Five Ways To Prevent Damage To Your Home This Year

A well built home is a sturdy structure that can withstand even high winds and pounding rain. This does not mean that a house is bullet proof, and a thoughtful owner will find ways to protect one of life's most significant investments. Simple exterior features and owner strategies can prevent property damage that would be much more expensive to repair. 

Make Sure the Roof is in Excellent Condition

The only materials designed to repel water are the roof and the exterior walls. Everything inside the house, from floor wood to drywall, can absorb water and quickly ruin. Heavy rain can penetrate imperfect tiling or metal sheeting, so it pays to have the current roof inspected for damage or unprofessional workmanship. Roofs are expensive to repair, but the interior is much more so.

Install Shutters on Hinges

The shutters on most houses are just exterior features that look like shutters that can be drawn against a glass window. The real deal can completely cover a window in the event of a storm and can also protect the interior from harsh sunlight. Having shutters mounted to the outside is a simple way to prepare for a storm while contributing to heating efficiency.

Install a Storm Door

Any outside door can be covered with a second door that is solid and might have metal bars. This feature can absorb a blow from flying debris and also increase the safety and thermal efficiency of a home. Metal doors tend to waste heat and leak cold air.

Trim Overhanging Limbs

Not all solutions require an installation. It takes very high winds to send an object flying more than ten feet, and most projectiles will com from the owner's yard. Tree limbs close to the house are a prime candidate. A house can be protect by keeping nearby trees and hedges pruned. Big limbs hanging over a roof should be cut back entirely.

Install More Solid Gutters to Prevent Leaks

Ordinary gutters are installed in sections for convenience. A technique called a seamless gutter rolls one long gutter from a single sheet of steel. The advantage is a precise fit and being able to avoid sections. Gutters are loose at the sections, and winds can knock them separate. This reduces drainage or can cause drainage against the wall. Colorado Seamless Gutters, Inc. is one company that specializes in this little known service.

As a whole, a property can cost over a hundred thousand dollars. It is the largest asset for many people and represents a lifetime investment. Fixes range from inexpensive to a few thousand dollars, but all can pay for themselves many times over.

Six Ways to Prepare your Family Financially for Retirement

Every family does what it can to financially prepare for retirement. As you prepare to enjoy your golden years, there are things you and your family can do to make sure that the necessary financial resources are available. 

Move Your Retirement Account To Something More Stable

For years, you have allowed your retirement account at work to remain aggressive and build as much value as possible. As you hit the home stretch and are preparing to use that retirement account, you will want to move your investment options to more conservative choices to make sure that you do not lose value in your account. Now is not the time to make risky high return investments. Stick with safer more stable accounts.

Pay Off Your Home

By paying off your mortgage before you retire, you will eliminate that expensive monthly payment and you will open up the equity in your home. If you ever need to borrow money for any reason during your retirement, your home's equity makes an excellent borrowing option.

Buy Long Term Care Insurance

The long term care insurance Spokane residents use helps to supplement any other kind of health insurance that your family may have. It is difficult to predict what kinds of health insurance resources you will have when you retire, and you also never know what kinds of health care costs you will incur. Long term care insurance helps to preserve your retirement savings by providing the care you need later in life.

Look Into Health Care Options

Along with long term care insurance, you will also need a general health insurance policy to cover your healthcare costs after retirement. Always purchase the most complete health insurance coverage you can to help save money as your care needs get more expensive. For example, Medicare offers several supplement options that will help pay for the costs that basic Medicare insurance does not cover. Without these supplements, your out of pocket costs could have a significant negative effect on your finances especially if you require complex prescriptions or anything else not covered in the standard plan.

Pay Off Your Credit Cards

Most retirees live on a fixed incomes that can make it difficult to live if they rack up credit card bills. Pay off your credit cards before retirement and get rid of all of your cards but one. If you can't pay for it in cash when you retire, then you shouldn't have it. Living on a fixed income requires a well planned budget and you won't have room for extra credit card bills in that budget. 

Get Life Insurance

If you do not have life insurance, then get some before you retire. The last thing you want to do is saddle your family with a tremendous financial burden when you pass away. If you have a mortgage or children in college, this is a must.

Planning for retirement is exciting, but it is also a tremendous responsibility. Make sure that your accounts are in order before you retire so that you and your family can enjoy the plans you have made. The sooner you start saving and planning, the easier it will be once you actually retire.

5 Things to Consider Before Applying for a Car Title Loan

Car Title Loan Reflection (Photo credit: Jeremy Brooks)

While your car may not precisely be deemed an asset because of how quickly it loses value, it does have some amount of value as collateral, so long as it's in good, running condition. And this means you can use it to secure a car title loan, whereby you can get the money you need (or a portion of it, at least) based on the estimated value of your vehicle, amongst other criteria. 

