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	<title>Finance articles and news &#187; Personal Finance</title>
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	<description>The comprehensive blog on finance articles and news. Latest USA and worldwide finance articles and news.</description>
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		<title>When You Owe Too Much Money And Just Can’t Pay</title>
		<link>http://blog.yourfinancelink.com/2010/06/when-you-owe-too-much-money-and-just-can%e2%80%99t-pay/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.yourfinancelink.com/2010/06/when-you-owe-too-much-money-and-just-can%e2%80%99t-pay/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 21 Jun 2010 17:35:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Personal Finance]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[***
Debt can be a tiring problem that weighs you down and affects your personal life greatly. But what if you have tapped into all of your resources and still can not free up enough money to start repaying your debts in a major way? You still have alternative. Maybe it is time to think about [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>***
<p>Debt can be a tiring problem that weighs you down and affects your personal life greatly. But what if you have tapped into all of your resources and still can not free up enough money to start repaying your debts in a major way? You still have alternative. Maybe it is time to think about the big things in your life- private schools, your house, and your cars. Are these things truly a necessity? Another option you have is to go through your house and your things and see if there is anything of value to sell. You can go after more money at your current job, or by taking on a second one. And there are still other alternatives yet. Credit counseling and bankruptcy are always available, but you are not there yet, so for now, take a deep breath and determine what you can accomplish on your own.</p>
<p>If you are a parent with kids that go to private school, think about moving them from private to public. For mothers and fathers, the notion of moving their children from one school to another can be overwhelming. If this is not something that you as a parent are willing to do, you can always see about applying for financial assistance from your current school.</p>
<p>It is also a possibility that your living environment is sabotaging your capacity to make ends meet. Just last decade, we were fearful that if we didn&#8217;t buy at the very moment that we would be priced out of the only neighborhood we desired to live in. It is a difficult choice, but it very well might be that selling your home is a choice that you have to consider. Trading down &#8211; switching a larger house for something more manageable and less expensive can be an alternative, but you also might want to consider renting for a while. Bear in mind that if you can keep the cost of moving low, renting will save you the cost of homeowner&#8217;s insurance. (Renter&#8217;s insurance is much cheaper.) Other things you will save on include yard care, and commuting costs if you can find the right location to rent from.</p>
<p>If you can wrap your head around it, there is probably another, less expensive way for you to get back and forth to work each day. Think about it. Could you get by without a car for a bit? Not only would it save you the expenses of paying for the car itself, and it&#8217;s upkeep (oil changes, repairs etc) but factor in gasoline, auto insurance and parking. And if you feel as though you cannot go without a car, what about trading in your expensive car for one that runs just fine but is used?</p>
<p>Oftentimes, thinking outside of the box is all that it takes to get yourself out of a difficult situation. If you approach your situation with a calm and open mind, you may find that the solution comes easier to you than you ever thought possible.</p>
<p>Mallory Megan works for <noindex><a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://blog.yourfinancelink.com/goto/http://www.linkedin.com/companies/rapid-recovery-solution-inc.?trk=ppro_cprof&#038;lnk=vw_cprofile" >Rapid Recovery Solution</a></noindex> and writes articles about national <noindex><a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://blog.yourfinancelink.com/goto/http://www.rapidrecoverysolution.com" >collection agencies</a></noindex></p>
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<div style='margin: 4px; float: none;'><left><p class='linktext'>source to this post: <a href="http://blog.yourfinancelink.com/2010/06/when-you-owe-too-much-money-and-just-can%e2%80%99t-pay/" title='When You Owe Too Much Money And Just Can’t Pay' >When You Owe Too Much Money And Just Can’t Pay</a><br>From the <a href="http://blog.yourfinancelink.com" >Finance articles and news</a> website</div></p></left>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>How The Mortgage Relief Act Can Help You In These Tough Times</title>
