Why Rent? Freedom to move: If you unexpectedly need to find … read more »
Tax Tips for Home Sellers
When it comes to taxes, you’d think the Internal Revenue Service would keep all of the money-saving secrets hidden away in a locked vault. After all, that’s the government’s income. But the IRS is actually quite forthright in giving away tips for saving. If you’ve got a house on the market or have recently sold … read more »
5 Qualities of a Good Mortgage Lender
So, you’ve made the decision to buy a home or to refinance the mortgage on one you already own. Now all you need to do is find the right lender to help make it happen. That should be easy, right? But with all the mortgage lenders available today—from your local bank to online mortgage lenders—it’s … read more »
The Difference Between Debit, Credit, and Prepaid Cards
Many consumers use debit, credit and prepaid cards interchangeably to purchase goods and services. However, you should be aware that these three types of cards are quite different and that each card works differently. If you use a credit card, you are borrowing money that you must pay back, in addition to interest, if you … read more »
The Comeback of Adjustable Rate Mortgages
Adjustable-rate mortgages, also known as ARMs or variable-rate loans, have been out of favor with many people in recent years because of the low interest-rate environment and the perception that rising payments on ARMs contributed to foreclosures during the recent financial crisis. But with new federal disclosures and protections for consumers, some borrowers are wondering … read more »
Fixed- or Adjustable-Rate Mortgage – Choose the Best Option For You
What city or town do you want to live in? What features do you want in a home? What’s your price range? Anyone who has shopped for a home can tell you; there are lots of decisions to make. And once you finally find the perfect home, there’s a whole new set of tough decisions … read more »
6 Steps to Take Before You Buy a Home
Buying a home. It’s the American dream and one you may hope to realize soon. You may have even begun looking at homes online or canvassing neighborhoods to find the home that’s right for you. But before you set out on your home buying journey, there are six important steps you should take to be … read more »
Solutions to the Tax Changes on Home Equity Loans and Lines of Credit
Recent changes to the national tax code have impacted several areas, including the deductions some home owners were used to taking. This reform affects home equity loans and lines of credit. Here’s the information you should know, and some solutions to help you better manage these changes. First off, what is Equity? Home equity is … read more »
