Online content and solutions that simplify financial planning. Articles offer up-to-date information on a variety of business-related and financial planning topics. Frequently asked questions provide a comprehensive library of common issues.

Personal Finance   Articles     Buying a car       ABCs of auto insurance       Buying a car       GAP insurance       How safe is that new car?     Financial basics       Establishing a budget       Getting started: establishing a financial safety net       Working with a financial advisor     Managing credit and debt       Choosing a credit card       Contemplating bankruptcy       Credit traps for the unwary       Debt consolidation       How student loans inpact your credit       Understanding your credit report     Owning a home       Applying for a mortgage       Buying a home       Buying a home both you and your insurer will love       Opening the door to homeowners insurance       Refinancing your mortgage       Selling a home       Tapping the equity in your home       Tax benefits of home ownership       Your home as a source of dollars in retirement   Decision Tools     Owning a car       Auto insurance analyzer       Auto loan payment calculator       How to save money on your auto insurance       Should you buy or lease your car?     Owning a home       Homeowners insurance quiz       How to save money on your homeowners insurance       Is my home mortgage interest fully deductible?       Less common mortgage options       Mortgage payment calculator       Popular types of mortgages       Should you refinance your mortgage?     Saving, spending, and borrowing       Consumer price index inflation calculator       Credit cards--advantages vs. disadvantages       Deciding which credit card to get       Growth of annual deposits calculator       Loan amortization calculator       Net worth calculator       Personal cash flow worksheet   FAQs     Bankruptcy       Can I buy a house even though I declared bankruptcy?       I can't pay my bills. Should I declare bankruptcy?       What's the difference between Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy?     Buying a home       Can I buy a house even though I declared bankruptcy?       Can I buy a house with no money down?       How much house can I afford?       How much money do I have to put down to buy a house?       Should I buy a home or continue renting?       Should my partner and I buy a house together even though we're not married?       We just bought our first home. What can we deduct from the settlement statement?       What is involved in buying a house that's for sale by owner?       What's the Homestead Act?     Buying, selling, or leasing a car       How much will my monthly car payment be?       Is there any way to get out of a car lease?       Should I buy or lease a car?       Should I pay cash for a car or finance it?     Credit basics       How can I correct errors on my credit report?       How can I figure out my net worth?       How can I get credit if I have no credit history?       How can I protect myself against identity theft?       How can I reduce my spending?       How can I repair my poor credit?       How do I get a copy of my credit report?       How long should I keep copies of my tax returns?       How much money should I keep in a savings account for emergencies?       I can't pay my bills. Should I declare bankruptcy?       Should I invest my extra cash or use it to pay off debt?       Will debt consolidation hurt or help my credit rating?     Credit cards       How can I lower the interest rate on my credit card?       How can I pay off my credit card debt?       I get a lot of credit card offers. How can I tell which one is best?       I've finally paid off my credit cards. Should I close the accounts or leave them open with zero balances?     Mortgages       Can I use a piggyback mortgage as an alternative to private mortgage insurance?       Can my mortgage lender require me to have an escrow account?       I am behind on my mortgage payments. Will my lender begin foreclosure proceedings?       I'm a first-time homebuyer, and I don't have a lot of cash to put down on a house. What type of mortgage would be best for me?       I'm having a hard time selling my home. Should I take out a reverse mortgage?       My mortgage includes a statement that a penalty may be imposed for early payoff. What does that mean?       Should I choose a mortgage with no points and pay a higher interest rate, or should I put money toward points to lower the interest rate on a mortgage?       Should I pay off my student loans early with a home equity loan?       Should I take out a home equity loan to pay for my child's tuition?       What are the advantages of making biweekly mortgage payments?       What's involved in getting a VA mortgage?       What's the difference between a home equity line of credit and a second mortgage?       Which mortgage is better--fixed rate or adjustable?       Why do I have to purchase homeowners insurance in order to obtain a mortgage?     Private mortgage insurance       Can I use a piggyback mortgage as an alternative to private mortgage insurance?       What's private mortgage insurance , and can my mortgage lender require me to have it?     Refinancing a mortgage       Do I need to let my homeowners insurance company know that I'm refinancing a mortgage?       I refinanced my principal home last year and paid points. What are points, and can I deduct them on my tax return?       Should I refinance my home mortgage?     Selling a home       How do I figure the tax on the sale of my home?       I'm having a hard time selling my home. Should I take out a reverse mortgage?       