		<link>http://blog.yourfinancelink.com/2010/06/how-the-mortgage-relief-act-can-help-you-in-these-tough-times/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.yourfinancelink.com/2010/06/how-the-mortgage-relief-act-can-help-you-in-these-tough-times/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 19 Jun 2010 17:00:02 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Personal Finance]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[***
With housing price around the country dropping like a rock. And credit being tight. Many home owners are finding it hard to meet those mortgage payments. A lot of them simply need a bail out just so they can get out of debt and pay the bills. The good news is the uncle Sam is [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>***
<p>With housing price around the country dropping like a rock. And credit being tight. Many home owners are finding it hard to meet those mortgage payments. A lot of them simply need a bail out just so they can get out of debt and pay the bills. The good news is the uncle Sam is always looking for a good crisis to give us back some of our money.</p>
<p>The Mortgage relief act that was lead by U.S. Government and then enacted by California. It came almost too late for a lot of people, but its still will help a lot of them even you.</p>
<p>This plan is predicted to help a lot of people in that state alone. Many of them desperately need the help or be forced out onto the streets.</p>
<p>Most people don&#8217;t understand what the bill does. Let try to get it in plain English. In California you were required to pay taxes on anything that was forgiven on your debts. So If the bank cut you a deal to balance your mortgage then you have to pay at tax time. This was really bad with people already struggling.</p>
<p>With the new plan you do not have to count any of if unless you were forgiven more than $500,000 providing you are living at the residence. This law is a short term thing that expires in 2012 so act now to get your piece of the pie.</p>
<p>You can file it this year even if you have already filed just amend your tax forms.</p>
<p>This may be the thing that pulls California out of this mess and gets dreams moving forward.</p>
<p>Look it is nice to find out that old Uncle Sam did it right this time.</p>
<p>This writer also often gives advice on subject such as <noindex><a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://blog.yourfinancelink.com/goto/http://guitarstools.net/guitar-instruction/" >guitar instruction</a></noindex> and <noindex><a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://blog.yourfinancelink.com/goto/http://guitarstools.net/guitar-strings/" >elixir guitar strings</a></noindex>.</p>
<p>-</p>
<div style='margin: 4px; float: none;'><left><p class='linktext'>source to this post: <a href="http://blog.yourfinancelink.com/2010/06/how-the-mortgage-relief-act-can-help-you-in-these-tough-times/" title='How The Mortgage Relief Act Can Help You In These Tough Times' >How The Mortgage Relief Act Can Help You In These Tough Times</a><br>From the <a href="http://blog.yourfinancelink.com" >Finance articles and news</a> website</div></p></left>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>401K &#8211; Why 401K is a Popular Retirement Plan Option</title>
		<link>http://blog.yourfinancelink.com/2010/06/401k-why-401k-is-a-popular-retirement-plan-option/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.yourfinancelink.com/2010/06/401k-why-401k-is-a-popular-retirement-plan-option/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 17 Jun 2010 16:25:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Personal Finance]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.yourfinancelink.com/401k-why-401k-is-a-popular-retirement-plan-option.html</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[***With all the options out there, why is a 401k such a popular retirement plan option? This is a good question that really points out the many benefits of these accounts. They&#8217;re easy to set up and maintain, they have tax benefits, and perhaps most importantly is the contribution match from your employer. A 401k [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>***With all the options out there, why is a 401k such a popular retirement plan option? This is a good question that really points out the many benefits of these accounts. They&#8217;re easy to set up and maintain, they have tax benefits, and perhaps most importantly is the contribution match from your employer. <br  /><br  />A 401k is set up through your employer. They hire a company that will handle the account and things are mostly taken care of for you. Your employer sets up a couple of different plans for you to choose from that will invest your money in bonds, stocks, money market accounts, and other investment opportunities. The plans will usually vary from the amount of risk you&#8217;re looking to take&#8211;some will offer lower risk and lower returns, while others will have more risk but higher returns. Over the years you have the option of reviewing your choices and making adjustments as you deem necessary. <br  /><br  />The contributions to the account are taken from your income before taxes are taken out. You decide how much of your income you would like to invest. This happens automatically and doesn&#8217;t require anything from you. <br  /><br  />Because your contributions are taken out of your income before taxes are taken out this will lower your income level as far as the federal government is concerned, which may lower the tax bracket you fall into, lowering the percentage of your income that is owed for taxes. You will be paying taxes on this income when you reach retirement age and make withdrawals, but hopefully your income level will be lower at that time and you&#8217;ll owe less money.