My Favorite Financial Tools That I Use

For the past few months or so, I have been trying to compile a list of all the resources that I use and would recommend to others. I have written here on Money Q&A that I’m a huge fan of Lending Club. These are my favorite financial tools that I used. I’ve been investing in peer-to-peer lending notes for years now. Sometimes I have picked poorly, but lately, I am on a tear earning over 10% annually thanks to a safer more conservative portfolio of A and B rated loans. I’ve also been investing with Betterment.com now for over six months, and I have been really impressed with there services. I joined right as the market was rebounding last October, and … Read more

Reader’s Question: What Is The Savers Tax Credit?

Here is the next installment in our the Reader’s Questions Series which highlight questions emailed to me by you, the readers of Money Q&A. Be sure to find out at the end of this article how you can receive a free copy of Dave Ramsey’s book, The Total Money Makeover if your money question is chosen to be featured on a future week’s blog post. If you’re not familiar with Dave Ramsey’s book, you should run right out and get it. It is one of my top ten best personal finance books that everyone should read. Now….on to our reader’s question.

What is the tax credit for investing in a Roth? And, how do I claim my Roth contributions on my taxes especially if I have already filed my taxes for this year?

What Is The Tax Credit For Investing In A Roth IRA?

Tax Credit - Savers Credit It is called the Savers Credit. It used to be called the Retirement Savings Contributions Credit. Tax credits provide refundable credits that offset your taxable income. Tax credits are different than tax deductions. Tax deductions reduce your taxable income.

Tax credits reduce your taxes typically in a dollar for dollar fashion and can be very specific on who qualifies, what events trigger it and can even be a one-year event that benefits people. The beauty of tax credits is that you do not have to have a taxable income in most cases to earn the benefits or the tax credit also simply just add to your income tax refund.

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Reader’s Question: Should You Pay Your Mortgage Off First or Invest for Retirement?

Understanding The Types Of Mortgages Available To Save You Money

Here is the next installment in our the Reader’s Questions Series which highlight questions emailed to me by you, the readers of Money Q&A. This one deals with whether you should pay your mortgage off first or invest for retirement. Be sure to find out at the end of this article how you can receive a free copy of Dave Ramsey’s book, The Total Money Makeover if your money question is chosen to be featured in an upcoming blog post. If you’re not familiar with Dave Ramsey’s book, you should run right out and get it. It is one of the best personal finance books that everyone should read. Now….on to our reader’s question. Should you follow Dave Ramsey’s baby steps to the letter? Or, can you switch … Read more

Top 10 Things I Learned About Renting My House

How To Evaluate The Rate Of Return On Rental Property

Getting your house ready to rent is a lot like getting it ready to sell. There are several things that I have learned about renting my house along the way that have greatly helped speed up the process. And, there were a few stumbling blocks too that could have tripped me up getting my house ready to rent. Here are ten lessons that I learned about renting out my house and hopefully it will help you as well. Ten Things I Learned About Renting My House First Impressions Matter The other day we were surprised with a tree that fell down in our yard and a call from the property manager that a guy wanted to come by and look … Read more

Car Salesmen Tricks They Do Not Want You To Know

Car Salesmen Tricks They Do Not Want You To Know

Car Salesmen Tricks They Do Not Want You To KnowAs a car buyer, you are typically at a significant disadvantage when it comes to understanding the process and how the car dealership earns money. When you purchase items at the grocery store or most other retailers, you understand at the buyer how the store earns a profit. They purchase items at wholesale and then resell those items at a higher price to the consumer taking into account their overhead and needed profit margin. But, do you know the car salesmen tricks they use to earn a profit?

But, things are a little different at the car dealership where there are many car salesmen tricks to squeeze you out of more money. There are so many other factors that go into their business model such as financing, your trade-in, holding inventory, loans from their bank, and a host of other things that are combined into how they price their cars and what price they ultimately sell them for.

My wife and I are considering buying a new car, and I dread it. I always feel like I’m getting taken advantage of by the car salesman and the dealership. Understanding more about the behind the scenes of a car lot arms you with more knowledge, better pricing power, and a chance of earning a fair deal. Here are some things behind the veil about car dealerships you may not know.

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