From the category archives:

Financial Safety

Should you Own or Rent (Your Life Insurance)?

Most everyone thinks about whether they should own or rent their house in Charlotte.   You should also consider if you should own or rent your Life Insurance. Here is the difference: 1. Employer supplied Life Insurance is Rented.  You lose that ‘lease’ when you leave that job.  If your health changes, you may find yourself [...]

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Understanding Amortization

Thumbnail image for Understanding Amortization

Last month, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac all but ended Interest Only Mortgage loans, so the only loans left are Amortizing Mortgages.  (Some borrowers can still get an Interest-Only style mortgage, but they are very restricted now). If you have ever closed on a mortgage, you probably remember the large stack of paperwork you needed [...]

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How Much Cash Do I Need?

You often have to choose how to balance your savings between “liquid” cash, paying off bills, saving for retirement or college and paying down the mortgage. If the Great Recession has demonstrated anything, it’s that home equity is a poor choice. You can find out a lot more about this in previous blog posts.  I’ve [...]

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The New Normal, Like it or Not

Your first economic priority needs to be liquid cash. There are two reasons to have  a ready stash: something good happens or something bad happens. Good things that require cash: Your child is accepted to a terrific (but more expensive than planned) school You have an opportunity to invest in a vehicle that will enable [...]

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What is your Freedom Point?

A lot of people dream about the day when they make their last mortgage payment and they finally own their house “Free and Clear”.  Sounds nice, doesn’t it? Unfortunatley, there are two problems with this dream – that can turn into a nightmare if not planned for. Even with no mortgage, you can still lose [...]

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