Over the years I have addressed the issue of whether or not to pay off your mortgage early numerous times. It seems the decision to do so, not to not do so, is very much like most financial decisions – … Continue reading →

Is now the perfect time to refinance our mortgage? Some experts seem to think so. We plan to pay off our mortgage early, so I’m not sure it makes sense in our situation. However, if you have a rate over 5.5% or so, it might make sense for you to ...

I’m often asked if a particular kind of debt is a good debt or a bad debt. That question is usually followed up by questions like, “Should I pay off my debt or invest?” Anyone in debt at one time or another has faced this same dilemma, but the answer ...

In uncertain financial times like these, we all tend to focus more sharply on money matters. This is actually good news, because this new focus can help us educate ourselves and develop healthier financial habits for the future. One question that comes up frequently in analyzing personal finances is, should ...

Earlier this week, I read the thought-provoking post at Get Rich Slowly, What Is Retirement? J.D. wrote about a recent camping experience with a few buddies and shared some of their conversation on the subject of retirement. One of the friends pointed out that he already thought of J.D. as ...

For some, the idea of walking away from a mortgage presents quite a moral dilemma. Others feel duty-bound to fulfill their contractual obligation to continue making payments to the lender, regardless of how much (or how little) their home is worth. Personally, I believe if one has the ability to pay ...

The following guest post is by Robert Stretch. Robert works in the marketing department of VA Mortgage Center.com, America’s Number One Dedicated VA lender.VA Mortgage Center.com helped over 500,000 families find their dream homes in conjunction with the VA home loan program in 2009. If you’re like most people, buying your ...

One of the most frequent questions I see popping up these days is whether or not we should continue to invest in stocks, or pay off our mortgages early? There are many factors driving the urgency behind this question. The down economy, and endless talks of deficit spending, national debt, ...

I was recently fortunate enough to have the opportunity to interview Dale Siegel, author of The New Rules for Mortgages. We exchanged emails in a Q&A format on the subject of mortgages, the housing market, etc. Here are her responses to my questions. Lending Guidelines Frugal Dad: Lenders used to operate under ...

We are still in the midst of what most would consider a great time to buy a house. Benefits are plenty for first time home buyers and those looking to trade up alike, including sizable tax credits and low interest rates. I personally know a number of people currently renting ...