Most home loans are made by banks that adhere to underwriting guidelines set forth by government-sponsored Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. If you meet their minimum guidelines, you’ll be eligible for a conventional loan, which offers the lowest interest rates on the market. Prior to the housing cr

The idea of creating and living on a budget can be overwhelming, but by understanding budget planning, you can meet financial goals easily. Understanding budget planning involves figuring out what the ideal budget would accomplish, tracking income and expenses and then tailoring a budget based on t

Most phone plans include an option to make or receive international calls. Although this is a convenient feature for folks who do a bit of traveling or speak to family and friends who live abroad, many users don't use the plan and prefer not to have the option available. Depending on y

Slashing the budget yields significant savings.One Dollar - variations of Crumpled dollar image by PaulPaladin from Fotolia.comWhen celebrities go bankrupt, many people fail to understand how these wealthy people experience money problems. In actuality, the problems develop because of the...

Probate is the process by which a deceased person's property is transferred to his heirs. Specifically, probate involves the examination of a deceased person's will. In Louisiana, the process of property transferring from deceased to heir is generally called succession. Upon the transfer of all prop

Tracking your personal spending can be a complex, time-consuming task. Using a lot of planning and records for your finances can make it easier later. Take advantage of online banking and other tools that can ...

Probate is a legal term that refers to the process by which a deceased person's assets are distributed to the rightful heirs through court oversight. If instructions exist, such as a will or other form of written and signed document, the probate judge does his best to interpret these instructions an

Everyone who works and pays Social Security taxes--FICA, or the Federal Insurance Contributions Act--earns credits toward retirement benefits. Various factors determine how much your monthly Social Security payment will be, including the age at which you retire and the amount of money you earned, an

A checking account is usually held with a bank or credit union and allows individuals to deposit money, from which they can then withdraw it. When an individual takes more money out of his account than he has put into it, this is known as an overdraft.

You can obtain structured settlement quotes from a variety of financial institutions including banks, insurance companies, investment firms, and entities and third-party buyers. Selling a structured settlement is considered relatively difficult than bonds and other ...

If you have a cellphone, you may use your phone charger so much that you leave it plugged into your wall outlet all of the time, even when the cellphone is not hooked up to it. You may assume it's not using energy when it's not connected to the phone. If you're concerned about "going green," or just

Many parents are eager to give their slovenly sons a push toward the workplace. For some children, the desire to earn their own money is natural, while others are just as happy to lounge around and never develop this drive. If your son shows no desire to obtain gainful employment, you may need to pu

If you are a business owner or investor planning to make your next investment, you might want to look into Puerto Rico hedge funds. You may use these to invest in different markets or investment ...

The Internal Revenue Service taxes Social Security benefits if the retiree exceeds a certain income. Individual filers can make $25,000 with no taxation of Social Security benefits; for joint filers, taxation starts at $32,000. At this level, the IRS can tax up to 50 percent of Social Security retir

The Air National Guard is one of several units of the United States military. Air National Guardsmen are only called up occasionally, and generally spend their time training and drilling for service. It's a part-time position, so most guardsmen serve in addition to their regular job. They must parti

Every state in the United States must offer food assistance benefits to low-income residents. Oregon follows federal guidelines for determining food stamp eligibility. Low-income residents of Oregon may apply for food stamps through the Department of Human Services and begin receiving benefits for t

If you keep track of your money, consider beginning to track your finances today. This article contains useful information that will help you gain the upper hand on your finances. Stop buying certain brands and ...

The U.S. Census Bureau projects that in 2011, 183 million Americans will carry 1.2 billion credit cards with which they will make over $20 billion in purchases. A report from the Federal Reserve Board in 2001 noted that 60 percent of complaints received involved credit cards, and the principle compl

Making just a few changes can make your home more energy-efficient saving you money every month.