Dealing with financial planning issues is a challenge even for folks who are skilled in math. The trick is to develop a consistent approach that will guide you through both good and bad times. If you don't already have a list of financial planning methods that you use, consider these four tips.
Build a Budget
Simply put, your finances are just a bag of snakes until you lay everything out straight.
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Winning the lottery will change your life, but it also adds a complexity to your finances that few people ever dream of. You can meet the challenge of planning for your future—and your family's future—by learning about these few estate planning tax elements for large winners.
Gift Tax. Few ordinary wage earners ever have to deal with the federal gift tax. That's because, while all gifts with a financial value are subject to gift taxes, there is an exemption for the first $15,000.
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Coming up with the cash needed to earn that 20% down payment for a home is increasingly becoming difficult. As home prices increase steadily, more than 30% during the past five years. Thus, 20% down payment could actually mean at least $40,000 for a median home or at least $100,000 for a home in the high-cost metropolitan areas. However, if you can pay less than the optimal 20% down payment, your mortgage may be slightly out of reach.
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