Debt and Debtor's Disease - Do You Have It?
Debtor's disease is a silent killer. Killer of respect, marriages, self control, and families. There isn't a part of your life that it won't touch and destroy with it's deadly power. Some of you won't even know you have it for many, many years. It's a sneaky affliction; creeping into your ... more...

Tax Reform, My Way
We need real tax reform and we need it now. Previous attempts have been made at tax reform, but they have only provided band-aid solutions that have still left us with too many quirks, complication, and read tape. There are several things Congress could do to simply the tax system and benefit the ... more...

Buying a Home with Zero Down Payment in Irvine, CA
Years ago, the only person that could buy a home in Irvine with zero down payment using a new purchase money loan were Veterans of War (called a VA loan). In the past several years, there has been an explosion of new loan programs designed to fit most any buyers circumstances. Today, most anyone ... more...

Creating a Financial Future - Putting Your Plan Into Action Part 1
This column has previously discussed picturing the future that we desire, and outlining a plan to achieve it. We mentioned that the plan must include goal-setting, measurement, and implementation. That implementation is this columns focus.Putting the plan into action is what implementation is all ... more...

How Tax Deductions Work
Many people know that the interest paid on a mortgage is deductible on their income taxes. But they don't understand how it really works.When you understand the way a tax deduction works, you should be able to estimate the amount of tax relief you would receive from owning your own home and paying ... more...

Creative College Financing-The HELOC and the 529 Plan
Since HELOCs are excellent tools for handling irregular expenses, it makes sense that lots of people are turning to them to provide additional cash for college. Usually a student applies for as much scholarship, grant or student loan money as he/she is eligible, then the parent will make up the ... more...

How To Get a Mortgage If You're Self-Employed
If you are self-employed, work on a contract basis, or have an income that is irregular or comes from multiple sources, it will generally be harder for you to get a mortgage than it is for someone who is an employee and can easily prove their income.A self-employed person is someone who runs their ... more...

Unravelling The Real Estate Buying Process in Canada
If youre a foreign national thinking about investing in the real estate market in Canada heres a run down of the typical buying process you should expect to encounter together with a general explanation of mortgages available to assist with the purchase.First things first though, you have to find ... more...

Financing Multifamily Rental Housing
Given the rising costs of homeownership, multifamily dwellingsincluding rental apartmentsincreasingly represent an accepted alternative to the detached single-family house. Lending on apartment security combines the skills of the residential lender with those of the income-property lender. ... more...