I’m looking for a second home at the beach and am wondering what “time-sharing” means.
Time-sharing is a real estate investment, usually one condominium unit, co-owned by as many as 25 investors. Each investor may use his/her unit during designated weeks chosen as part of the purchase. Time-sharing has a bad reputation because of developer defaults and bankruptcies. To combat the well-deserved negative publicity, developers have coined a new term,…
Investment Strategy #4: Use mutual funds for flexibility, variety, and liquidity
The mutual funds with which you’re probably familiar are called “open-end” because they are constantly buying and selling new shares. You purchase shares from the fund; you sell shares to the fund. The trading price is always the “net asset value per share”. In essence, all of a fund’s assets (chiefly, stocks, bonds, and cash)…
I sold my house. How long do I have to replace it and postpone tax on the gain?
The general rule is that you can postpone paying tax on capital gains from the sale of a principal residence if you buy a new one within 24 months before or after you sold the old one, and if the cost of purchasing a new residence equals or exceeds the adjusted sales price of the…
What are FHA and VA mortgages, and should I use them to purchase real estate?
Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and Veterans Affairs (VA) mortgages are guaranteed by these government agencies as a means of encouraging lenders to grant mortgage loans to middle class Americans and military veterans. FHA and VA mortgages are your best source of new home financing because qualification is easier than with conventional mortgages. In addition, the…
Investment Strategy #3: Invest in stocks, bonds, and money market instruments
Did you know that picking individual stocks or bonds is not easy? If you’re not a full-time investment analyst, you’ll wind up making mistakes through ignorance. Therefore, investors are better off putting their money into no-load mutual funds. You can make money in individual stocks but your chances are better with no-load funds. When you…
How big of a down payment should I make on a home purchase?
From an investment viewpoint, you should put down the minimum amount needed to obtain the property and mortgage. This frees up cash for other investments and increases the return on your real estate investment since a bigger mortgage carries more leverage. #wealthadvisor #wealthmanagement #wealth #wealthcreation #wealthbuilders #money #financialadvisor #investment #business #taxplanning #tax #taxes #finance #smallbusiness…
Hilton Tax & Wealth Advisors. Mark’s Minute: Advanced Mitigation Results
Hilton Tax & Wealth Advisors offers advanced tax planning and mitigation. Taxes are the single biggest expense of your life, having a formal Tax Plan in place is essential to your long-term success both personally and in your business. At Hilton, cutting your taxes NOW and long-term is always at the core of everything we…
Investment Strategy #1: Work with a plan
It’s important to remember that a winning investment strategy doesn’t consist of buying what’s hot each year, what’s written up in a magazine or what your broker recommends. Instead, you need to keep a firm watch over your investment portfolio. At least once a year, you do a thorough portfolio review. December, when you’re doing…
What is the 10-10-10 formula for purchasing real estate?
The formula for success is to pay 10% below fair market value of the property, with a down payment of no more than 10% and a mortgage with an interest rate of 10% or less. Anytime you do better than the 10-10-10 formula, you are just that much better off. This rule of thumb will…
What is the 10-10-10 formula for purchasing real estate?
Hilton Tax & Wealth Advisors offers advanced tax planning and mitigation. Taxes are the single biggest expense of your life, having a formal Tax Plan in place is essential to your long-term success both personally and in your business. At Hilton, cutting your taxes NOW and long-term is always at the core of everything we…