shawnd31
Competitive research, Economics, News

Investors Bet on Higher Rates as trade spat between U.S. and China could add to inflation pressures

By Chelsey Dulaney and Ben Eisen Investors are bracing for a period of consistently higher inflation, raising bets that the Federal Reserve will deliver a fourth interest-rate increase this year as an intensifying trade spat between the U.S. and China threatens to add to mounting price pressures.Federal-funds futures, which investors use to bet on central bank policy, on Thursday showed a roughly 60% chance that the Fed will raise rates at least four times this year, according to CME Group…

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Competitive research, News

An Interesting News Week for Veterans

By Tom Philpott There were four notable news developments for military veterans in Washington DC this past week, potentially impacting: — How the Department of Veteran Affairs will be led over the next few years; — How the House will deepen it oversight role as VA fields a new electronic health record system; — Whether 90,000 “Blue Water” Navy and Marine Corps veterans of the Vietnam War gain eligibility for Agent Orange-related VA benefits, and — Whether millions more disabled…

shawnd31
Competitive research, News, Real Estate

Benefits basics: The VA loan program

Here’s some background on the VA loan program, which took shape near the end of World War II and has been used by millions of service members and veterans since then: Nearly 3 million have VA-backed loans at present, and more than 740,000 loans were taken out in fiscal 2017. What it is: The Veterans Affairs Department guarantees a percentage of an eligible beneficiaries home-purchase or home-refinance loan, allowing the lender to provide more favorable terms and often letting the…

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News

Report shows popularity of VA loans among older veterans

Report shows popularity of VA loans among older veterans By: Kevin Lilley Veterans between the ages of 72 and 92 are far more likely to use a VA-backed loan to purchase a new home than their younger counterparts, according to a demographic study released in March by the National Association of Realtors. The report, which measured home-buying trends over a 12-month period (July 2016-June 2017), showed that 1 in 4 of the loans used by the oldest age group surveyed…

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News, Real Estate

Homebuyers are stretching their budgets and mortgage limits to win bidding wars

Homebuyers are stretching their budgets and mortgage limits to win bidding wars More buyers are stretching their budgets, putting less money down or using adjustable rate loans that offer lower rates. Buyers today need to be not just pre-approved for a mortgage but have a mortgage commitment. Borrowers have more options for low-downpayment loans, options that were not available as recently as just a few years ago. Diana Olick | @DianaOlick Published 11:45 AM ET Tue, 24 April 2018  At…

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Finance & accounting, News

Why you got an extra day to file your taxes

Tax Guide Why you got an extra day to file your taxes by Kathryn Vasel   @KathrynVasel April 18, 2018: 3:09 PM ET Your tax reform questions answered The IRS pulled an all-nighter. The agency experienced issues with its electronic filing and payment systems on Tuesday — which was supposed to be the deadline to file your 2017 taxes. The IRS, which was unable to process returns for several hours as a result of the outage, extended the filing deadline…

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News, Real Estate

Homeowners can use this tax loophole — at their own risk

Homeowners can use this tax loophole — at their own risk Interest on home equity lines of credit used to be deductible on loans up to $100,000, no matter how you spent the money The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act limits this break, making it available only if you use the money to improve your home For now, there is no real way for the IRS to track how you’ve spent the money. Darla Mercado | @darla_mercado Published 11:18 AM…

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News, Real Estate

Lack of Homes on the Market Takes a Toll on First-Time Buyers

Lack of Homes on the Market Takes a Toll on First-Time Buyers By Clare Trapasso | Feb 21, 2018 Soaring home prices and the shortage of properties on the market are taking a toll on buyers, particularly first-time buyers. The share of first-time homeowners fell to just 29% of all existing home buyers in January, according to the most recent National Association of Realtors® report. That’s down from 32% in December and 33% in January 2017. “First-time buyers are typically…

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News, Real Estate

Homeowners: Here’s what’s in the tax bill for you

Homeowners: Here’s what’s in the tax bill for you by Kathryn Vasel   @KathrynVasel December 17, 2017: 12:17 PM ET Republicans reveal final tax plan details Republicans on Friday unveiled the final version of their tax bill, and it has new restrictions for some homeowners. Senate and House Republicans have reconciled their versions of tax legislation and the final plan shrinks some popular deductions. Lawmakers aim to vote on the bill next week and then send it to President Trump’s…