A couple of weeks ago, a 40-something friend of mine gave me the dreaded news: She has an aggressive form of breast cancer, and her prognosis is grim. She worries about who will take care of her 6-month-old son and 4-year-old daughter and how her husband will juggle it all if she’s not there to [...]
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) allows you to add or keep your adult children on your health insurance until they turn 26. However, not every child needs this help, and in some cases you may want to consider removing them from your plan. Keeping adult children on your health insurance as long as possible may [...]
The days are getting shorter, and the weather is getting cooler, signaling that it’s a good time to prepare your winter home-maintenance checklist. Inspecting (and, if necessary, repairing) a handful of key parts of your house can help keep you warmer, save money, and prevent a number of cold-weather nuisances this winter. Seal windows and [...]
This article was written by guest blogger Tali Wee. Most homebuyers know that when buying a home, getting a professional home inspection is considered to be almost standard operating procedure. A home inspection study conducted by the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) found that at least 88 percent of home buyers felt more confident in [...]
The open enrollment period for 2016 health insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act begins in November, so if you’re ready to switch health insurance providers, or are on the open marketplace for the first time, now might be a good time to get educated. Under the Affordable Care Act, often referred to as Obamacare, [...]
Consumers today have more tools available than ever to help them shop, compare, and ultimately purchase automobile insurance. Drivers can now research and buy auto insurance coverage through an insurance professional, over the phone, by mail, and on the Internet. Before you begin shopping, however, you need to investigate the basis for the cost of [...]
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 [...]
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. [...]
It feels good to close on your first home. But once you’ve got everything moved in, you become a homeowner and that means lots of homeowner responsibilities and sometimes spending money on those responsibilities. From the moment you move in—actually from the home inspection—you should consider how to maintain your home in order to avoid [...]
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 [...]