<br  /><br  />The biggest benefit from a 401k plan is your employers match. Many employers will offer to match your contribution up to a certain percentage of your income. So if you contribute three percent of your income to your 401k, they will also contribute that amount. This may seem like a small amount of money but over time (and with that money being invested and earning returns) it really ads up and helps you grow a respectable nest egg. <br  /><br  />With all of these benefits it&#8217;s easy to see why a 401k is such a popular retirement plan option.-</p>
<div style='margin: 4px; float: none;'><left><p class='linktext'>source to this post: <a href="http://blog.yourfinancelink.com/2010/06/401k-why-401k-is-a-popular-retirement-plan-option/" title='401K &#8211; Why 401K is a Popular Retirement Plan Option' >401K &#8211; Why 401K is a Popular Retirement Plan Option</a><br>From the <a href="http://blog.yourfinancelink.com" >Finance articles and news</a> website</div></p></left>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>The Five Most Popular Reasons For Taking Out A Loan</title>
		<link>http://blog.yourfinancelink.com/2010/06/the-five-most-popular-reasons-for-taking-out-a-loan/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.yourfinancelink.com/2010/06/the-five-most-popular-reasons-for-taking-out-a-loan/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 15 Jun 2010 15:50:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Personal Finance]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[***If you need to pay for an expensive item, a loan can often be the best way of managing your funds to include the extra expense. Apart from mortgages, the top five reasons for taking out a loan range from the mundane to the pleasurable. Providers sometimes ask you the purpose of your loan, depending [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>***If you need to pay for an expensive item, a loan can often be the best way of managing your funds to include the extra expense. Apart from mortgages, the top five reasons for taking out a loan range from the mundane to the pleasurable. Providers sometimes ask you the purpose of your loan, depending on the amount you&#8217;re asking for. Large loans often have to be offset against your assets to give the loan provider a measure of protection should you default on the loan at any time. So what are the top five reasons for taking out a loan?<br  /><br  />Debt consolidation is one of the major reasons cited for requesting a loan. By taking out one single loan and using it to pay off other, more expensive debts, you can save yourself a considerable amount of money in interest payments over the course of a year. It can also simplify your finances, meaning only one monthly repayment instead of juggling several at the same time. During tight financial times debt consolidation loans have become very popular, but do read the small print and do your calculations to make sure that you do not actually end up paying a higher single interest rate than you would if you totalled up all your smaller debts.<br  /><br  />Home improvements<br  />After debt consolidation, home improvements are the second most popular reason given for taking out a loan. Now that many people prefer to stay in their homes rather than risk the fluctuating property market, the trend is more towards investing in a home rather than moving to a larger property. However, many customers also find that their equity is tied up in their property already, so a secured loan is a good way to release some of that equity and reinvest it back into the house. This will increase the value of the property and is one of the most financially prudent approaches to money management for property owners.<br  /><br  />Car finance<br  />With the car scrappage scheme ending, customers looking for a new car will have to find more money to finance a new vehicle. Modern cars are very expensive and the finance packages available from car dealers can be costly too, with much higher APRs and larger deposits required. By taking out a bank loan to finance a new car, customers can benefit from a lower APR and instant access to the money required to make the purchase. But because loans can be of almost any size, you don&#8217;t have to just go for a new car. A good quality second hand car will be cheaper and probably easier to finance. Do remember however, that the depreciation on a car is considerable, so choose carefully before deciding on which model to buy.<br  /><br  />Travel<br  />Thanks to cheap international air travel, our world has shrunk considerably. But the holiday of a lifetime still doesn&#8217;t come cheap, and often you have to move quickly to take advantage of a bargain. Thanks to online loan decisions finance for a holiday can be quickly organised, allowing you to pick up a great holiday at a lower price. Unsecured loans are ideal for those wanting to visit relatives on the other side of the world or to take that cruise of a lifetime.