Of course, you will have to hold your car title (as in, own it outright), you'll probably need full coverage insurance, you'll need to provide proof of employment, and you might even have to offer references (and deal with the embarrassment of having a car title lender calling your family and friends). 

But once you've filled out a mound of paperwork you're all set, supposing you pass the background checks. The thing is, unless you're really desperate for cash and you'll find yourself in dire straits without it, a car title loan may not be your best option due to the astronomical interest rates you'll end up paying and the fact that your car will be seized should you fail to pay in a timely manner. 

Here are just a few things you'll want to consider before you sign on the dotted line.

1. Why you want the money. This is important. If you are so strapped for cash that you're going to, say, lose your home if you're unable to pay the mortgage, then virtually trading in your car for your house (at least temporarily) could allow you to stay in your home until your ship comes in. But if you're using the money to take a vacation, buy holiday gifts, or otherwise spend on things you simply don't need, you should check yourself and take a long, hard look at your choices. Living beyond your means is going to catch up to you eventually, and the result, if you get a car title loan for unnecessary expenditures, could be that you end up losing your car.

2. Your credit score. Car title loans are generally reserved for those who don't have the option of opening a home equity line, taking out a personal loan from the bank, or otherwise securing the funds they need. Unfortunately, the fact that you've exhausted other options doesn't mean you're going to get a car title loan without a decent credit rating. If you pose too great a risk where repayment is concerned, you're simply not going to qualify, even with your car as collateral.

3. The value of your car. If your car is more than a few years old, damaged, or undesirable in some way that has depreciated the value, your chances of getting a car title loan are probably pretty slim. The main thing required for this type of collateral is value, and this is generally based on the Kelley Blue Book estimate, as well as a visual inspection by the lender. And don't expect to get more than half the agreed-upon value of your car when you take out this type of loan (as it will continue to depreciate while you pay off the amount borrowed).

4. Alternative options. There are all kinds of alternatives to taking out a car title loan, such as borrowing from family members, opening a home equity line, selling valuables, or perhaps even applying for a personal loan. So before you put your car up as collateral and agree to pay an exorbitant interest rate, try absolutely every other avenue available to you.

5. Comparison shopping. If you've decided that a car title loan is the only feasible option for getting the money you desperately need, it's important to comparison shop in order to ensure you get the most money, the lowest interest rate, and the best terms overall. In case you didn't know, there are many lenders to choose from, and you can get a title loan online, as well. You're the one who will have to pay, so make sure you do your homework and find the best possible deal.

What Are The Alternatives To Savings Accounts?

Have you taken a look at how much interest you get on your savings account recently? If you have, the chances are that you are feeling pretty depressed. If you are very lucky, you may be earning over 1%, but the chances are you are getting considerably less. At these rates, you are actually losing money when you take inflation into account. There has to be some other way that delivers better returns.

Actually, if you are looking for a zero-risk investment – one that is federally insured – then you are going to struggle to find many other alternatives. For example, a certificates of deposit (CD) used to be quite an attractive investment. However, when you consider how Fed policy suppresses CD rates now, you are still only likely to earn around 1%. You may add a little bit more if you’re willing to make a long-term commitment – say 5 or 10 years – but locking up your money for that period of time may not be a good idea given that interest rates are at historic lows.

Another risk-free investment is treasury bonds. Provided that you are willing to make a long-term commitment, you can get 2.75% for a 10-year bond and 3.75% for a 30-year bond right now – which is a better rate than you would get with a savings account or a CD. However, the same issue applies as with CDs – you are locking up your cash for a long period of time. Actually, you can sell treasury bonds after you have bought them, so your money isn’t completely tied up. However, you are only guaranteed to get back your principal – the amount that you paid for the bond originally – when it expires. If you sell before that and interest rates go up – which is quite likely – then other investors will only buy your bond for a discounted price.

If you are willing to take a little more risk, then corporate bonds may be a better option than treasury bonds. You are likely to get a better rate, and your investment is still fairly secure provided that you buy bonds from blue-chip companies. However, remember that no corporate investment is completely secure – for example, General Motors went into bankruptcy in 2009, and IBM nearly went broke in 1993. As a minimum, try to invest in companies that have at least an AA rating, and steer clear of junk bonds entirely, unless you can take the risk.

As an alternative to corporate bonds, you could put your money into dividend-paying stocks. With these, the dividend can reach as high as 6% per year of the cash that you have invested. For example, AT&T is currently running at around 5.2%, and Verizon is at approximately 4.2%. However, remember that unlike corporate bonds, you have no guarantee that you are going to get your principal back in the future. You are exposed to ups and downs in the stock market, and while high-quality stocks tend to go up over time, you cannot automatically assume this is going to be the case. Furthermore, dividends are tied to earnings, so they are not guaranteed either.

