Jennifer's Compass

NECN Jennifer Lane: Tax filing begins Wednesday

What you need to know for filing your tax return.

NECN Ask Jennifer: Debt concerns

Dealing with student loans and debt concerns are discussed. 

NECN Ask Jennifer: Helping family financially

How to help out family members without hurting yourself.

NECN Jennifer Lane: Credit card users to face surcharge

Credit card users should always keep a close eye on sales receipts, but they should take extra caution beginning on Sunday - when Visa and MasterCard begin allowing merchants to impose a surcharge to shoppers.

Where does your money go? Why you need to measure your expenses.

Whether or not you have enough money to get from paycheck-to-paycheck, you need a budget. In fact, it's my clients who think they have plenty of money who most need to keep track of where their bucks are going. 

Really...here's why...

Knowing what your life costs -- and how those costs have changed over time -- is crucial to building an accurate and believable retirement plan. How else will you know if the goal you're saving for is enough to cover the way you like to live?

Making a rough guess for your first Financial Plan is okay, but as the years progress and you refine your goals, you'll want your retirement income target to be as accurate as possible. You'll feel more confident about picking your actual retirement date and the weeks after you give up the paycheck will be worry free (or at least more worry free.)

www.MINT.com is the resource that's helped the most clients because it's easy to use, available on their mobile devices and from any computer, and the Net Income trend graph is hugely understandable and clear. 

Here is a helpful post from Aimee McNitt over at www.PersonalBudgeting.com you might find helpful, too.

Tax Information for Individuals

The IRS has done a super job making their web site more approachable. Bookmark their page for Individuals for help before and after you file....especially the IRS Withholding Calculator to make paycheck adjustments so you don't over or under pay next year.

Here's the link to Tax Information for Individuals

Elder Law You Need to Know - Personal Finance in Your 40s & 50s

Pretty cool when you come across an article from your own book when your surfing for info online. 

Here's the link to the article here

NECN Ask Jennifer: Mortgages

Home sales dropped last month, mortgage rates remain near record lows, and that has lots of viewer's still thinking about refinancing.  

NECN Ask Jennifer: College financing

There are lots of questions about college financing all around New England this time of year.

NECN Ask Jennifer: Asking for a raise

When is it time to ask your boss for a raise? How do you go about it?