Home Improvements – Now and Later
Key Takeaways Think about making your home improvements in terms of immediate, short term, and long term. Planning, budgeting and financing your home improvements are three important steps in ensuring you are able to make the improvements you need to enjoy your home, as well as to get a better return on your money when […]
The American Dream —Your First Home
Key Takeaways Before you embark on the dream of owning your own home, make sure there are no errors in your credit score or financial history. If you can’t come up with a 20 percent down payment, you can often still buy a home—but you’ll typically need mortgage insurance. Many new homebuyers underestimate how much […]
Know Your Loan Basics
Key Takeaways Four basic components of any type of loan are time, interest rate, loan amount and payment. Young adults tend to have four types of loans: student, auto, credit card and mortgage. A good credit score will give you much better terms on any type of loan—and save you thousands of dollars over your […]
To Rent or Buy?
Key Takeaways Owning a home gives you great peace of mind, but it comes with a lot more responsibility than renting. Budget 1 percent of your home’s value each year for routine maintenance. Using a rent versus buy calculator is a good start, but it won’t account for the emotional satisfaction (or stress) of being […]
Good Debt—Bad Debt
Key Takeaways When it comes to taking on debt, always think about what it will give you in the end. Fund appreciating assets; don’t fund instantly consumed or depreciating goods. Credit cards are not evil if paid off in full. Loans for tuition, homes and businesses should help you build lifelong wealth if managed intelligently.
The 10 Essential Facts Affecting Your Future
Key Takeaways Money issues are tough for today’s young adults. It’s not your parents’ or grandparents’ financial reality, but there’s hope if you’re smart. Delaying marriage, home ownership and parenthood has benefits in the short run but can create retirement challenges down the road. Young adults know they need to be much more proactive about […]
3 Millennial Money Myths
Key Takeaways Position yourself as a “corporation of one.” It can be far more valuable and satisfying than simply getting a job. Credit cards and debt are not necessarily bad. You want to establish good credit now and show you can manage debt responsibly. Owning a home is not the American dream if it doesn’t […]
Stay Tuned In – Why?
Key Takeaways Your concerns, opportunities and capabilities will be addressed. Unlike older generations, you come from a sharing economy and you’re not afraid to seek advice about financial matters by referencing open forums. The Web offers tons of well-intended personal finance information, but it’s not all from reliable, experienced and trustworthy sources.