Personal Finance Advice | Banking, Credit Cards, Insurance, Loans, Phone and more

Public adjusters: When and why you might hire one

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 09:45:35 PST

The National Association of Public Insurance Adjusters (NAPIA) identifies public adjusters as experts on property loss adjustment. They are retained by policy holders in order to provide assistance in the preparation, filing and adjustment of insurance claims.

Credit card industry changes to the remainder of 2010

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 10:23:51 PST

The CARD Act has generated many changes for credit cards and cardholder accounts. Credit card industry changes in the remainder of the year should include increased fees, fewer rewards, harder approvals, and higher rates.

Mortgage rates fall to another new low

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 09:21:12 PST

First, the good news: Mortgage rates are at all-time lows. The bad news: The housing market is still severely depressed. This apparent conflict is real and, unfortunately, understandable.

What you need to know about recent overdraft protection changes

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 09:01:39 PST

Beginning July 1, 2010 for new accounts and August 15, 2010 for existing depositors, banks will no longer offer automatic overdraft protection for ATM and debit cards.

Pros and cons of each type of equity financing

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 09:44:28 PST

A home is perhaps the biggest investment anyone can make in his or her lifetime. Investing in a home can tie up a large portion of a homeowner's funds to the point where he or she may not have much left to utilize now or in the near future.

Factors that can increase your car insurance premium

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 10:46:04 PST

Several factors can influence how much a driver pays for his or her car insurance coverage. These factors include, but are not limited to, the no-claims discount, age, gender, storage of the vehicle and more.

Future effects of the CARD Act

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 09:53:38 PST

What are the potential future effects of the CARD Act for consumers? Debate rages about the future effects of the CARD Act and whether it will really help consumers or result in credit limit restrictions.

Will mortgage rates increase or decrease in 2010?

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 10:43:35 PST

Predicting mortgage rates is difficult, even for experienced observers. Some financial components indicate a potential mortgage rate increase in 2010, but the real-estate industry and the government want to keep rates low.

Ten things to know about business insurance

Tue, 06 Jul 2010 15:42:02 PST

To create the best business insurance package, learn about available coverage, compare quotes, and be careful to include protection for all potential areas of loss.

Home insurance and natural disasters

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 08:47:07 PST

In many cases, insurance rates reflect some fallout from insurer payouts from natural disasters. The insured must either accept these changes as inevitable or diligently search for other insurance providers who may have suffered fewer losses.

Banking industry changes to expect in 2010

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 07:51:54 PST

The predicted banking industry changes for the remainder of 2010 are not all negative. Expect changes in bank products and services, home loans and other areas of personal banking. Some of the more important changes include the following items.

Five things you may not know about the CARD Act

Mon, 07 Jun 2010 10:18:07 PST

Among the lesser known features of the Credit CARD Act are limitations on penalties and fees, consistent payment due dates, double cycle billing elimination, young people protection, and subprime card fees.

Advantages of prepaid cell phone plans

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 08:49:01 PST

Many people love the convenience and safety that a cell phone can provide, but they do not love the monthly cell phone bill. Prepaid cell phone plans can be the perfect choice for those who only use their cell phones occasionally.

When will deposit rates go up again?

Mon, 24 May 2010 07:56:56 PST

Savings rates are influenced by competition, loan rates, inflation, deposit dollar volume, global economy conditions, supply and demand, and the Fed. Identifying these components can help you plan to maximize your deposit dollars.

Breakdown of home buyer tax credits

Mon, 17 May 2010 09:25:10 PST

The extension for the new home buyer tax credit expired on April 30, 2010, and has not been renewed to date. Here's a breakdown of how the tax credits worked and what might follow the tax credit expiration.

Do low bank rates make life insurance a better investment?

Mon, 10 May 2010 08:52:19 PST

Historically, bank interest rates have consistently outperformed the earnings from whole life insurance policies. But unless curremt market rates increase, life insurance accounts should remain a competitive alternative investment to savings accounts.

Think twice before you call about a claim

Mon, 03 May 2010 09:47:48 PST

Owning home insurance gives you the assurance that everything is covered. If something goes wrong, you can call the given number and file a claim. Hold it right there. Before you get the insurance company involved, you need to know something very important about claims.

How much life insurance do you really need?

Mon, 26 Apr 2010 10:00:06 PST

Oftentimes, when expenses of the family rise, life insurance is often one of the first things to go - but should it be? Do you really need it? Here are some ways you can determine not only why it is important to have - but also how to figure out how much life insurance you need.

The 5 most important elements of the CARD Act

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 09:54:50 PST

The CARD Act is not perfect. Has there ever been a perfect piece of legislation? Probably not. The purpose of the Act is laudable, and the important provisions are valuable. Here are the five most important provisions of the CARD Act.

FDIC Insurance - What you need to know

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 09:30:45 PST

Because of its 75-year history of protecting every depositor's accounts, its strong insurance fund, and its close monitoring of all insured U.S. banks, the FDIC enjoys little risk. That means U.S. bank depositors also face very low risk.