death

When it comes to money saving ideas, some people go way out of their way to save a dime while others casually use products that cost hundreds of dollars. For example, is it worth drying a piece of Saran wrap?  Some folks (mostly from a previous generation) would put the wrap on the window to [...]

We’ve all heard stories of guys who, after busting their hump for 40 years, kick the bucket at their retirement party or shortly thereafter. These stories scare the crap out of me and make me wonder about the idea of retirement, or on the flip side, working so hard to accomplish retirement. After all, what [...]

It’s Open Enrollment time at most employers, the time when you get to choose your benefits coverage for next year. You will review your chosen options, and make changes to them as needed. It’s important to be familiar with last year’s benefits. You may get a summary, but can use your paystub to see what [...]

It’s not a very happy thought, but have you ever considered what you want to happen to your assets after death? What about the guardianship of your children in case both parents die together? If something happens to you but doctors could keep you alive through life support or other measures would you want that? [...]

Purchasing life insurance can be a little tricky. Insurance sales agents have a bad reputation for trying to get clients to purchase expensive products so that they can enjoy a larger commission check. Although not all insurance sales agents will try to use scare tactics to get you to buy the expensive products, here are [...]

All inheritances are not taxable to the recipients; it’s the estate that must pay taxes, if any are due. In 2009, the amount excluded from any tax due is $3.5 million, and next year, the estate tax is repealed, no tax regardless of the estate size. Unfortunately, the repeal lasts only for 2010, and the [...]

I began investing in single family homes with a good friend and business partner about 4 years ago. In that time, we’ve purchases and remodeled 5 single family homes, all of which are rented by reasonably reliable tenants. Over that time we’ve learned a thing or two about investing in real estate. In this article, [...]

I came across “Chase Hiked My Minimum Payment To 5 Percent!” on The Consumerist today. This is bad news for Greg and his wife, because this hike increase their minimum payment $558 to $930 — which causes them significant financial stress. Although I sympathized with the dilemma that Greg and his wife are facing, I [...]

A common mistake for a beginning investor is equating low price per share stocks, such as penny stocks, as inexpensive stock price. After all, it feels intuitive that a $1 stock is less expensive than a $10 stock. Unfortunately, this is the wrong way to think. The first thing you need to know about stock [...]

Debt consolidation companies often give you a fantastic pitch that promises to help you lower your monthly payments and eliminate debt.  All you have to do is work with them, combine all your debt obligations into one low monthly payment, and save tons of money.  Is it really that fantastic, or just a fantasy?
Personally, I [...]