tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64993365110788367142026-08-27T12:17:56.523-04:00Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08350915893277155543noreply@blogger.comBlogger148125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6499336511078836714.post-30260040634997119902014-12-22T17:41:00.004-05:002014-12-22T17:41:46.939-05:00

Only yesterday, someone I met for the first time, asked me "Which one is the best school in Jersey City?" As a Realtor, I am often asked which is the best school in Hoboken (where I have lived for almost 8 years), or Jersey City (where I have lived for a couple of years and where my kids now go to school). While I sure have my favorites, I believe choosing the right school for your child is

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08350915893277155543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6499336511078836714.post-23670889087517492952014-08-02T12:00:00.004-04:002014-08-02T12:02:00.759-04:00

ABSTRACT:The hidden costs of buying a home with heating oil versus natural gas can run into thousands if not hundreds of thousands of dollars. Heating oil is not just expensive to operate, but conversion and removal of heating oil tank is expensive.Oftentimes in my role as a real estate agent, I see homes heated with heating oil priced lower than those that use natural gas. It makes sense, since

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08350915893277155543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6499336511078836714.post-62064255687572268322013-04-16T13:51:00.002-04:002013-04-16T14:03:54.344-04:00

Over the past two months, I have been hearing of more of our neighbors' Hurricane Sandy flood insurance claims being settled at WAY less than what it cost them to repair and rebuild. I reviewed my Estimated Proof of Loss, which details what the insurance adjustor calculated as the flood settlement should be. The payments for cleaning and painting, as well as replacements, were broken out, room

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08350915893277155543noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6499336511078836714.post-5520180850768904992013-03-21T09:35:00.000-04:002013-03-21T09:42:55.624-04:00

With local property prices on a sharp uptick, this may be the last year in the next few of getting a reduction in your property tax bill. The deadline for property tax appeal in Hudson County, NJ is April 1. However, it is important to note this is a deadline for receiving the appeal, which means if it is not in the mail by the weekend, chances are you are going to miss the property tax appeal

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08350915893277155543noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6499336511078836714.post-79116745815815984002013-03-09T22:58:00.001-05:002013-03-09T22:58:14.842-05:00

Last month, I beat an improper parking ticket. What gave me the confidence to appear and win in municipal court, without attorney representation? Two bags of my neighbor's garbage! Ignoring a municipal court summons or notice can damage a person's credit and raise auto insurance rates. How I saved money and learned lessons by spending a morning in municipal court a few years ago.

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08350915893277155543noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6499336511078836714.post-417488928885133052013-01-26T00:03:00.003-05:002013-01-26T00:05:50.509-05:00

You have seen those ads on TV. Get access to your refund check in days! No W-2 needed to get your income tax refund. Pay nothing out of pocket for getting your taxes done. We will even give your old returns a second look. Even though refund anticipation loans are now banned, a financial product called Refund anticipation check (RAC) is set to dupe millions of hard working, low income taxpayers

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08350915893277155543noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6499336511078836714.post-71576587366343683772013-01-02T17:34:00.000-05:002013-01-02T17:34:00.231-05:00

When I was researching preschool options for my child, I visited an open house for local preschools. When asked how much the cost of attending the private preschool would be, I got responses ranging from $6,000 to $22,000. So, how much does a preschool really cost? The answer lies in the details. Read more @YahooFinance: First Person: How Much Does Private Preschool Really Cost?

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08350915893277155543noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6499336511078836714.post-51162310215785727902012-12-23T23:00:00.000-05:002012-12-23T23:00:00.077-05:00

While President Obama paying electric bills turned out to be false, despair not, IRS will really pay you to drive your car... sometimes! With proper documentation, operating a car or truck for business, charitable, medical, or moving expense purposes can generate deductions that lower taxes and earn many taxpayers gas money (and more) from the IRS. Read more @YahooFinance: First Person: 4

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08350915893277155543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6499336511078836714.post-45026523290261888562012-12-22T22:37:00.002-05:002012-12-30T23:55:07.634-05:00

