Saving for a Home
So you want to buy a home? This is a big step for anyone, and there are many factors to consider, not the least of these is how to get the money for a home. Sure there are loans available for home purchase, but you must have cash on hand to cover expenses such as fees and closing costs that might ... more...

Rolling your 401k: Contributory IRA vs. Rollover IRA
In an ideal world you would start your working career with a great company in your early 20s, steadily climb the corporate ladder, retire at age 65, and draw a sufficient income from your accumulated 401k account to live happily ever after.Unfortunately, thats not how the real world works. If you ... more...

Creative Home Equity Strategies for Retirement
The Baby-Boom generation is nearing retirement and it is clear that millions of aging Boomers are financially under prepared. Reasons are many - poor savings habits, rising medical costs, the demise of guaranteed corporate pensions, and the dreaded squeeze faced by many: i.e. having to pay college ... more...

Locating a Down Payment
If you are a saver, and many of you are, than the need to locate a down payment will not be an issue for you.But there are also many of us out there that have not had the luxury to save as much as we would have liked for various reasons. With this challenge at hand, we will need to track down a ... more...

How Do I Prepare for Retirement?
When the day finally arrives, will you be ready? What do you need to do? How do you need to prepare? Well, if you are over 10 years from retirement, then just sock away tons of money in your 401k for now. This article is focusing on people a little closer to retirement.So you are about 10 ... more...

Smokers, Death Benefit Arguments, and Poly-behavioral Addiction
Do Governments Save Money by Watching Smokers Die Prematurely?This was the conclusion of a report, commissioned by Philip Morris, who looked at the cost of smoking in the Czech Republic in 1999. They concluded that tobacco can save a government millions of dollars in health care and pensions ... more...

Seniors Can Use a Reverse Mortgage to Fund Annuities, Investments, and Insurance Policies
For many seniors in or entering retirement, the prospect of purchasing long-term care, investments or annuities can be cut short by a lack of retirement income. Statistics show that 3 out 4 seniors will have to lower their current standard of living during retirement. Social Security, IRA's, 401k's ... more...

Future Secured? Oh Really?
A headline for a retirement annuities flyer declares "Future Secured!" Was your reaction like mine? Yea, sure!Is our financial future ever that secure? Maybe for a few. But for the majority of us this is not true. Stock market changes, health costs and inflation fears all contribute to a sense of ... more...

The Real Estate Bubble-When Will it Burst?
More and more individuals are realizing that real estate is much safer, and a better return on investment than many traditional investment vehicles. Unlike stocks or bonds, real estate investments can usually be liquidated in order for the investor to access funds in far less time. Additionally, ... more...