Category Archives: Banking

Ask An Advisor: Which Credit Card Is Best?

Posted on May 10, 2012 by

Dear Abigail, My daughter plans to apply for a credit card.  Which one should she get? – Client Dear Client, Good question!  There are thousands of varieties of credit card available in a rainbow of colors and “metals” (even platinum!)  … Continue reading →

Posted in Ask an Advisor, Banking, Credit | Tagged , , , , ,

Living Mortgage Free – Honestly

Posted on January 27, 2012 by

What is it about mortgages that attracts such throngs of scammy, bad ideas?  I just had the displeasure of cruising through the underbelly of a website that purports to sell you the secrets of shedding your mortgage.*  The site is … Continue reading →

Posted in Banking, Credit | Tagged , , , , ,

The Unsettling “Silence” of JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Posted on January 20, 2012 by

Have you ever had to babysit a loud toddler?  After a while you get used to the noise and start to ignore the kid.  You step into another room, for just a minute.  Then you suddenly notice something. It’s quiet. … Continue reading →

Posted in Banking, Credit, Current Events | Tagged , , , ,

The Ultimate Guide To Saving Money

Posted on November 21, 2011 by

Do you want to save money but don’t know where to start?  Do you get confused by all the different and conflicting advice on saving money?  Never fear, in one short post I will show you how to save money.  … Continue reading →

Posted in Banking, Financial Planning, Income, Spending | Tagged , ,

Zombie Bank Accounts – The Penny That Won’t Go Away

Posted on November 10, 2011 by

Sometimes an account just won’t die.  Here’s one subtle reason why your brokerage account may claw its way up out of its grave, and how to put it back in again.  Let’s learn from this poor soul’s experience. From Consumerist: … Continue reading →

Posted in Banking, Investments | Tagged ,

To All Those Playing “The Mortgage Form” Game At Home…

Posted on September 21, 2011 by

You’ve been playing along in the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau‘s Know Before You Owe program, right?  Well, I’m on their email list, and I got an important message from the CFPB for all those who participated in choosing the forms: … Continue reading →

Posted in Banking, Credit, Current Events, Documents | Tagged , , ,

Can You Pick The Best Loan?

Posted on September 13, 2011 by

I’ve been participating in the “Know Before You Owe” program at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for quite some time.  It looks like they’ve gotten to nearly a final draft of mortgage disclosure forms, and they need our help to … Continue reading →

Posted in Banking, Credit, Current Events, Documents | Tagged , , ,

The 5 C’s of Creditworthiness – How Do You Stack Up?

Posted on August 4, 2011 by

Have you ever heard of “The Five C’s?”  It was once how banks judged creditworthiness (back when they used to do that sort of thing.)*  The idea is that the lender can judge the chance that the prospective borrower might … Continue reading →

Posted in Banking, Credit | Tagged , , ,

Know Before You Owe – Weigh In Now!

Posted on August 2, 2011 by

Alright, we’ve been following along as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has been working on improving the mortgage disclosure forms.  They’ve received over 18,000 comments, and are in the final rounds of developing the forms.  This is your opportunity to … Continue reading →

Posted in Banking, Credit, Current Events, Documents | Tagged , ,

Finally, Distressed Homeowner Relief!

Posted on July 28, 2011 by

Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America (NACA) has been featured on American Public Media’s Marketplace.  Take a moment to go look at what they’re doing to help distressed homeowners save their homes by adjusting the terms of their loans.  It’s jaw-dropping … Continue reading →

Posted in Banking, Current Events | Tagged , , , , ,

How Compound Interest Works

Posted on July 14, 2011 by

You may have heard of compound interest before, or compounding.  But how does it work?  Well, this is your lucky day!  I’ll show you how it works. It’s easiest to imagine interest in terms of bank products, like savings accounts … Continue reading →

Posted in Banking, Financial Planning | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

The Secret History of the Credit Card

Posted on July 8, 2011 by

Here’s an oldie but a goodie!  Presented by Frontline through PBS (the same snappy reporting squad that brought you “The Madoff Affair“), “Secret History of the Credit Card” is a fascinating foray into the industry America loves to hate.  Pay … Continue reading →

Posted in Banking, Credit | Tagged , , , ,

Here’s Why I Don’t Live On The Edge

Posted on July 1, 2011 by

Yeah, Financial Planners sometimes make financial mistakes, too.  Just because you think ahead doesn’t mean that you won’t goof something up. Case in point: it’s last night, I’m running errands, and I’m tired.  I go to the bank’s ATM to … Continue reading →

Posted in Banking, Financial Planning | Tagged , , ,

Good Citizenship Opportunity!

Posted on June 28, 2011 by

That’s right, there’s another excellent opportunity to have your voice heard in government!  The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has just released its next round of forms for your perusal and comment.  Take a moment to make your federal government regulation … Continue reading →

Posted in Banking, Credit, Current Events, Documents | Tagged , , ,

Moving Up to Middle Class: Being Banked

Posted on June 27, 2011 by

The middle class spends differently than the working class and the poor.  This series, “Moving Up to Middle Class,” highlights the financial choices that differ between the middle class and the lower classes, as a guide to the upwardly mobile … Continue reading →

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