Mother Nature may have spared us from total Armageddon, but that doesn't mean the next winter blizzard or snowstorm is not around the corner. Thanks to a week without power following Hurricane Sandy, I now know what I should stockpile to survive a few days without modern comforts like electricity or heat. I will never be a "prepper" since I do not believe any amount of stockpiling will help

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08350915893277155543noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6499336511078836714.post-29093501003414018052012-12-18T20:36:00.002-05:002012-12-18T20:36:27.693-05:00

  Since I itemize on my federal and state tax returns, I make year end financial moves to maximize my tax deductions and lower my out of pocket costs. 2012 is especially important, given the looming fiscal cliff and changes to health care rules. Here is what I am doing. Read more @ Yahoo Finance: First Person: 7 Smart Year End Financial Moves to Lower 2013 Taxes

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08350915893277155543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6499336511078836714.post-67304712698294888912012-12-16T00:30:00.004-05:002012-12-16T00:33:52.711-05:00

Whether it is a late night snack in a hotel room, a restaurant in a touristy town, or that place with the Groupon deal, there will always be some really dumb places to buy food. Here are some places to avoid when you are food shopping. Not only are they bad for your wallet, they may be harmful for your health as well. Read more on Yahoo Finance: First Person: Buying Food in All the Wrong

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08350915893277155543noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6499336511078836714.post-13140085555023807902012-12-10T21:14:00.001-05:002012-12-10T21:15:18.612-05:00

When it comes to charitable donations cash may be king, especially ahead of the fiscal cliff. Yet, there are many ways to be charitable without spending a dollar. Here are some non cash contribution ideas and IRS guidelines. Read more @ Yahoofinance: First Person: Being Charitable Without Spending a Dollar Out of Pocket More charitable contribution articles: My Investment Approach Toward

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08350915893277155543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6499336511078836714.post-34845847559027427302012-12-10T16:04:00.001-05:002012-12-10T16:04:19.555-05:00

While fixing up the house can wait until spring, winter is a great time to clean my closets and pantry. I am giving away coats, clothes, shoes, canned goods, travel toiletries, even Tupperware. It makes room in the house for new items during the Christmas season, makes friends and family happy, and even gets me a tax deduction. Read more on Yahoo Finance: First Person: I Spring Clean Before

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08350915893277155543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6499336511078836714.post-44013403231396406062012-12-07T13:39:00.001-05:002012-12-07T13:39:40.437-05:00

According to American Research Group, the average American wil spend $854 on Christmas gifts in 2012. How much should they spend on a Christmas tree? When it came to buying my tree, I asked myself... Real or fake? Big or small? Pine or fir? Pre-lit or not? Local nursery or big box retailer? Buying my Christmas tree was an easy decision once I applied what I had learned in Economics 101. These

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08350915893277155543noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6499336511078836714.post-76089886346169784192012-12-07T13:11:00.000-05:002012-12-07T13:11:00.841-05:00

While the debate about the fiscal cliff rages on, not many people are talking about the stealth tax increases in healthcare expenses. I have witnessed them since 2011, when under ObamaCare provisions, OTC medications started requiring a doctor's prescription for FSA reimbursement and a 20% penalty for the use of a health spending account to pay for non-qualified expenses was introduced. They are

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08350915893277155543noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6499336511078836714.post-65843685476730391082012-12-06T13:07:00.003-05:002012-12-06T13:07:50.092-05:00

All over America, times are tough, and finances are tight. Of course, my family could cut back our expenses and save a little more. But before that, I am looking for easy savings and am finding some hidden money that will add to our bottom line. Read more on Yahoo Finance: First Person: 6 Ways of Finding Hidden Money Photo courtesy: sxc.hu

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08350915893277155543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6499336511078836714.post-82510609032120290172012-12-04T17:27:00.000-05:002012-12-04T17:27:05.954-05:00

So your daughter wants an American Girl doll for Christmas. And your son wants an iPad? You want to keep them happy so your stretch your budget for the perfect toy for the holidays. Its just the beginning of what will be a spending cycle. Beware of toys with hidden costs that will bust your budget down the road. Read more of my Yahoo Finance article: First Person: Toys That

