Personal Finance Caf�

Rolling over a 401k

2005-09-10T07:57:06-08:00

When it comes time to change jobs, it is easy to get caught up in the excitement of the job search and starting a new job. If you have money in your 401k, it is very important that you don�t forget about it and continue to have this money work ...

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Points on a Mortgage

2005-09-06T21:56:23-08:00

When you are choosing a home mortgage, you have the option of paying points (one point is equal to one percent of the loan amount) in order to reduce the interest rate, and therefore, reduce the monthly payments. I have found that this is rarely a good idea.

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Budgeting 101

2005-08-28T10:52:05-08:00

If you don�t know where you are going, any road will take you there. � Louis Carroll In personal finance, as in almost anything, it is extremely important to have goals. Your financial goals may include purchasing a home, retiring at 55, or paying for your children�s education. Your budget ...

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Choosing a Mutual Fund

2005-08-27T15:42:25-08:00

Most people don�t have the time and expertise to buy individual stocks and bonds, so they turn to mutual funds. If you have ever looked at the list of mutual funds available, it is a daunting list that grows every year. Friends often ask me how to choose a mutual ...

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Retirement Portfolio Allocation

2005-08-27T15:40:02-08:00

Because I work in Finance, friends and co-workers often approach me when it comes time to fill out their 401(K) allocation form. Although there is no simple answer, there are some rules of thumb financial advisors use. Basically, there are two major principles that need to be applied. First, the ...

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Standard Deduction versus Itemized Deductions

2005-08-27T15:32:57-08:00

I often hear people say about charitable contributions �it is tax deductible.� Unfortunately, many of the people saying this don�t have enough deductions to itemize, so the donation is not really deductible to them.

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Why the concern over oil prices?

2005-08-25T11:25:03-08:00

The news headlines lately have been filled with talk about rising oil prices. Over the past several weeks, oil has hit record highs as talk of high demand and terrorist threats in Saudi Arabia have driven up prices. Not only does this force you to pay more at the pump ...

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What closing costs can I expect when I purchase a home?

2005-08-25T11:23:47-08:00

A question came in from a reader asking how much to expect to pay in addition to the purchase price of a home. This is a great question. Often people use up a lot of their money to come up with the down payment on a home, then get the ...

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Federal Tax Withholdings

2005-08-25T11:23:30-08:00

I am often asked how to choose how many exemptions to select when filling out a W-4. The first part of the answer is to explain how this works. As you enter more exemptions, the amount withheld from each paycheck decreases, thus increasing your net check. The IRS then receives ...

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