mortgage © Golden Pixels LLC/Shutterstock.com Taking cash out of your home through a reverse mortgage can be expensive. Closing costs, lender fees and certain mortgage insurance costs must be paid upfront, and you face interest charges and ongoing mortgage insurance premiums over time. And, a 2015…

home equity © antoniodiaz/Shutterstock.com You may not be so happy when the 10th birthday is approaching for your home equity line of credit , or HELOC. If you still owe money on it, you might soon see a spike in your minimum monthly payments. But you can delay the payment increase by refinancing…

Mike Danneman/Getty Images No. 10: North Dakota In addition to a high probability of snow on the ground come Christmas morning and above average purchasing power for shoppers (your $100 buys $109 worth of stuff at national average prices), North Dakota also sports strong fundamentals for retirees,…

Bill Oxford/Getty Images Deduct unreimbursed medical expenses 2016 is the last year that people age 65 and older and their spouses can deduct medical expenses that exceed 7.5 percent of their income. (For everyone else, expenses have to exceed 10 percent of income.) Next year, that cap rises to 10…

Riccardo S. Savi/GettyImages Pundit: Cokie Roberts (Nonpartisan) Estimated net worth: $5 million Who she is: NPR “Morning Edition” commentator, columnist, author © Albert H. Teich/Shutterstock.com Pundit: James Carville (Democrat) Estimated net worth: $10 million Who he is: Bill Clinton presidential…

savings Hero Images/Getty Images When December rolls around, people typically take their pens and paper and start scrawling down a long list of New Year’s resolutions. Often, those optimistic goals include “saving money.” While those plans are well-intended, by February, savings accounts are often…

taxes Joe Raedle/Getty Images The pending transfer of power in Washington raises a lot of questions about future tax planning, given that the incoming president is a Republican and that his party will control the House and Senate. President-elect Donald Trump wants to cut taxes and replace today’s…

Neil Beckerman/Getty Images Downside: Fewer homes for sale The biggest downside is the limited supply of for-sale homes, which occurs mainly because sellers are so uninterested. “You won’t have tons of inventory to pick through,” Deihl warns. If you can’t find a home you like, you might be able to…

Neil Beckerman/Getty Images Downside: Fewer homes for sale The biggest downside is the limited supply of for-sale homes, which occurs mainly because sellers are so uninterested. “You won’t have tons of inventory to pick through,” Deihl warns. If you can’t find a home you like, you might be able to…

credit cards Mint Imagse/Getty Images There’s a lot of pressure on consumers to spend during the holiday season, and many people turn to credit cards to fund the festivities. We talked to professors and personal finance experts about the credit card trends they’re seeing this season. Following are…

mortgage Casezy idea/Shutterstock.com This is getting ridiculous: Mortgage rates have risen eight weeks in a row. Bankrate has been tracking mortgage rates every week since September 1985. This is only the fourth time that the 30-year fixed has risen eight weeks in a row. It happened in 1987 and…

Bill Oxford/Getty Images Deduct unreimbursed medical expenses 2016 is the last year that people age 65 and older and their spouses can deduct medical expenses that exceed 7.5 percent of their income. (For everyone else, expenses have to exceed 10 percent of income.) Next year, that cap rises to 10…

Bill Oxford/Getty Images Deduct unreimbursed medical expenses 2016 is the last year that people age 65 and older and their spouses can deduct medical expenses that exceed 7.5 percent of their income. (For everyone else, expenses have to exceed 10 percent of income.) Next year, that cap rises to 10…

debt Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock.com For many people, the thought of eliminating debt is a dream they cannot imagine turning into a eality because it can take years to achieve. Yet, paying off debt and paying off credit cards reduces debt to income ratios , improves credit scores and…

smart spending What is a Hatchimal? “Move over Barbie!” “Optimus Prime!” “And Furby!” “There’s a new kid on the block.” “And I’m not talking about Donnie … Even though he was super dreamy.” “He was the bad boy.” “Hatchimals: Each sold separately from Spin Master.” “Dad, I want one.” “That’s right,…

November 24, 2016 It is time for year-end reviews. Is your insurance coverage included on the review list? If not, it should be. Use this insurance checklist as a starting point to review your policies and address any gaps in your coverage, as well as potential cost savings. Homeowner’s Insurance…

June 26, 2016 Life Insurance: Why and What Type? Sad as it may be, it is a fact that you are going to die — the uncertainty for most people is when that will happen. Your death is likely to have many implications and affect a number of people, but your immediate family will suffer the greatest loss.…

June 22, 2016 Nobody likes to think about life insurance, because nobody likes to think about death. Even so, it is something you cannot ignore. Once you pass away, it’s too late – and if you do manage to come back from the other side, a life insurance policy is probably not the first item on your…

June 21, 2016 Life insurance has grown in complexity over the years and, as a result, life insurance taxation issues have become equally complex. While you should consult with a tax professional to verify the tax status of any life insurance payout you receive, we can give you some general rules and…

October 5, 2016 Next time you’re cruising the App Store or Google Play, check out some very useful apps from the federal government that can help you with your business needs. USPS ­– The U.S. Postal Service app allows you to track shipments, schedule package pickups, and locate nearby postal…

November 25, 2015 If you are a small business owner, it is irresponsible not to have a disaster plan. Not only do you have a personal responsibility, you likely have responsibility for employees as well. It is impossible to prepare for every contingency, so where do you begin? Among many online…

April 3, 2014 You have enough to worry about running your business without the added concerns of your business insurance policy. However, unless you are fortunate enough to have a person or department to focus on insurance coverage, you do need to pay attention to this topic – and even if you do…

January 9, 2014 If you’ve decided to work from home and/or start a small business, and you’ve converted that spare bedroom into a home office, you may be wondering if your current homeowner’s insurance will automatically protect you in case your office equipment is stolen or destroyed. You may also…

October 4, 2016 On Halloween, we all enjoy handing out treats to the little monsters that arrive at our door asking for candy. Unfortunately, some of us have to deal with damage created by larger monsters that arrive at our door asking for trouble. Vandalism and property damage are just some scary…

July 5, 2016 You have sustained an injury in a slip and fall accident away from your own property. Who is liable for your medical costs? Are you liable, is the property owner liable, or is there a middle ground? Slip and fall cases are sometimes complex and hard to predict, since they are regulated…

July 1, 2016 For many Americans, the Fourth of July holiday means cookouts, family get-togethers, and a nighttime fireworks show. If you are putting on your own fireworks show for your family, friends and neighbors, your first thought should be about safety. Your second thought might well be about…

April 28, 2016 Whether you believe it is a good trend or a bad one, the number of households that receive benefits from the Federal Government has almost reached the halfway mark. Welfare Dependence Keeps Growing According to the most recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau, 152.9 million out of…

November 23, 2015 How much do you spend on prescription drugs? Take a look at our infographic to learn how much Americans spend on pharmaceuticals and how our medical system wastes hundreds of billions of dollars. Dollars for Drugs and Doctors Related