Enhance Your Career by ...

Dr. Thomas Stanley says you can enhance your career by writing articles . He talks about an investment advisor who was published (of all things) in Medical Economics.  His thoughts: Once you are published in a prestige journal you are no longer just one of the more than 200,000...

Help a Reader: Loan Rep...

Here’s an email I recently received from a reader: Recently, I’ve had some issues with choosing whether to repay my college debt aggressively OR pump money into a savings account.  I’ll give a little bit of background that may be necessary.  I’m 23 years old...

Help a Reader: Investme...

I recently received this email from a reader: I just finished a meeting about fixed index universal life insurance.  I have not heard of it before.  It has been around for about 12 years.    How it works in my example:  41 years old invests $6,000 a year for 25 years ($150,000...

Buy When There’s Bloo...

The following is an excerpt from Jackass Investing: Don’t do it. Profit from it. It’s a book that takes “conventional knowledge” on investing and argues that it’s a myth. Perhaps one of the most famous anecdotes related to market timing can be attributed to...

Help a Reader: Growing ...

Here’s an email I recently received from a reader: I have been in a purchasing/production management capacity for the past 5 years (my entire career is 8 years). I recently took a new production management position last year but I believe that my specific skill set, in commercial...

Help a Reader: Fundrais...

Here’s an email I recently received from a reader: After four years of shirking, I got stuck as Scoutmaster of my son’s troop. I want to fundraise $2,500 per scout per year. Over the past four years, I have done and learned a few things: I judge fundraisers on whether or not...

Help a Reader: Switchin...

Here’s an email I recently received from a reader: I am currently enrolled in a top 10 part-time MBA program and will be graduating in about a year. I decided to go part-time so that I could pay for the degree without taking on any debt and allow my employer to pay for a portion of...

Help a Reader: Refinanc...

Here’s an email I recently received from a reader: We purchased a home approximately 5 years ago for $380k, taking out a 5/1 6% ARM for $300k and a 15 year second mortgage for $50k at 8.25%. The current balances on the two mortgages are $292.5k and $44.5k, respectively. The 5/1 ARM...

Help a Reader: New Mort...

Here’s an email I recently received from a reader: I have a bit of dilemma I’m hoping readers can help me with.  I purchased a home at the end of 2008, with a rate of 4.75%.  I still owe PMI until I’ve reached 20% equity.  My area has not seen the worst of the economic...

Help a Reader: Repaying...

Here’s an email I recently received from a reader: I started grad school in 2007 and by the time I finished in 2009, I had about $72,000 in federal loans (6.8% interest) and $4,500 in grad plus loans (8% interest).  I started working at a 501(c)(3) organization shortly after...