I'm retired now and own my home outright, but I need money to live on. How can I use my home to raise some money without selling it?       Should I sell or rent out my present home?   Protection Planning   FAQs     Automobile insurance       Another driver smashed my car, but he doesn't have insurance. How am I going to pay for the repairs?       Do I need to get auto insurance before I buy a new car?       Do I need to insure a car that's worth only a few hundred dollars?       Do I need to provide credit information on my auto insurance application?       Does my auto insurance policy cover flood damage?       Does my auto insurance policy cover me on car trips outside the United States?       Help! I forgot to pay my auto insurance premium last month. Will my insurance company cancel my policy?       How can I find insurance for my sailboat?       How can I reduce my auto insurance bill?       How can I reduce the expense of insuring a teenage driver?       How do I know if my auto insurance covers my broken windshield?       I don't own a car, but occasionally I borrow my friend's car. Do I need my own auto insurance policy?       I drive my own car on company business. Whose insurance will pay for damages if I get into an accident?       I just had a car accident. How do I file a claim with my insurance company?       I'm buying my first car. What should I look for in an insurance company?       I'm considered a "risky driver." How can I get insurance?       I'm considering leasing a car. Is there any special insurance I need?       I'm traveling to Europe this summer and won't need my car. Can I get my auto insurance suspended to save money?       I've found a better deal on auto insurance, but how hard is it to switch from one insurance company to another?       If I let someone borrow my car, does my insurance policy still cover me?       Is hail damage covered under a typical auto insurance policy?       Is it true that some sport utility vehicles cost more to insure than others?       Is there a minimum number of quotes I should get when shopping for an auto insurance policy?       My car was totaled in an accident. Can I negotiate the settlement amount?       My insurance company paid the bill for some body work done on my car after an accident, but I'm unhappy with the repair work. Is it too late to complain?       My mother is 90. Is it OK for her to keep driving?       Our daughter will be taking one of our family cars to college. Is this allowed under our auto insurance policy?       Should I buy medical payments coverage?       What are points, and do they affect my insurance rates?       What is "no-fault" insurance?       When I rent a car, should I purchase the collision damage waiver insurance that's offered to me?       Why do I need to provide so much information when getting an auto insurance quote?       Will my insurance premiums go up if I marry someone with a bad driving record?     Homeowners insurance       A cell phone and laptop computer owned by my company were inside my briefcase when it was stolen. Will my company's insurance cover the loss?       A plumber damaged my bathroom during a repair. Will my homeowners insurance cover the damage?       A squirrel got into my home and caused a lot of damage. Is this covered by my homeowners insurance policy?       Are hunting rifles covered under my homeowners insurance?       Are manufactured homes safer these days?       Can I save money on my homeowners insurance premium if I install a home security system?       Do I need flood insurance if I buy a third-floor condo on the beach?       Do I need flood insurance?       Do I need title insurance if I'm buying a condominium?       Do I need to let my homeowners insurance company know that I'm refinancing my mortgage?       Does homeowners insurance cover losses that occur outside my home?       Does my homeowners insurance cover what's in my yard?       How can I insure my possessions during a move?       How can I reduce the cost of my homeowners insurance?       How do I determine how much renters insurance I need?       How do I insure my historic home?       I need to file a claim on my homeowners insurance. How do I do this?       I use my laptop computer for my home business. Is it covered under my homeowners policy?       I'm building a new home. Do I need to insure it while it's under construction? If so, how can I do this?       I'm placing some items in a self-storage facility. Will they be covered under my homeowners insurance policy?       I'm planning to add an in-law apartment to my home. How will this affect my homeowners insurance?       I'm thinking about opening a day-care business in my home. Does this raise any insurance issues?       I've just bought a pair of expensive skis. Will they be covered under my homeowners insurance?       If I file repeated claims for flood damage, will my flood insurance premiums go up?       If I move, do I need to get new homeowners insurance, or can I transfer my existing policy?       If I rent my home, what are my insurance needs?       If my home is completely destroyed by a storm, will my homeowners insurance cover my living expenses until I can rebuild?       Is jewelry or art covered under my homeowners policy?       Is landscaping covered under my homeowners insurance?       My friend and I share an apartment. Will her renters policy cover my possessions?       My house has appreciated in value over the past 10 years. Do I need more homeowners insurance?       My neighbor's tree fell onto my property and ruined my shrubs. Whose insurance will cover the damage?       