Stephanie Colestock

While there are some outliers, the majority of mortgage loans are 15- or 30-year products. That’s a long time to be paying off a home, especially if you’ve decided to utilize it as a rental property. Before you reach the end of that scheduled loan, in fact, you might even consider refinancing.
But the question then becomes, should you ever refinance a rental property? Let’s take a look at a few of the reasons you might consider a refi on your investment home, and how to decide if a new mortga...

Slide 1 of 15: When I was growing up, my grandmother kept her cash in a coffee can above the fridge. I never knew how much money was in that old blue Maxwell House tin, but I was always worried that one day it would somehow disappear and her hard-earned savings would be lost.It wasn’t until I got older that I realized why my grandmother kept her money in that can. Eight years before she was born, her parents lost all their savings when their bank failed in the wake of the Great Depression.Whe...

Short Answer
You may have asked yourself whether you need to buy life insurance yet. Maybe you’re still young, in good health, and don’t have a family or debt. So, what’s the right age to buy coverage?
While there is no perfect age for purchasing life insurance, there are milestones in life that warrant coverage. If you want to pay less in the end and ensure that your loved ones are protected, you need to buy young, buy while you’re healthy, and buy from a company that will grow with you thro...

You don't always need a huge down payment to flip houses. Find out how to flip houses with no money and what you need to get started.
In this article:
Flipping houses, or the process of buying a home with the goal of improving it and selling it for more than the purchase price, is a very lucrative strategy for many real estate investors. For some, it may even mean earning a profit on a property in a matter of weeks or months.
However, buying any home (even a fixer-upper) usually requires sign...

Editorial Note: Credit Karma receives compensation from third-party advertisers, but that doesn’t affect our editors’ opinions. Our marketing partners don’t review, approve or endorse our editorial content. It’s accurate to the best of our knowledge when posted.
It’s an ironic reality of banking: You may have to pay in order to use your own money, even if you open a “free” account.
Both online and brick-and-mortar banks may charge monthly maintenance fees (among other types of fees), which ca...

Life insurance is an important financial product that can protect your family if something were to happen to you. One of the biggest considerations when buying life insurance—and calculating how much coverage you need—is your mortgage.
Mortgage insurance is a term policy that provides declining coverage as your mortgage value declines over time. While mortgage protection insurance products were available not that long ago, they have been steadily phased out by carriers because most people don...

Our editors independently research, test, and recommend the best products; you can learn more about our review process here. We may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen links.
Whether you are a buyer, seller, renter, landlord, or happy owner, real estate websites can be an invaluable information tool. These sites offer a variety of resources, helping you not only determine a home’s value but also gauge the market, evaluate an area, and even connect with trusted local agents.
...

Filing the FAFSA is an integral part of the student financial aid process. But what if your parents make too much money for you to qualify for aid? Should you still bother filling out the form?

Moving can be an exciting way to explore new areas, meet new people or just work from home with a different view than you’re used to. Whether you’re looking for a new job or plan to work remotely wherever you are, why not get paid to move?
Many cities and counties offer incentive programs that will pay onsite or remote employees to relocate to their area. Some of these programs offer cash incentives while others provide free land to build your next dream home.
Let’s take a look at which state...

Even if you don’t believe that we are on the cusp of another economic downturn, it’s always smart to be prepared. In fact, the way that you structure your earnings, savings and investments today can not only make it easier to survive a recession, but can even allow you to thrive regardless of what’s going on around you.