charitable bunching

In a few short years, it seems as though the banking industry has revolutionized. It is now easier (and more convenient than ever) to tend to your banking needs, all from the comforts of your pajamas. Gone are the notions of banking hours, and the never-ending lines when you want to deposit your paycheck.

Earlier this week, the Federal Liberal Government tabled their election-year budget, albeit through historically unorthodox methods. As expected, several measures were included that were designed to appeal to voters, especially the segments that the current government had seemingly lost approval with.

While owning a home is the quintessential American dream, not everyone is able to purchase a home when they desire. If you’re fresh out of school with a boat load of student debt, it’s probably best to wait until you’ve been working for at least a year before you start looking to buy.

A report by Federal Reserve economist Joanna Stavins combined Equifax data with the 2015-2016 Federal Reserve Bank of Boston’s Survey of Consumer Payment Choice (SCPC) on how consumers pay for purchases. Comparing self-reported measures with objective data, she found that people tend to have fewer credit cards with higher limits than they report.

If you’re looking to diversify your investment portfolio, you may want to consider purchasing investment property. Depending on how hands-on you want to be, you may want to purchase real estate as a short-term investment; fixing up the property and then selling it immediately for profit.

If you’re currently considering purchasing investment property, there are an equal measure of risks and rewards. Like any investment, risk can be managed, but you want to be aware of the risks prior to investing in property. And like any investment, there can be rewards, some quite large.

2.4.19

Just in case you’re weren’t paying attention to the stock market in January…and why would you be…especially since I tell you not to…because I believe no one day, week, month, quarter, or even year…will have lasting impact on your life long investing career.

But when there’s good news…positive news…there’s nothing wrong with a little update.  Because you’re not going to get a lot of positive news from most media outlets.

Here it is…stocks had their best January performance in 30-years.  The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 7.2% in January…its best January since 1989.  The Dow is the one most folks refer to when talking about “The Market”.  It’s the one the talking heads harp on.

By definition, estate planning is a process designed to help you manage and preserve your assets while you are alive, and to conserve and control their distribution after your death according to your goals and objectives. But what estate planning means to you specifically depends on who you are.

Reverse mortgages have been around for a long time, but in recent years they have become more popular. Though some experts consider a reverse mortgage a last resort of sorts, depending on your own financial situation, a reverse mortgage may be helpful.