Taxes are becoming an ever-increasing burden to Americans. Through the Tax Reform Act of 1986, Congress reduced or eliminated many of the ways that taxpayers can lower their taxes. Interest deduction is one of the areas that has been strongly affected by this tax reform legislation. Since tax year 1991, interest on consumer debt has […]

Are you saving for retirement? For your children’s education? For any other long-term goal? If so, you’ll want to know about a sometimes subtle, yet very real threat to your savings: inflation. Inflation is the increase in the price of products over time. Inflation rates have fluctuated over the years. Sometimes inflation runs high, and […]

As an investor, it’s important to have a portion of your holdings in savings. Opinions differ, but most financial advisors agree that adequate savings should form the basis of any sound investment strategy. There are a number of savings alternatives that will help you accumulate adequate savings and earn a reasonable rate of return. Certificates […]

Is the financial aid game worth playing? There’s a tremendous amount of paperwork involved. The rules are obscure and often don’t seem to make sense. And it takes time. But make no mistake, the game is definitely worth playing. Financial aid can be a valuable source of funds to help finance your child’s college education. […]

Recently, fixed mortgages were near their lowest rates in almost 30 years. And if you are one of the many people who took out mortgages in the few years prior to that, you may be wondering if you should look into refinancing. If your mortgage was taken out within the past five years, it may […]

Many Americans facing retirement would love to increase their monthly income. Faced with fixed pensions, rising medical expenses, limited Social Security benefits, and longer life spans, an increasing number of people are actually being forced to lower their standards of living when they retire. As you approach retirement, one of your major assets is likely […]

One of the most precious assets that you are likely to possess as you progress through life is your home. Owning their own homes is something that most Americans strive for. Unfortunately, for the vast majority of people, one of the major drawbacks in owning a home is the long-term mortgage that must be paid […]

For the vast majority of people, it is essential to keep a portion of their assets in liquid form in order to meet monthly commitments. For example, most families have to meet their mortgage or rent payments, grocery, utility, and transportation bills out of their monthly paychecks. There are a host of other expenses that […]

Just like individuals, the government, corporations, and banks often need to borrow money for a short time to make ends meet. Unlike most individuals, however, the scale of this borrowing is phenomenal. The money market is the name given to the arena where most of this short-term borrowing takes place. In the money market, money […]

There are a number of short-term cash management instruments available to the individual establishing a sound cash management program. These alternatives include money market mutual funds, Treasury bills, and certificates of deposit. Money market mutual funds simply pool investors’ dollars and purchase large denomination money market instruments. Individuals invest in the mutual fund for as […]