This is a question for my readers who are also homeowners. Help me out here. How do you find good contractors for home improvements and repairs? I know the standard answer is "ask your friends and neighbors." But how do they know if someone is good? I’ve used a few different people for different things […]
Latest Blog Posts
Imported Spreadsheets to Zoho
I mentioned in another post that I started using Zoho recently. Zoho offers a suite of "office" software online. They have online word processor, spreadsheet, presentation and many other types of software that traditionally resides on a local computer. Having these software online lets me access my documents from anywhere. It also lets me share […]
A Tale of Two Charts
The S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices came out for February 2008. They showed a year-over-year decline for most cities. The announcement from Standard & Poor’s came with the following chart: The plunge is quite impressive, isn’t it? Now look at this second chart. What do you see? A long rise followed by a small drop. The […]
If Credit Unions Are Better, Why Don’t More People Use Them?
You’ve probably read it somewhere — credit unions are better than banks. That’s what Consumer Reports, Bankrate.com, and Money magazine say. Credit unions are owned by members. They are not for profit. They pay higher interest rates on checking accounts, savings accounts and CDs. They charge lower interest rates on credit cards, car loans and […]
Never Pay a Late Fee Again
Ranking above overdraft or NSF fees from the banks, late fees from credit card companies are probably the most hated fees. If you ask them nicely, the credit card companies will sometimes reverse the late fee. It would be much nicer if you don’t have to spend the time begging them. I wrote previously about […]
A Business That Punishes Its Largest Customers
Here’s a Jeopardy question. A financial service charges no fee if you have less than $100,000 with them. If your account has $100,000 or more, they charge you $100 a year account maintenance fee. If you create multiple accounts, each with less than $100,000, then you will pay no fee for all your accounts. The […]
Mortgage Refinance Documents: OMG What Did I Sign?
I closed my mortgage refinance last month. I often hear the media saying that people who signed up for an adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) didn’t know their interest rate can adjust. Well, make no more excuses. I’m going to list all the documents I signed at closing and explain what they mean. This way anybody […]
RSU Sell To Cover Deconstructed
A breakdown of how sell-to-cover for tax withholding is done for Restricted Stock Units and how to report it on your tax return.
Mortgage Interest and Property Tax Deduction for Homeowners Who Don’t Itemize
The New York Times reported that Senate Democrats and Republicans reached a tentative deal on the new housing bill. Among the various provisions is a federal income tax deduction for property tax paid by taxpayers who don’t itemize deductions. Single taxpayers get a $500 deduction. Married taxpayers filing a joint return get $1,000. [Update: This […]
Hiring a Financial Advisor: Don’t Settle for 1% Fee
I listen to the Marketplace Money program on public radio every week via their podcast. It’s a great program. Occasionally, I disagree with the answers given. Some time ago a caller Sue asked about finding a financial advisor after she inherited $1 million. She said she’d like to get some professional help because she and […]