Personal Finance

tartanparty / Shutterstock.com Believe it or not, winter will turn to spring before long, and with spring will come the nearly irresistible urge to purge your house of all the extra stuff lurking in the closets, the garage or under your kids’ beds. A yard sale can be a quick …

If you think that this is the year to purchase that new home, chances are you’re wondering whether that mortgage payment will fit into your budget. Many factors go into determining what your payment will look like at the end of the day, including the cost of the home, your …

Photo by Juergen Faelchle / Shutterstock.com A federal law passed at the end of 2020 has made permanent life insurance more attractive to some people. The law essentially tweaks the tax code to allow owners of permanent policies to put more money into the savings portion of their policy. As …

The latest data from the Ellie Mae Millennial Tracker revealed that mortgage refinances accounted for 45% of all millennial loans for November. That’s a 14% increase year over year for November and a 3% bump from October alone.  Ellie Mae divides millennials into two subgroups — older millennials (30-40 years …

Annual salary increases in 2021 are more vital than ever after a year of volatile economy and job market changes. A new The Simple Dollar survey found that 70% of employed U.S. adults say a pay increase would be important for their household’s financial wellbeing. Despite this, about 40% of …

stockfour / Shutterstock.com 2020 was as unpredictable as they come — a pandemic, economic meltdown, social upheaval and the most controversial election in recent memory. Who knows what 2021 will bring? Will a nationwide vaccination campaign bring the COVID-19 pandemic under control? How much will the economy rebound? Will our …

Dmitry Demidovich / Shutterstock.com Taxes are a hot topic in 2021. The new president has promised to raise taxes on the wealthy, and the Tax Foundation reports 26 states and the District of Columbia have made noteworthy changes to their tax codes. In some states — such as Arkansas and …

Between your home office and delivery services, your car is probably getting used less often nowadays because of COVID-19 and working from home. It’s the perfect time to cut unnecessary costs like subscription services and commuting expenses.  Wouldn’t it be nice to pay for a service only when you used …

If you own a home and are making monthly payments, you have probably read over the breakdown of your monthly mortgage charges once or twice. Your mortgage payment likely breaks out your monthly payment into three parts: principal, interest and funds that go to your escrow account. While you likely …