- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
"annualcreditreport.com" 12b-1 fees 401k 401k match 403b 457b 1974 1987 2001-2002 2008-2009 active duty advisor search alternative minimum tax area agency on aging asset allocation asset protection atm automobiles bad debt bank fees banking banking on-line banking relationships banks beneficiaries benefit term black monday bond duration bond investing 101 bond ratings brazil bric bureau of consumer financial protection bypass trust capital gains career transition caregiver 101 care manager car loans cash management catch-up contributions charity china college planning commodities compound interest core series cost basis coverdell ira cpa credit credit card credit reports credit score credit union cross purchase buy-sell agreeement custodial fees daily benefit amount debit card debt decision making deflation derivatives desires directive to physicians disability insurance divorce djia dollar cost averaging downsizing ea ebri economic education elder care elimination period emergency fund employment energy credits energy tax estate planning estate tax euro european union eurozone exemption equivalent expense ratio fafsa fair isaac family care giver federal deficit federal reserve fee-only fico fiduciary fiduciary standard financial financial aid financial coach financial planning financial reform bill financial stability oversight council find an advisor flexible spending account foreign markets foreign stocks form 1099 formula clauses front-end load generation skipping tax gifting gift taxes goals and objectives good debt government grants grat greece guardianship happiness harvesting losses healthcare health care directives health care reform health insurance premiums health savings accounts hedging high deductible insurance plans homeowner tax credit housing hsa i-bonds identity theft income tax income tax preparation india inflation insurance interest rates internet tax investing investment income investments ira ira distributions irs italy itemized deductions japan laddering layoff life insurance life insurance trust linkedin long-term care lost decade marginal tax rate marginal tax rates marriage medicaid medicaid tax medical insurance medicare medicare supplement medigap money monte carlo simulation mortgage nais.org napfa nasdaq ncua needs net-operating loss carryforward net worth new year's resolutions nine minutes no-load non-cancellation non-mortgage debt obamacare occupational outlook handbook office of credit ratings ofice of credit rating own occupation partnership personality portugal post-divorce action power of attorney prescription drug benefit private school education profit sharing plan prospectus quarterly update real estate refinance regulation residual benefit retirement plan contributions retirement planning retirement plans retirement relocation ria risk tolerance roth 401k roth 403b roth ira roth ira conversion russia s&p 500 schedule c schedule d scholarships sep shop exchanges simple ira small business social security sole proprietor spain spending spending plan standard deduction step-up basis stimulus check stock market stock market recovery stock markets surrender charges tarp tax-free bond taxable bond tax credits tax loss harvesting tips total return strategies transaction fees unemployment unemployment benefits upsizing us news & world report vat volcker rule wealth building wealth management webinar wills women yield curve
Making Cents
Subscribe
Viewing entries tagged with 'bad debt'
Good Financial Steps to Take When You Get Married
GOOD FINANCIAL STEPS TO TAKE WHEN YOU GET MARRIED
If you’re going to say “I do”, here are some things you might want to do.
Are you marrying soon? Have you recently married? As you begin your life together, it's important for you to start planning your financial future together and putting your finances on the same page. Here are some priorities you might want to write down on your financial to-do list …
Build an emergency fund. You’ve probably watched or read a number of stories about couples who were hit hard by the downturn – nice, once-affluent people who suddenly had to live in their car or a motel. When things got rough, many had no emergency fund to sustain them and ended up homeless. Consider building up a cash reserve (gradually, if necessary) that you could tap into should something go wrong. You won’t regret having it around.
Insure yourself. If you are under 40, you may not have any kind of disability or life insurance. You may feel you don’t need it yet. However, getting a policy early can be cost-efficient: if you buy a term life policy when you are young and healthy, chances are you will pay less expensive premiums than people in their 40s and 50s who have health issues.
FED Stops Buying Mortgage-Linked Securities
FED STOPS BUYING MORTGAGE-LINKED SECURITIES
How will this impact the real estate market?
The Fed pulls out of the mortgage market. On March 31, 2010, the Federal Reserve halted its 15-month-long program to buy up toxic mortgage-linked securities.(source)Of all the things the Fed did to try and heal the economy and financial markets, this may have been its most crucial move. It was March 2009 when the program really began to get rolling. Guess when the current bull run began on Wall Street?
In purchasing about $1.25 trillion in mortgage debt, the Fed held interest rates on conventional home loans down, creating a golden opportunity for anyone who could refinance. Looking at Freddie Mac data, rates on 30-year FRMs were averaging 6.08% in November 2008 (when the Fed announced the program) and 4.97% in March 2010.(source)
The Fed has hinted it would be open to buying more mortgage debt if economic conditions demand – but with the economy healing by most measures, it feels no compulsion to extend the campaign any further.(source)
Breaking Bad Money Habits
BREAKING BAD MONEY HABITS
Changing your behavior may help you improve your financial picture.
Many of us plan thoughtfully for all kinds of life goals. Yet many of us spend impulsively, using our money on the moment rather than saving or investing it for the future.
