Jul
30
The Real Reason I Paid Off My Mortgage
July 30, 2008 | 14 Comments
… rates. About a year ago, several online savings accounts were offering 6% APY, and PenFed had a 6.25% CD promotion. Those might have tempted some of the more risk adverse people, as they were probably safer than paying down your mortgage.
Jeff is making a good point here. Interest rates (for investors/savers) are terrible. That is the number one reason I paid off my mortgage.
I realized that I hadn't properly explained my motivations for paying off my home mortgage.
My wife is …
Comment by ajc: … as 75% - 125% of pre-retirement salary (but, I …
Jul
29
More Reasons to Pay Off Your Mortgage
July 29, 2008 | 4 Comments
… keeping an open mind on this topic. If I can find a convincing argument as to the merits of a mortgage, I'll post it.
Comment by Jeff: … and PenFed had a 6.25% CD promotion. Those might have …
Jul
21
How Long Should I Keep Credit Card Statements?
July 21, 2008 | Leave a Comment
… The IRS has 6 years to audit your return if they suspect you under reported your income by 25% or more. There is not limit if the IRS suspects fraud.
The Easiest Way to Manage Financial Documents
If you have a computer, try storing everything electronically. That way you can save everything indefinitely, in case you're curious how much your grocery bill was 20 years ago. Also electronic storage takes up no physical space. You wont' have to lug your paper around with your …
Jul
18
How Uninformed Investors Keep the Stock Market Moving
July 18, 2008 | Leave a Comment
… next day the company she worked for announced better than expected earnings and the stock rose to $25. My buddy tried to explain the sound his coworker made when she discovered that fact. Sort of like a shrieking cat, I believe.
On top of that the company announced an increase in dividends (of which she would be receiving none). This lady had been employed for close to 20 years. We're assuming she had a lot of stock.
The Democratization of the Market
What's the point? More …
Jul
8
Healthy Eating on a Budget
July 8, 2008 | Leave a Comment
… money by eating healthy but my grocery bill proves it. Saving money is a nice side effect of a healthy lifestyle decision.
Jun
26
When Will I Get My Stimulus Check?
June 26, 2008 | 40 Comments
… check should be in the mail by:
00 – 09
May 16
10 – 18
May 23
19 – 25
May 30
26 – 38
June 6
39 – 51
June 13
52 – 63
June 20
64 – 75
June 27
76 – 87
July 4
88 – 99
July 11
- Stimulus Payment Schedule (irs.gov)
Mailing Date is Based on Social Security Number of the First Taxpayer
The mailing date of the stimulus payment is based on the social security number of the person listed first on …
Jun
25
Should I Pay Off My Mortgage? The Easiest Test Ever
June 25, 2008 | 4 Comments
… I Qualify for the Deduction
Congratulations, you've figured out how to spend a dollar to save 25 to 35 cents depending on your tax bracket. I'm in awe of your genius.
I'm sarcastic to illustrate a point. How are you saving money by spending money? It doesn't make sense to me.
Do What You Want
The point of this article and the over simple question is that you should do what makes sense to you. Personal finance is 90% psychological and 10% economical. You need to feel …
Jun
23
Do I Need Flood Insurance?
June 23, 2008 | Leave a Comment
… living in Florida or on the banks of the Mississippi river right? Wrong. According to FEMA 25% of flood claims come from areas that have low to moderate flood risk.
The NFIP
Congress established the National Flood Insurance Program ( NFIP ) to manage the risk associated with floods. The NFIP does 2 things. It helps communities develop and implement flood management plans. It also underwrites flood insurance policies.
Do I Have to Buy Flood Insurance?
If your property …
Jun
19
Carl Icahn Has a Blog
June 19, 2008 | Leave a Comment
… like a good introduction to what's wrong with corporate America right now, Carl Icahn's blog is a great place to start.
Jun
17
What Is Flood Insurance?
June 17, 2008 | Leave a Comment
… more about flood insurance in future articles. I'll provide a link to the new material as it becomes available.