You may have seen advertisements touting the creation of a revocable living trust as a good way to avoid probate. And for some people it is. However, it may not be appropriate for everyone or for every situation. Probate is a court-supervised proceeding that can be time consuming and expensive. That’s why a big advantage […]
Refinancing a Mortgage — What Is Deductible?
Many homeowners are looking at the historically low interest rates on home mortgages and are refinancing their mortgages before rates start creeping back up. If you recently refinanced your mortgage or are considering doing so, you’ll want to understand the general tax rules for deducting the costs associated with refinancing. Interest Assuming you refinance debt […]
Charting a Long-Term Course
Stock market volatility can be a wild ride. If you follow the daily price movements of a stock market index, it’s enough to make you dizzy at times. If you watch the same index’s performance over longer periods, however, you may notice that things tend to smooth out. Unless you’re close to retiring and will […]
Is the Price Right?
Pricing products or services to maximize profits is a challenge — often part art and part science. To do so effectively requires research, an understanding of your market, and an intuitive feel for what will work. Getting it right, however, is critical if your business is to be profitable. There are several important issues that […]