The financial benefits of buying a home compared with renting have yoyoed over the years, especially of late. If you’re sitting on the fence, here are four circumstances in which it may be a better bet to buy. If interest rates remain low From a financing perspective, if this isn’t the best time to buy […]

Encouraging my 18 year old to apply for a credit card seemed akin to encouraging him to run with the bulls in Pamplona. It’s dangerous for teenagers to have credit cards, right? They can go out and put anything on the credit card without any concept that they actually have to pay for the item […]

Unlike diamonds, mortgages are not forever. The ultimate goal is to pay them off and own your home free of encumbrances. But there are many good reasons to trade in your original mortgage for a new one along the way. One of the most common reasons to refinance is to move from an adjustable-rate mortgage, […]

Here’s some great information about Malware that I saw in a newsletter from Lenny Zeltser who works with NCR security and writes a security blog at zeltser.com. What is Malware? Simply put, malware is software — a computer program — used to perform malicious actions. In fact, the term malware is a combination of the words […]

This time of year, W-2 forms are coming in, shoe-boxes are coming out and kitchen tables are disappearing under a pile of documents.  It’s tax time, and the most common set of questions we hear revolve around the same issue: Why is my refund so small? How can I make it bigger? While we are […]

You need money — fast. Unless you have well-to-do (and generous) relatives or friends, your options are pretty much limited to taking out a personal loan or relying on a credit card. Which one is best for you will depend on a few things. What are the differences between personal loans and credit cards? A […]