A word of caution regarding ‘Step-Up Callable CDs’

One advantage of “step-up callable CDs” is they generally pay a higher interest rate than traditional bank CDs, which is appealing to fixed income investors. However, these products come with a wide set of unique risks.

Hurricane deductibles and other exclusions can trigger large out-of-pocket bills for homeowners

Thousands of homeowners in Florida suffered hurricane damage this year, and many were surprised to learn their homeowner’s insurance policy contains a separate “hurricane deductible” that shifts responsibility for thousands of dollars’ worth of repairs to the homeowner. For those fortunate enough to not have had enough damage to file a claim, now would be an excellent time to review your homeowner’s policy to see how much money you would be responsible for if your home suffered severe damage.

Combat Lifestyle Creep with Savings Creep.

Between a doctor and a school teacher, who would you expect to have more income left over for savings at the end of each month? In an alarming number of cases, they both have the same amount of money remaining: zero.