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08350915893277155543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6499336511078836714.post-64011405361243923482012-12-02T13:07:00.000-05:002012-11-30T13:08:26.761-05:00

Hurricane Sandy has taught people from New York and New Jersey that not only is it crucial to have an emergency fund, but it is also important to save money in a few liquid, and often tax advantaged, emergency funds for different purposes. Being an avid saver, here are some savings accounts I am considering using for 2013. Surprisingly, some of these accounts are usually not thought as emergency

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08350915893277155543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6499336511078836714.post-66685154266208818812012-11-30T13:02:00.003-05:002012-11-30T13:03:30.252-05:00

For 2013, our family's employee benefits bring less benefits and more paperwork. However, I am planning carefully during our annual open enrollment period and making changes to 401(k) contributions, medical, dental and vision insurance, FSA withholding, and commuter expenses for 2013 so we can get the maximum benefit out of employee benefits, whilst saving on income taxes. Read the Yahoo Finance

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08350915893277155543noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6499336511078836714.post-73311299299650410232012-11-29T12:50:00.003-05:002012-11-29T12:57:34.784-05:00

As Treasurer of our condominium association, given the 4-5 month expected turnaround for getting any flood losses reimbursed from NFIP insurance, I had the misfortune of researching financing options for repairing and rebuilding any damage from Hurricane Sandy. It is important to note that there are rules stated in the by-laws that require a certain majority for either an assessment or a loan,

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08350915893277155543noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6499336511078836714.post-15210641047139613392012-11-20T23:01:00.002-05:002012-11-20T23:49:09.167-05:00

Devastated by Hurricane Sandy after being hit by Irene? Filing a repeat FEMA flood loss insurance claim? Do your homework! The process of filing a flood loss claim is explained in my article, “How to File a FEMA Flood Loss Insurance Claim.” Owners file the claim over the phone, providing their date of loss, flood insurance, property and contact information. The case is assigned a claim number

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08350915893277155543noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6499336511078836714.post-68241418502321271022012-11-19T14:48:00.000-05:002012-11-20T10:31:14.223-05:00

Investing in a disaster resistant home can help protect owners now, and maintain market value later. Are trees good? Is a hill top house good? Are basements bad? What to look for, what to avoid. Read more at Yahoo Finance: First Person: The Disaster Resistant House Photo: A medieval fortress in Jaipur, India by Dalia

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08350915893277155543noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6499336511078836714.post-62183688524801926592012-11-15T10:10:00.002-05:002012-11-15T10:11:13.460-05:00

So your home got damaged during Hurricane Sandy. You need to file a loss claim from your FEMA flood insurance policy. Photo copyright: Dalia Will it cover your basement, where the damage occurred? Will it cover your contents? In my experience, filing a successful FEMA flood insurance claim requires understanding the rules, and doing diligence documentation of the flood loss. Read more on

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08350915893277155543noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6499336511078836714.post-48831718495076747972012-11-12T22:46:00.000-05:002012-11-13T09:32:48.204-05:00

Halloween in Hoboken, NJ a mile square town battered by flooding from Hurricane Sandy, finally came on November 12. Enjoying the unseasonably warm 65 degree weather, hundreds of families upheld the Hoboken tradition of marching down in costume along Washington Street, once voted "Top 10 Great Streets in the Country” (American Planning Association), in the Annual Ragamuffin Parade. Princesses,

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08350915893277155543noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6499336511078836714.post-17833557728752686282012-10-28T18:50:00.001-04:002012-10-29T18:18:34.896-04:00

With Hurricane Sandy fast approaching, it is a matter of when and not if power outages will occur in the New York/New Jersey area. Last year, during Hurricane Irene, we lost power for several hours in my neighborhood, but the power outages persisted for several days in many of the suburbs. We do not have a generator. My checklist is modified from that offered by the American Red Cross,

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08350915893277155543noreply@blogger.com1