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Summer may be over; however, you can still sell your home quickly if you know the best tips for selling a home.  Of course, curb appeal is very important if you want to sell your home; however, price is another very important element.  Knowing how to use both to your advantage can mean the difference in moving your home in a few weeks and having your home sit on the market for months.  For secrets to sell your home fast read, “14 Steps to Selling a Home Super Fast.” Image credit:  Mark Moz … [Read more...]

Beginning in 2015, there will be new IRS rules aimed at stopping individuals from using their Individual Retirement Accounts for temporary loans.  For some, managing their IRA accounts means rolling them over to new accounts or withdrawing money to place in other retirement accounts.  However, the new rules are intended to stop people who withdraw money with the intention of rolling over the funds but use the funds for a short-term loan before putting funds into a new retirement account. For … [Read more...]

  For most people, bankruptcy law is cut, dried and boring; however, for one bankruptcy courtroom in New York, they have had ringside seats to a case that you may swear belongs in a boxing or wrestling ring.  In 2012, a New York man filed Chapter 7 to protect himself from a $110,000 court judgment by his neighbor. The judgment in question was rendered because the debtor bit his neighbor’s nose in the elevator.  The neighbor objected to the discharge of this debt and the case is currently … [Read more...]

What happens when your landlord does not live up to his or her promises?  Is there something that you can do to protect yourself when you sign a lease or if you are under a rental contract but the landlord refuses to perform according to the contract?  Your landlord has certain obligations and you do have rights as a tenant. For tips to protect yourself against a bad landlord read, “How to Fire Back Against a Lousy Landlord.” Image credit:  Brian Hawkins … [Read more...]

No one sets out to have a poor credit score or to make poor financial decisions; however, it can happen to the best of us.  Having a low credit score has traditionally kept you from financing a new car.  If you are facing this situation, there are things that you can do to improve your chances of financing a new car with poor credit. For more read, “Tips on Auto Financing If You Have Poor Credit.” Image credit:   NRMA Motoring … [Read more...]

Planning for your child’s college education is a very big decision and one that you should make as early as possible.  One way to save for your child’s college education is to choose a 529 Plan that is right for you.  However, you should consider several options before making a final decision.  Before you choose a 529 Plan, you should consider the six questions posed in the article “6 Essential Questions to Ask Before Choosing a 529 Plan.” Image credit:   audlo-luci-store.lt … [Read more...]

Home Depot is one of the latest companies that have been the subject of a data breach.  Customers’ credit card and debit card information is alleged to have been stolen.  As part of its response to the “suspicious” activity, Home Depot is offering free identity protection services, including credit monitoring, to customers who might be potentially at risk from this potential breach. For the full story read, “Home Depot Hires 2 Firms to Probe Data Breach.” Image credit:   Mike Mozart … [Read more...]

Filing a Chapter 7 bankruptcy has the benefit of getting rid of most if not all of your debts. However, there are disadvantages to filing Chapter 7 as well.  In most cases, the pros of filing Chapter 7 far outweigh the cons of filing bankruptcy.  Only an experienced bankruptcy attorney can help you determine if filing bankruptcy is right for you. However, for a chart comparing the pros and cons of Chapter 7 you can read, “Pros and Cons of Declaring Bankruptcy under Chapter 7.” … [Read more...]

What can you do if you owe the IRS but you cannot pay the debt in full?  You may qualify for an IRS installment agreement.  The IRS offers taxpayers the option of paying off their tax debt through an installment agreement. However, interest and penalties will still be assessed to the balance you owe; therefore, you should make the largest payment possible each month to lower the total amount to be paid. For information on the four different types of IRS installment agreements read, “The IRS … [Read more...]

As you prepare your college freshman to go off to school, do not forget to discuss money matters with him or her.  Unfortunately, good money management skills is not a class that is taught in most high schools.  If your student did not have a job during high school, he or she may not have the money management skills necessary to live within a budget and make smart money decisions.  Discussing money before issues before there are problems is the best way you can prepare your college student to … [Read more...]