Student loans are neither purely good nor purely bad — they’re just a tool. When used wisely, they can open the door to the career of your dreams, and higher lifetime earnings. But if used poorly, they can become a financial burden that you carry with you for decades. Read More.

If you’re planning on going to college, you’ve probably been doing some thinking about how you’re going to pay for it. And, you’ve likely been wondering, “Should I take out a student loan?” Before you answer that question, you need to know the basics. Read More.

Do you have life insurance? If not, what’s holding you back? If it’s been a while since you considered getting life insurance — or if you’ve been told you don’t need it — then check out these myths and see if they might be what’s holding you back. Read More.

Life teaches us that we can never be too prepared. We all need a protection plan in place, which includes a few essential elements: an emergency fund, health insurance, a basic estate plan and – for many of us – enough life insurance. Read More.

The Different Types Of Life Insurance 
First, the basics: There are two types of life insurance you can buy: Term and permanent. Term insurance is essentially just a death benefit. It has a fixed price for a certain period of time, or “term,” and then it expires. (If you’re offered insurance through your employer it’s probably term. It’s probably also a good way to start with insurance because group policies tend to be less pricey. But it may not provide as much as you need in total.) Read More.

In today’s housing market, a strong credit score can make a big difference in what you’ll pay over the life of a loan. The better your score, the more likely you are to qualify for competitive rates and favorable terms — potentially saving tens of thousands of dollars over time. So what if your credit isn’t quite where you’d like it to be? Read More.

Taking on mortgage debt is not something to be done cavalierly. You have to make certain you’re in a good place financially and can truly afford not only your mortgage but also other costs associated with home ownership and know how it affects your credit. Read More.

You’ve updated your home. Now it’s time to see how these changes may have impacted your homeowners insurance. Depending on what you’ve done, you may no longer have the coverage you need. Do you need a new policy or just a policy review? How do you go about getting the coverage you need? Read More.

If you rent a house or apartment, or have a child away at college, you’ve probably at least thought about renters insurance. Even if a landlord doesn’t require it, this is one of those small-money big-peace-of-mind moves that’s usually worth it. Read More.

Private mortgage insurance, or PMI, is an insurance policy your lender might require you to pay if your down payment is less than 20% of the home’s purchase price. PMI typically costs anywhere from 0.58% to 1.68% of the original loan amount, depending on factors like your credit score, your loan term, and how much money you put down. Read More.