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7 Questions to Ask If You’re Considering a Home Equity Agreement

Tapping your home equity can be a good way to pay off debt, fund home improvements, or cover education expenses. When it comes to accessing your home equity, you have plenty of options: a home equity loan, a home equity line of credit (HELOC), a reverse mortgage, cash-out refinancing, or a relatively new funding method, […]
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How to Decide Where to Retire 

Retiring is an enormous life change, and if you’re thinking about moving after you stop working, that transition may become even bigger. In this article, we’ve rounded up some of the most important considerations to help you tackle the decision of where to retire.  In the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies 2023 survey, retirees ranked […]

Time for Taxes: 6 Key Changes to Know About This Season 

Nothing can be said to be certain except death and taxes, according to Ben Franklin. But this time of year, we can add one more thing: at least some tax-filing rules, deductions and exemptions.  As you start to prepare your information to file your 2024 return, be sure you are up to speed on what’s […]

What Will Mortgage Rates Do This Year? 

Key takeaways:  Get ready for lower mortgage rates? While the one eternal reality of mortgage rates is just how hard it is to forecast them, it’s probably still worth checking in on what those who make their living forecasting the housing market think. And yes, the general consensus is that the days of “higher for […]

7 Common Credit Score Myths – Separating Reality from Fiction

Key takeaways:  Credit matters. Whether you’re trying to qualify for a loan, obtain the best interest rate or get a new job of apartment, credit can play an essential role. As important as credit is, there are still many misconceptions about it. Here, we look at seven of the most common myths surrounding credit scores.    […]

How to Fund a Business with Home Equity  

Key takeaways  Do you have a business – or an idea for a business – that you need to fund? If so, congratulations! A new venture is a big step. While it may seem like a headache to figure out the logistics, we’re here to help simplify.   One of the easiest and most logical ways […]

Debt Consolidation, Debt Settlement: Understanding the Differences 

Key takeaways:  Debt can feel like a heavy weight, leaving you stressed and anxious, and sending you searching for a solution. Along the way, you may come across “debt consolidation” and “debt settlement.” While they may sound somewhat similar, they offer distinctly different ways to pay off your debt.  Here, we’ll explain how they are […]

How Lower Interest Rates Might Help Homeowners 

Key takeaways:  The high-interest rate era may be drawing to a close, and that could open more options for homeowners.   As you probably know, the Federal Reserve began raising rates in 2022, hoping to put a lid on inflation, which was running at its hottest rate in more than two decades. The Fed has been […]

Money Issues to Discuss Before Tying the Knot 

Key takeaways:  More than a third of couples get engaged between Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day, according to the wedding planning magazine The Knot. That means we’re at the tail end of engagement season and many couples will soon be in the throes of planning their nuptials. While they may deliberate on everything from dresses and […]

7 Questions to Ask If You’re Considering a Home Equity Agreement

Tapping your home equity can be a good way to pay off debt, fund home improvements, or cover education expenses. When it comes to accessing your home equity, you have plenty of options: a home equity loan, a home equity line of credit (HELOC), a reverse mortgage, cash-out refinancing, or a relatively new funding method, […]

Pros and Cons of Selling Your Home to an Investor

Key takeaways:  You’ve probably heard the sales pitch: We’ll buy your home, no questions asked. For a homeowner who wants to sell but doesn’t want to make repairs, do a deep clean, stage the furniture for a photographer, and have hordes of buyers roaming around during open houses, it may seem too good to be […]

Economy Looks Set to Slow in 2024, but Housing Market May Be More Resilient 

Key takeaways:  What should we expect from the economy in 2024? To tell the truth, no one knows. Most experts believe that the economy will slow down. That would make a lot of sense, since it was on fire in 2023. But economists have been expecting a slowdown in growth for some time. Remember the […]

How to Start the Year with a Savings Challenge 

Key takeaways:  Every January, millions of Americans make resolutions to improve their finances. In fact, according to Fidelity, two-thirds of us will focus on financial resolutions in the new year. Not surprisingly, saving more money is one of the top priorities in Fidelity’s survey.  Making a commitment to save more is wonderful. But to make […]
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