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Taking The Burden Off Your Kids: 5 Saving Tips For Your Golden Years

Most people do not look forward to getting older as there are many changes that accompany getting to our so-called golden years. For instance, the children that seniors once cared for frequently have to take care of their parents as they age. Here are some tips that can help take some of the financial burden off of children. Saving for a good retirement is something that people both young and old and start to focus on to make for a better life and truly make their final years golden.

1. Take Advantage of Discounts

Ben Franklin once quipped that "a penny saved is a penny earned." There are many opportunities for senior citizens to save money through senior discounts. Every penny saved is one penny that a senior or his or her children do not have to spend at a later date. Many grocery and restaurant chains offer discounts that sometimes start as early as AARP eligibility at age 50. These are definitely worth looking into.

2. Cash in on Travel Rewards

Many seniors live at some distance from their adult children and grandchildren. Most of these elders will want to visit with family at some point during the year. Rather than having children foot the bill for travel, seniors can sign up for frequent flyer accounts and hotel rewards programs that can pay off in free flights or free hotel stays. The reduced cost of travel can fit a retired senior's schedule much easier than a working child.

3. Downsize

The American Dream for a large segment of society includes owning a large home. After a couple begins to experience an empty nest, there is no longer a need for 4,000 square feet of living space. One of the best ways to free up some additional cash during retirement can come from downsizing. A two- or three-bedroom home will probably suffice for most retirees. Getting rid of a five- or six-bedroom house can be a great move to reduce financial burdens later in life.

4. Look into Assisted Living

Many children feel obligated to take care of their aging parents. These same adult children will frequently need to be a part of a two-income household just to make ends meet. Getting into an assisted living environment can provide for some of the care that a senior needs while also allowing children to continue working. However, you can plan ahead and avoid ending up somewhere you don't like. Looking into assisted living in Clermont FL and other warm weather locales is often preferable.

5. Set up an HSA

When getting closer to retirement age, a good idea is setting up a Health Savings Account. These accounts can pay for some of the routine medical expenses that Medicare might not cover, and this can help take a big burden off of children.

There are many ways for senior citizens to save their adult children some stress. Whether it is looking into assisted living or cashing in frequent flyer miles for a visit, these tips can save money for seniors, and they can also help lessen the financial and psychological burden that their children might feel.

Money Management Tips for Seniors

When it comes to senor money management, there are a few important aspects to keep in mind, since older individuals often have to have a different approach to spending and managing money. While some people start saving for their retirement immediately after they start their first job, others wait until they only have a few years left before they start saving for their retirement.

In order to have enough for your retirement you need to calculate your current lifestyle requirements; you need to maintain at least 70% to 80% of your current working income. However, you might outlive your income or you might not have time to save enough to maintain your lifestyle. Retirement experts believe that you should not use more than 5% of your savings every year, should you need it, so that you don’t run into trouble when it comes to retirement time.

Consider Health Care Expenses

Healthcare expenses can make out a huge part of your retirement savings, especially if you have a chronic illness or an unforeseen accident. Ensuring that you have a proper medical aid plan can make this much easier to manage, which is why you need to consider medical coverage early on in your career.

Consider things like Medicare Savings Programs where you can reduce your co-payments and save money in the process. There are four different programs to read about, so you can choose the one that suits you best. Each of these programs has different income limits so you can compare them to see which one will suit you. 

Daily Money Management

Senior citizens can benefit from daily money management (DMM) services as this will allow them to have someone take care of their bookkeeping requirements. This can include writing checks for bills to be paid, keeping records of all payments made and received. This will give the individual, as well as their families, peace of mind, knowing that bills are paid and that money is not wasted on unnecessary purchases.

Money management and retirement savings don’t have to be difficult to manage. You can get help from a licensed financial advisor to guide you throughout this process, which is a great help for many individuals. Always make sure that you verify these individuals, though, to ensure that they have the skills and experience necessary to handle your finances and give you professional, practical advice. 

There are a few other aspects to consider:

• Senior discounts. Many retailers are happy to offer senior discounts on specific days of the week or month.
• Community service. Some senior programs provide payment for services, so you can get paid for giving back.
• Stay at home. If you own a home, it’s a huge asset. Stay there and save money on old age homes where possible. 

Saving for your retirement is just as important as properly managing your finances when you are retired. With a few tips and clever choices you can make sure that you live a comfortable life after retirement. It’s a good idea to work with a financial planner if you are still in the early stages of saving for retirement, making it easier to make the right decisions and know how much money to save.

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