If you're like most property owners, you probably think that your property taxes are too high. And you're probably right. More than twenty-five percent of all owner-occupied properties are over-assessed. And that also means that each year you let this slide means you're probably paying higher taxes than you need to year after year. So when there is a tax increase you'll be paying more because ... Read More
real estate
Paying for College Without Going Broke – Part of a Series
If you have two years before your student enters college … Test Prep Every tenth of a point added to a student’s GPA may save thousands of dollars in loans that won’t have to be paid back later because colleges will give preferential aid to good students. So now’s the time to consider test prep courses for the SAT. Business Interest Financial aid is based on the parents’ tax return from ... Read More
Death and Dealing with the Unexpected
Saturday was a beautiful spring day in New England. Temperatures were moderate. No humidity. It was bright and sunny with languid puffy clouds hanging in the noon time breeze. A beautiful day to be outside especially after the gloomy weather that Mother Nature has thrown at us during the winter and spring so far. A beautiful day for gathering with family and friends and celebrating the ... Read More
Coping with Change: The Impact of Divorce on Your Fiscal Health
Divorce is emotionally traumatic on everyone involved especially if there are children. While it may seem mundane, dealing with the money and tax issues that arise from the unwinding of a life together is as important for both psychic and fiscal sanity. In the big scheme of things, there are more important things than money. And many who are faced with this kind of life-changing event will cope ... Read More
Ask The Money Coach: Should I pay off the mortgage?
Given the roller coaster ride that stock market investors have experienced and the negligible rates offered by banks on savings, it's easy to see why someone might want to use their cash to pay off their mortgage. Being debt free is not only noble but can provide a buffer in tough times since you'll have one less cash outflow each month. For every dollar you pay off in a mortgage, your rate of ... Read More
Trick-or-Treat: Who’s That Knocking at the Door? Foreclosure Crisis Impact
Much of the US economy is tied to real estate. Buying and maintaining a home creates a very big ripple that impacts lots of industries and jobs. Certainly, the bursting of the speculative bubble in building and lending has resulted in a devastating chain of events including an increase in home foreclosures. In the economics textbooks I had to study back in college, the theory is referred to as ... Read More
