June 2009

3 Money Reasons to Buy a New Car – Tax Deductions, Used CAR Trade-In Vouchers and Electric-Hybrid Credits

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If you are in the market to buy a new car or just looking for a reason to upgrade your existing car, then you could not have picked a better time than now. Apart from local and foreign automakers desperately cutting prices to stay in business or to revive flagging sales, the US government is [...]

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No Second or New Economic Stimulus Package in 2009. But More than Likely in 2010 or 2011.

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President Barack Obama said recently that a second [multi-billion] economic stimulus package isn’t needed yet, though he expects the U.S. economy and unemployment to worsen this year. He also acknowledged that due to worse than expected economic factors, initial forecasts from his administration missed the mark. The original $787 billion stimulus bill was rushed through [...]

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Managing Across the Risk Spectrum – Choosing the Right Investment Portfolio Allocation Based on Age and Market Conditions

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While reviewing and updating my 401K allocations at Fidelity, I noticed this relatively common graphic showing portfolio mixes (allocations) based on an investor’s risk profile. Generally speaking most financial advisers and traditional market wisdom tell you that your portfolio allocation should be based on your age, which determines the duration of your investment. The younger [...]

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Negotiating Down Your Credit Card Debt by Half or More

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A strange phenomenon is taking place – credit card companies are willing to really negotiate on how much you repay of your overdue debt. With revolving credit, a close approximation of credit card debt, totaling $939.6 billion in March of which 6.5 percent was at least 30 days past due in the first quarter, banks [...]

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Got a Headache Yet? If Not, Then Get a Mortgage and Buy a Home!

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I just completed my first home purchase – a long and challenging journey that eventually had a happy ending. I have few regrets in becoming a home owner, but little did I realize that when I started my home buying journey a few months ago that things would be as difficult and meandering as they [...]

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High Yield, Money Market Account Savings and Mortgage Rates Rising

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Rates on all things financial are heading up. This is good news for some and bad news for others. Savings rates on high interest savings and money market accounts are up after falling to multi-year lows. However on the flip side, new home buyers or those looking to refinance are seeing mortgage interest rates rise [...]

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Apple Stock Soaring – A new iPhone and Media Tablet in the Works makes the Stock worth Buying

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The recent run up in Apple stock (AAPL) over the last three months has made me one happy stock holder indeed. My ill fated and much disparaged purchase last year (see comments) of the stock at $180+ had many saying that I was crazy to buy. I always had a long term view of Apple, [...]

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Outside of Detroit does anyone care that US Automakers GM and Chrysler are now Bankrupt

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Bloomberg, along with the WSJ, bring us an interesting viewpoint on the US automakers path down bankruptcy and the debate on who really cares. Living outside Detroit, I do feel sorry for the personal and financial tragedy that many are facing due to the bankruptcy of the automakers, but from a national/investment standpoint I am [...]

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