<br  /><br  />Wedding expenses<br  />The average wedding in the UK costs ?11,000. If you are paying for your wedding without financial help from parents, for example, that could mean starting married life with a very large debt. But a big wedding is a once in a lifetime event, and most brides and grooms feel that it is a worthwhile expense. Taking out a loan can cover not just the expense of the wedding, but also the honeymoon and to provide funds to help start the couple&#8217;s married life together as well. Whatever the reason, loans provide customers with a manageable way to organise their finances and pay for the big ticket items. Using a comparison website to compare APRs, actual costs and the range of loan providers is the quickest and easiest way of deciding how to manage your finances without getting into an unmanageable debt. But always remember to read the small print!-</p>
<div style='margin: 4px; float: none;'><left><p class='linktext'>source to this post: <a href="http://blog.yourfinancelink.com/2010/06/the-five-most-popular-reasons-for-taking-out-a-loan/" title='The Five Most Popular Reasons For Taking Out A Loan' >The Five Most Popular Reasons For Taking Out A Loan</a><br>From the <a href="http://blog.yourfinancelink.com" >Finance articles and news</a> website</div></p></left>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Pros and Cons of a Traditional IRA</title>
		<link>http://blog.yourfinancelink.com/2010/06/pros-and-cons-of-a-traditional-ira/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.yourfinancelink.com/2010/06/pros-and-cons-of-a-traditional-ira/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 13 Jun 2010 15:15:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Personal Finance]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.yourfinancelink.com/pros-and-cons-of-a-traditional-ira.html</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[***Deciding on how to invest for your retirement can be more difficult with all of the options available today. You can break down one of your options, however, by looking at the pros and cons of a traditional IRA. Of course, most of the points here can be either pros or cons depending on how [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>***Deciding on how to invest for your retirement can be more difficult with all of the options available today. You can break down one of your options, however, by looking at the pros and cons of a traditional IRA. Of course, most of the points here can be either pros or cons depending on how you look at things, so you&#8217;ll need to consider your circumstances and make the call on your own. <br  /><br  />An independent retirement account gives you a lot of control of your investments. This is both a pro and a con depending on what you&#8217;re looking for. You go out and set up the account on your own, decide on each of your investments, and make adjustments over the years as you see fit.  This is a lot of responsibility. <br  /><br  />Some people thrive on this and love being able to make these decisions. Others prefer to have some of these decisions taken out of their hands and have someone with more financial knowledge, who they trust, tell them what will work best. Of course, if that&#8217;s the case, to fix this con you could always talk to a financial adviser about your account and ask them to help guide you.<br  /><br  />Another important part of a traditional IRA is taxes. Your contributions, just like with a traditional 401k, are taken from your income before taxes are taken out. This means that some of the money you would have been spending on taxes will instead be invested in your retirement account. When you make withdrawals after you turn 59 years and 6 months old (retirement age) you will then pay taxes on your withdrawals. <br  /><br  />This has the benefit that you&#8217;ll be investing more and earning more returns, and you are likely making more money now than you will be in retirement, meaning you&#8217;re in a higher tax bracket and paying a higher tax percentage than you will be in retirement when you will be paying taxes on this income, saving you money overall. This can turn out to be a negative factor, however, if it turns out your income is higher when you&#8217;re in retirement, meaning you have to pay more money. This is another situations where this can be good for some people, but bad for others. <br  /><br  />The pros and cons of a traditional IRA are largely determined by your own retirement needs. Make the decision that&#8217;s best for you.-</p>
<div style='margin: 4px; float: none;'><left><p class='linktext'>source to this post: <a href="http://blog.yourfinancelink.com/2010/06/pros-and-cons-of-a-traditional-ira/" title='Pros and Cons of a Traditional IRA' >Pros and Cons of a Traditional IRA</a><br>From the <a href="http://blog.yourfinancelink.com" >Finance articles and news</a> website</div></p></left>]]></content:encoded>
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