Older Americans have a total of more than $17 trillion of equity in their houses. Transferring that residential real estate to your heirs upon your...
Personal Finances
All Personal Finances Articles
Aging In Place: The Financial Challenge of Growing Old In Your Own Home
Home is where the heart is…and often where it wants to stay. Three-quarters of older American adults hope to remain in their homes for as...
Protect Yourself from Mortgage Fraud
In the past few months, several high-level politicians, including a US Senator, a Federal Reserve governor and the Texas state attorney general, have been accused...
Irrevocable Trusts—Do You Need One?
When most people think about trusts, they’re usually thinking about simple revocable living trusts—the kind that let you control and retain both legal and beneficial...
How Does Medical Debt Affect Your Credit Score?
A new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) rule intended to block medical debt from being included on credit reports was struck down by a federal...
Protect Yourself from Social Security Scams
Scammers pretending to represent the Social Security Administration (SSA) are making retirees’ lives a little less secure. Bottom Line Personal asked attorney Steven J.J. Weisman,...
Best Charities to Donate To
Not all nonprofits are created equal. Before giving your money to a seemingly worthy cause, it’s worth taking a few minutes to confirm that the...
Best Budget Apps to Keep Your Finances on Track
Managing household finances is seldom fun. Does anyone actually enjoy monitoring every dollar spent? Fortunately, there’s now a slew of budgeting apps that reduce this...
Medical Credit Cards: What You Need to Know
Have you been surprised to find that a medical procedure you need is not covered by health insurance or Medicare? You are not alone. Nearly...
What Does the Executor of a Will Do?
Has a loved one or close friend asked you to be the executor (also known as personal representative in some states) of his/her will? You...
What Is an Escrow Account?
A quick glance at your mortgage statement likely reveals that your monthly payment is divided among principal, interest and escrow. The terms principal and interest...
How to Change Your Spending Habits to Stop Overspending and Start Saving
Many of us worry about becoming better earners, savers and investors, but we rarely pay much attention to how we can improve our spending habits....
