John Gay, CFP® of Frisco Financial Planning Named to Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) “Best Financial Planners List”

John Gay, CFP® was recently named by his colleagues to the D Magazine List of the Best Financial Planners in Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW).
Frisco, TX: December 19, 2008 — John Gay, CFP®, a Certified Financial Planner(tm) practitioner in the Dallas suburb of Frisco was named by his peers in the January 2009 issue of D Magazine [...]

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Buying a Home in Foreclosure

They’re not all in run-down neighborhoods, and they’re not all in complete disrepair. As the housing market’s woes continue, more homes go into foreclosure, and more real estate investment opportunities open up. While a buyer still has to prepare and beware, it may be possible to purchase a property in foreclosure at a discount off [...]

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How Do I Dispute an Unsatisfactory Credit Card Purchase?

If you used a credit card to make what turns out to be an unsatisfactory purchase, you should first seek a refund or a replacement from the merchant that sold you the item. But if you have no luck there, you may have some recourse through the credit card company.
There are some requirements. First, you [...]

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What’s a Credit Score and Why Should I Care?

Your credit score is the result of a mathematical formula that’s applied to all the information in your credit report (both positive and negative) and then compared to millions of other credit reports. The most common credit score is a FICO score, developed by the Fair Isaac Corporation. A variation of the basic FICO model [...]

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Where to Stash Your Emergency Cash

A financial cushion can improve your ability to survive bad times, but right now that cash may be earning a relatively low interest rate. However, try to think of it as you might insurance: your emergency fund is designed to be there when you need it. Here are some possibilities that balance safety with liquidity:
Interest-bearing [...]

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Top Ten Money Moves for Today’s College Freshmen

With average college tuition up 6.3 percent at private schools and up 6.6 percent at public schools this past school year, money management is a bigger issue than ever on college campuses. That’s why it’s good to send your freshman off to school with a 10-point plan on how to best manage their money:

Take baby [...]

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What is a Parent PLUS Loan?

A Parent PLUS Loan is a federal student loan available to parents with good credit histories who want to help pay for their dependent child’s undergraduate education. (A similar Graduate PLUS Loan is available to graduate students.) Under the program, parents can borrow up to the full cost of their child’s college education each year, [...]

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Will the current credit crunch impact my child’s ability to get a student loan for college?

It’s hard to say whether the credit crunch will prevent students from obtaining the financing they need to pay for college. According to the College Board, last year students and their families borrowed nearly $60 billion in federal loans and $17 billion in private loans for college. In order to understand the current student lending [...]

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The Economics of Borrowing from Your 401(k) Plan

When times are tough, that pool of dollars sitting in your 401(k) plan account may start to look attractive. But before you decide to take a plan loan, be sure you understand the financial impact. It’s not as simple as you think.
The basics of borrowing
A 401(k) plan will usually let you borrow as much as [...]

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The Three C’s of Credit

When you’re looking for credit, it’s worth understanding what potential creditors are looking for when they’re looking at you. Traditionally, they’re looking for the three C’s: capacity, character, and collateral.
Capacity
Potential creditors want to know if you have the wherewithal to repay a debt. To this end, they’ll inquire (usually on an application form) about your [...]

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