My property is close to a river. Do I need flood insurance?       My washing machine flooded our basement. Does my homeowners insurance cover this?       The pipes in my condo burst, and the water damaged the condo below. Whose insurance will cover the damage?       What is a hurricane deductible?       Why do I have to purchase homeowners insurance in order to obtain a mortgage?       Why is replacement cost coverage more expensive than actual cash value?       Will I have trouble getting homeowners insurance if my dog has bitten someone in the past?       Will my condo association's master policy cover my property?   Tax Planning   Articles     General tax planning       Am I having enough withheld?       Choosing an income tax filing status       Help! I can't pay my tax bill       Income tax planning and 529 plans       Surviving an audit       Tax benefits of home ownership       Tax planning for income       Tax planning for the self-employed       Taxation of investments       Year-end tax planning     Tax credits and deductions       Education tax credits       Personal deduction planning       Qualifying for the home office deduction       Understanding personal tax credits     Taxes and insurance       Income tax tips: business insurance       Tax planning for annuities       Tax planning tips: auto insurance       Tax planning tips: disability insurance       Tax planning tips: life insurance       Tax tips: health insurance       Tax tips: homeowners insurance       Tax tips: long-term care insurance   Decision Tools     General tax planning       Accelerating deductions/postponing Income       Accelerating income/postponing deductions       Federal individual income tax fundamentals       Remarriage with children: income tax considerations     Tax credits and deductions       Comparison of education tax credits and deductions       General business tax credits       Is my home mortgage interest fully deductible?       Tax credit sampler   FAQs     General tax planning       Am I having enough tax withheld from my paycheck?       Are my Social Security benefits subject to income tax?       Are scholarships and grants subject to federal income tax?       Do I have to file a federal income tax return?       Do I have to pay U.S. taxes when I work abroad?       How did the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 change capital gains tax rates?       I don't have the cash to pay my taxes. What can I do?       I have investment property. What does basis mean, and how do I determine the basis of my property?       I received a state tax refund last year. Must I include that amount as income on my federal return this year?       My spouse passed away this year. When I file my taxes, what filing status should I claim?       What is my tax bracket?       What is the alternative minimum tax?       What is the basis of property received as a gift?       What is the kiddie tax?       What penalties and interest will I be charged for paying and filing my federal income taxes late?       What's the difference between an "injured spouse" and an "innocent spouse"?       Will I have to pay tax on my investment income?     Tax credits       Can I take the credit for the elderly or disabled?       Can I take the tax credit for child care?       Now that my child is in college, am I entitled to any education tax credits?       What are the Hope credit and the Lifetime Learning credit?       What is the child tax credit?       What is the difference between the child tax credit and the child and dependent care tax credit?       What is the earned income credit and who qualifies for it?     Tax deductions       Can I deduct home office expenses?       Can I deduct premiums paid for long-term care (LTC) insurance?       Can I deduct the cost of improvements or repairs I've made to my home?       How do I deduct and substantiate my gambling losses?       I paid my mother's real estate taxes last year. Can I deduct this on my tax return?       I refinanced my principal home last year and paid points. What are points, and can I deduct them on my tax return?       If I prepay next year's taxes this year, can I deduct them this year?       If I work at home occasionally, am I entitled to a home office deduction?       Is student loan interest deductible?       My spouse and I are filing separate returns. Can we both itemize our deductions? If so, how do we split the deductions?       My town has assessed against me a real estate betterment for new sewer lines installed in my street. May I deduct this amount on my tax return?       We just bought our first home. What can we deduct from the settlement statement?     Taxes and child support/alimony       Are alimony payments considered taxable income?       What are the tax implications of child support payments?     Taxes and home ownership       Can I deduct the cost of improvements or repairs I've made to my home?       How do I figure the tax on the sale of my home?       I refinanced my principal home last year and paid points. What are points, and can I deduct them on my tax return?       I rent my home out for two weeks each year. Do I have to show this rental income on my federal income tax return?       If I prepay next year's taxes this year, can I deduct them this year?       My town has assessed against me a real estate betterment for new sewer lines installed in my street. May I deduct this amount on my tax return?       We just bought our first home. What can we deduct from the settlement statement?     Taxes and insurance proceeds       Are life insurance proceeds income taxable?       I receive disability insurance payments. Are they taxable?