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The allure of homeownership
Chris Farrell Feb 13, 2012
My husband and I are both church pastors. We have been married for a year and half and we both work full time. Our gross income is about $84,000 and we tithe 10 percent to our churches and charities, which we will continue to do. We are trying to decide whether or not to purchase a home, and whether we are saving money in the proper places.... Is this a good time to buy a home? What if we needed to sell it in four years? Should we be putting less money into savings and more into the Roth IRA's? Thank you for your help! Emma, Beverly Hills, MI
The skinny on secondary market annuities
Chris Farrell Feb 10, 2012
I am retired and would like to safely increase income. What is a secondary market annuity? Is it a suitable vehicle for putting a portion of retirement funds to safely increase guaranteed retirement income? Are there issues to be aware of with the secondary market annuities? How should this product be purchased? Thanking you in advance for any light you can shine on this topic. Ronald, Rhinebeck, NY
A little risk in the portfolio could be worth it
Josh Brown Feb 8, 2012
The markets will always have their ups and downs, but Josh Brown of Fusion Analytics thinks the best way to prepare for a long retirement is to keep a little risk in your portfolio, especially as markets are looking up.
Thrill seeker? Risk averse? It matters
Chris Farrell Feb 6, 2012
What I like about the insurance money management framework is that it takes seriously the idea that how you save and where you save is all about what you want out of life -- your goals, your desires, your values, your lifestyle.
Getting Personal: To move or not to move
Feb 3, 2012
Tess Vigeland and economics editor Chris Farrell discuss the possibility of more transparency on 401(k) fees. Plus, callers ask questions about supporting retired parents and the pros and cons of uprooting a family for a new job.
Stepping up and stepping in for an aging parent
David Brancaccio Feb 6, 2012
People coping with elderly parents in failing health face tough decisions. But there are warning signs indicating when loved ones should step in.
Good education. Good job. Now what?
Chris Farrell Feb 2, 2012
After close to a decade in graduate school, a post-doc, 24 job interviews, and almost as many rejections, I am elated to have started my first bone-fide adult job. Which in this day and age is not only a blessing, but a miracle, for which I am truly grateful for. While I have mastered the manipulation of matter at the atomic and molecular level, I am pretty clueless about how to manipulate my finances. My question: what should my financial priorities be? repayment of school loans? saving for retirement? putting money into an emergency fund?... Romas, Berkeley, CA
Putting a priority on savings goals
Chris Farrell Jan 30, 2012
I recently bought a house for the first time. I am in my early 50s and have a son in high school. I don't have life insurance. I have been receiving lots of advertisements in the mail telling me I should have life insurance or mortgage insurance. Should I buy term life insurance to protect my son? It is very hard for me to save money, and I'd rather save what I can for future college bills and my retirement. Thank you, Erika, Salisbury, CT
Term isn't for life
Chris Farrell Jan 24, 2012
My husband and I have had term life insurance since we married. Now that our children are on their own, I'm considering canceling my life insurance. Is this "penny wise and pound foolish"? We no longer depend on my income to pay bills. What other reasons are there for keeping term life insurance? Jane, Shorewood, WI
For saving for her own future
Tess Vigeland Jan 20, 2012
This week's piggy is going to a mother who spent her money to keep her daughter happy.
