Emily Guy Birken

Questions Home Sellers Need to Ask Their Agents

May 5, 2014

Selling your house can be a daunting task—starting with finding a good agent. Unfortunately, it can be very easy to simply hire the first agent you meet with, since you may not know what questions to ask in order to find the best agent for your needs. But partnering with the wrong agent can cost […]

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5 Ways to Boost Your College Savings Account

April 4, 2014

Parents, if you want a reason to start hyperventilating, a recent report from Fox Business that suggests college will cost over $300,000 for babies born in 2014. According to author Kathryn Buschman Vasel, the Schwab Center for Financial Research has found that college costs have risen nearly 6% per year, “which suggests that in 18 […]

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Married? When You Should File Taxes Separately and Jointly

March 5, 2014

Most married couples file their taxes jointly as a matter of course. But there are some instances when filing separately is actually the better choice for a married couple. Just in time for tax season, here’s what you need to know to determine when filing jointly and separately makes the most sense: The Perks of […]

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How to Vet a Charity

February 20, 2014

In the wake of major tragedies like Superstorm Sandy and the Sandy Hook shootings, we often seek out ways to help through charitable giving. Unfortunately, scam artists take advantage of these generous and sympathetic impulses by creating false charities that only work to line the pockets of the unscrupulous organizers. Here’s what you need to […]

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Financial Rules Stay-At-Home Spouses Need to Know

November 18, 2013

Spouses who decide to stay home with their kids know that they will be making sacrifices. It’s difficult to put a career on hold and easily be able to pick it back up again several years later. And losing one parent’s income means money is tighter, which can often lead to strife and disagreements. Most […]

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Refinancing a Rental Home

May 16, 2013

Last year, my husband and I looked into the possibility of purchasing a rental home. It seemed like a good time to buy real estate, and we could swing the down payment on a small home in our area. However, despite the fact that we were comfortable with the idea of being landlords and everything […]

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Why Stay-at-Home Spouses Need Life Insurance

May 9, 2013

When one parent decides to stay home with the children, families will often have to do quite a bit of belt-tightening in order to make the transition to one income. One place where it may seem smart to economize is on life insurance for the stay-at-home spouse. After all, without an income to replace, why […]

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