Tapping home equity: How, when and why it makes sense

As a mortgage is paid down, the difference between what the home is worth and what is still owed — the equity — grows. This equity increases further if the value of the home continues to increase. Equity is considered an asset of the homeowner and is often the largest asset they hold.

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Beyond Medicare: How to fund health care costs in retirement

As retirement draws closer, many of us cling to a false sense of security that Medicare will cover all of our health care costs. Once we hit 65, it’s all taken care of and we don’t have anything to worry about, right? Wrong. While it’s true that beginning at age 65 most Americans become Medicare…

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The power of budgeting at any life stage

Budgets get a bad rap. In reality, they give people power over their finances, and when managed well, can put a person in a position to decide if they want to seize an opportunity or not – while those who have not managed their money purposefully often have no such option. Instead of thinking of…

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Understanding and managing good debt vs. bad debt

You may have been taught that debt is a bad thing to have in personal or business finance. The truth is a little more nuanced. Sometimes one kind of debt is better than another, and sometimes the same loan with the same interest rate and terms can be either “good” and “bad” depending how you’re…

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