If your bad debt loan problems are serious and you have little or no income, it could be in your best interest to check whether you’re a candidate for personal bankruptcy. By qualifying for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, which involves the sale of most of your assets, you might be able to wipe out all or most of your debts after bankruptcy, and get a fresh start. To qualify, you have to meet a “means test” to prove your income is within certain state limits. (more…)

Reaching your financial goals can get much easier if you buy a home wisely. Reason: Ultimately, when you pay off your mortgage, you’ll no longer have to pay big bucks for a place to live. You can route that additional money to increase your savings toward reaching your financial goals and improving your lifestyle. (more…)

The introduction of independent taxation in April 1990 affected nearly all married couples. As well as allowing married women privacy in their own financial affairs, another major gain was that many couples – especially retired people – became better off financially. (more…)

Successful financial plan must include or take into account the following condition:

- It is based on ‘hard’ facts, such as age, earnings, health, investments; and ‘soft’ data such as attitudes, beliefs and values.

- The plan must be a clearly written, logical document that uses language appropriate to the individual. (more…)

Of course, the flip side of the cut spending/savings is to increase your income. There are some fast fixes to add money from your fixed monthly salary. We urge you to be sure to add some targets to get some sources income. Here are just a few to consider:

• Ask your employer for a hard-earned raise. Visit www.careerjournal.com to document average wages for your line of work. Gather hard numbers to present to your employer. (more…)

This category takes in various forms of investments offered by the federal government. They include one thing you may already know the good old U.S. savings bond. Others include such investments as Treasury bills and Treasury notes, all of which offer various types of returns. In so many words, government securities are IOUs to the federal government you lend it and allocating money for a period of time, and it repays you with interest. (more…)

Renting a home or apartment is an issue of broad interest. That’s because, whether you’re still in school or not long removed, chances are fairly good that you’re renting, are thinking about renting, or, at the very least, are giving some thought to changing a renting arrangement. Obviously, this article can’t go into the particulars of all sorts of rental situations if nothing else, market conditions are drastically different across the country but we can touch on some major points to help with your rent (more…)

Now that your most important financial goals have been defined and you have a basic idea of what it will take to accomplish them, the following three financial exercises will help you determine your overall financial condition:

Completion of a Personal Income Statement. (more…)

Ever since economists and the media began focusing on what they heralded as potentially the single largest generational transfer of wealth in history—bequests to baby boomers from their parents—my clients caught patrimony fever. Even if you could inherit a small fortune (and I don’t think you will), I don’t think it’s something you should plan on or dream of. And it’s certainly not a process you should try to replicate with your own children. (more…)

Taxes are an everyday expense of life that allow your local, state, and federal governments to provide important services. Taxes pay the bills for those services such as Medicare, Medicaid, the military, the national debt, police and fire protection, public schools, road maintenance, parks, libraries, and safety inspection of foods, drugs, and other products. (more…)