Summer means backyard barbeques, water sports, and, for many people, fireworks. Whether it’s a Memorial Day, Fourth of July, or Labor Day celebration, or simply a fun (yet dangerous) way to spend an evening, the sound of fireworks is common on summer nights. Before you start planning your own celebration that will include fireworks, review [...]
If you’ve found yourself in financial difficulty, you may be considering bankruptcy, which allows you to settle with your creditors in court. In a bankruptcy, you may be able reorganize your debts to make your payments more manageable—or even eliminate your debts completely. While a bankruptcy can help you get rid of your debt in [...]
Older members of Generation Y (people born between the 1980s and the year 2000), also known as Millennials, are starting to face some big life events. They’re getting married, purchasing their first homes, and having their first kids. The big life moments should trigger insurance decisions, but many Gen-Yers are less than thrilled to make [...]
Down payments have always been the greatest barrier to first time homebuyers—and, unfortunately, they still are. For a brief period ten years ago, lenders marketed mortgages with no money down, which made it possible for buyers to circumvent the down payment requirements that would have kept them out of the market. When home values plummeted, [...]
This article was written by guest blogger Teri Cettina. Chances are good that when you budgeted for your summer travel, you remembered to build in the price of your hotel, the charge for your rental car and the estimated cost of your meals. But what about your hotel tax? Extra rental car fees? State and local [...]
As the travel season heats up, many Americans will make their annual trek to the family timeshare, perhaps on a secluded lake or a scenic beach. The American Resort Development Association, a trade organization for the timeshare industry, reports that there are currently more than seven million timeshare owners. Deciding to buy a timeshare Whether [...]
The majority of Americans don’t enjoy their work. According to a study of workplaces in more than 140 countries from 2011 through 2012 conducted by Gallup: 30 percent of Americans are engaged at work. These people are emotionally invested in their work and focused on doing their jobs well. 52 percent of Americans are not [...]
Perhaps your teen is getting to the point where carrying around cash isn’t so convenient any longer. Maybe she’s signing up online for a crafts class, but she needs a credit card to do so. Or perhaps your student is away at college, and you’d rather he not carry a wad of $20s to the [...]
Preparing for eventual care needs as we age is becoming a critical part of every American’s retirement planning. Retirees are living to a more advanced age, and funds need to last longer than ever before. The further in advance you plan, the better off you are likely to be if and when you need long-term [...]
Tax season doesn’t end when you file your taxes on April 15. Tax issues continue all year round, so it’s important to regularly assess your tax situation, and now—halfway through the year—is the perfect time. At this point, you probably have some idea about the direction in which your personal balance sheet is headed, and [...]
