Making Retirement Income Working your Dream Job

June 10th, 2010

Author: Alena Smith

Many retirees are living healthier, longer lives, and that means retirement isn’t quite what it used to be. Retirement has long been defined as an end of an era; a closing chapter in one’s life. But today’s retirees are more active and seeking to redefine retirement as the start of a new chapter – the beginning of the rest of their lives. Today’s generation of baby-boomers is not only finding the time to pursue their dream jobs in retirement, but have found that they can continue to make a good amount of retirement income in doing so. This is one of the top tips when it comes to earning income for retirement; follow your dreams. Read the rest of this entry »

What to Bring with You to a Property Tax Attorney

June 4th, 2010

When you schedule an appointment with a property tax attorney, you need to go to his office prepared. If you do not take along all the necessary documents and information, your first visit may be a waste of time and money, necessitating a return trip with added fees. When you call the property tax attorney, you need to give your full name, property address, and how to contact you if needed. Being prepared is very important when dealing with any tax information. Read the rest of this entry »

Using a Property Tax Attorney

June 3rd, 2010

If you are concerned about any of the statements on your property tax bill–especially the property tax assessment value–you might want to consult with a property tax attorney. Although you can do the process yourself, you may feel overwhelmed by the legalities and find it necessary to have help. You can look in your local phone book under the attorney’s ad and look for a lawyer that specializes in property taxes. You may need to talk to a few attorneys before you find the one that can help with your case. Read the rest of this entry »

The Stages of the Property Tax Appeal Process

June 1st, 2010

There are several steps for the property tax appeal process. The first step is to determine if you are receiving a higher assessment than what you believe the property could sell for in this period. If you feel the assessed value is high, you can then take the first step towards appealing the tax bill. If you do not succeed on the first level, you have two other levels to appeal to before taking the final step in a courtroom. Read the rest of this entry »

What Really Affects Your Property Taxes

May 28th, 2010

The first thing that affects your property taxes is the spending habits of your school district, other taxing districts, county and city. If the school district has big plans for renovations, new computers, raises in salary or anything else pertaining to the school district, you may see an increase in property taxes to support their spending. Keep in mind that there is a point when the state draws a line on how much can be charged to your property taxes. Many school districts have to find other means to accomplish everything on their agenda because they are only allowed so much money from taxes. Read the rest of this entry »

What Is Included In Personal Property Tax

May 27th, 2010

Property tax and personal property tax is different because the property tax deals with the building and land. Personal property tax deals with vehicles, boats, planes motorcycles and other motor vehicles. Any type of artwork is subject to personal property tax. If you have a business, any of the inventories is subject to personal property tax as well as bonds or any stocks. The only thing not subject to tax is household goods or personal belongings. The state, rather than the community, governments more commonly do personal property taxes. This, however, may be different from state to state. Read the rest of this entry »

Understanding Your Property Tax Bill

May 26th, 2010

Taxes tend to be one of those “thorn in the side” issues and property taxes are no exception.  We’re going to focus the next few blog entries around things that can help relieve some of that pain. We’ll start by making sure that we are all on the same sheet of music. The first thing to understand about your property tax bill is the terminology. Many people look at the tax bill and see a bunch of numbers that have no meaning to them. In reality, they do have a special meaning to the property owner. If you do not understand what the sections on your property tax bill mean, you might not know if this bill is correct or not. Here are some terms that you need to understand when looking at the tax bill. Read the rest of this entry »

Does It Make Sense to Get Into The Market for Troubled Homes?

May 24th, 2010

In March, RealtyTrac, a leading online market for foreclosure properties, reported that February 2010 foreclosures were actually down 2 percent from the previous month.

Yet, RealtyTrac indicates this break might not last long.  Even though the 6 percent year-to-year increase in February foreclosures was “the smallest annual increase” RealtyTrac recorded in 50 straight months, it believes that current foreclosure prevention programs and processing delays are keeping a lid on the numbers. If those programs end and processing glitches lift without an upswing in the economy or job market, or the foreclosure could accelerate. Read the rest of this entry »

Adult Children with Nest Eggs Can Create Private Low-Cost Reverse Mortgages for Their Parents

May 20th, 2010

Parents typically don’t like to burden their kids with their financial problems. That hesitancy can sometimes lead seniors to choose financial solutions that charge high fees and often don’t deliver what they promise.

Reverse mortgages – advertised so frequently on TV and other media  have become a major attraction for people over the age of 62 who need to pay medical bills or otherwise have a need for cash. They are perfectly legal transactions under the law – they are called “reverse” mortgages because of the way they work. Instead of the borrower making payments to the lender, the lender releases equity to the borrower in a lump sum or monthly cash payment, or as a line of credit. Read the rest of this entry »

Options to Consider Before Bankruptcy

May 4th, 2010

Debt has become a MAJOR factor in the lives of many people.  Getting out of debt is rapidly becoming an essential endeavor and is being undertaken by many in today’s economy.  But, in some cases, bankruptcy may be the only option.  We wanted to give you some things to try before you attempt to take that big step and claim bankruptcy.  In some cases, there are options to eliminate some of your bad debts in a more suitable manner. Read the rest of this entry »