Creating A Realistic Business Budget
Budgeting -- ooh, what a scary word! If you want to frighten someone whose business finances are out of control, suggest that they tally up their expenses on a piece of paper. We all understand the value of such an exercise, but when it comes to the practicality of putting a budget together, we get ... more...

Be Prepared With Your Home Equity Loan Checklist
A home equity loan can be an excellent way to obtain money in order to pay off high interest bills or consolidate your current debt into one monthly payment. A home equity line of credit is a form of revolving credit in which your home serves as collateral. Because the home is likely to be a ... more...

A Fathers Dilemma: Can We Help Our Children, Without Crippling Them?
Breakdown in the Becky Lane!I'd just sat down at my office away from home, the local Panera, when another regular customer, Harold, sidled up to my table. We'd chatted a number of times before, and he was intrigued by my title of Financial Sanity Coach and knew I had been working on my book, "Good ... more...

Tax & Financial Impacts of Divorce: 10 Mistakes to Avoid
Divorce is something no one hopes will happen to them when they get married. Unfortunately, almost half of all marriages end in divorce. Since few people have pre-nuptial agreements, most divorces involve often bitter tangles over children, money, and assets. When it comes to the tax and ... more...

Selling of Real Estate by Non-Residents of Canada
As I deal routinely with non-resident investors wanting to sell Canadian real estate assets, I would like to shed some light on this otherwise somewhat arcane subject. DISCLAIMER: please note that the following essay is presented solely for general information purposes, it is not intended to be ... more...

Real Estate Remains A Strong Investment
Opportunities to make big, quick profits in residential real estate tend to come and go in cycles. When a local market is hot, families may find it possible to buy a house at an attractive price, fix it up, and watch its value rise in just a few years.When the same local market is at the low end ... more...

Cutting Edge Real Estate, Is the Bubble Ready To Burst?
Of course, this is the big question in real estate now. . .Will the so-called real estate bubble burst like the dot-com bubble did a few years back?There are some good arguments on both sides of the issue. Whatever happens in the next few years, it will affect millions of Americans, and ... more...

Tax Records - What You Should Keep And For How Long
Many taxpayers are confused about how long they should keep tax records. The term "tax records" refers to your tax returns and the documents that support the information in the returns. These documents can include receipts, bank statements, 1099s, etc. If you are one of the unlucky few to be ... more...

Seven Tips in Choosing Maui Income Properties
Aloha! If you are interested in choosing a Maui income property, then there are some details that you should know. You might be a bit intimidated by the whole process of buying a home. This article will offer tips to those that are thinking of investing in Maui income properties.First of all, you ... more...

So You Want to Buy a Home?
Taking the plunge into home ownership can be a rewarding step for many first-time home buyers. Before you take the plunge, look before you leap. Homeownership is not for everyone.304 Take into consideration the pluses for renting versus owning: -Monthly costs: renting can be more cost-efficient ... more...

Home Equity Lines of Credit - the Basics
A Home equity line of credit is a loan which is similar to a credit card. These often have a very low interest rate (In most cases even lower than home equity loans). A Home equity lines of credit acts as a form of revolving which your home equity services.For example,-You take out a Home Equity ... more...

Budgeting Before Buying
With interest rates being at an all-time low, I can understand the urgency for people wanting to purchase a home. But I caution the first-time home buyer to learn how to budget their money before buying a new home.I happen to live in a state with one of the highest foreclosure rates in the country ... more...

The Three Legged Stool
My paternal grandparents were born near Lake Como, Italy. My grandfather learned how to farm, and he did just that until he died chopping wood at age 88. As a boy, I would walk into the barn where I watched him milking cows. Never got the hang of it, but I liked hearing the ping of fresh milk in ... more...