Before you make any extra mortgage payments, consider some factors. Should you pay off your home and own it free and clear before you retire? At first glance, the answer would seem to be “absolutely, if at all possible.” Retiring with less debt … isn’t that a good thing? Why not make a few extra [...]

Financial advisers are noticing a shift. A development few have noticed. The recession that started in 2007 quietly brought an economic shift to millions of American families – the woman of the house became the primary wage earner. In June 2010, Labor Department data showed that nearly 22% of American men aged 25-65 were unemployed. [...]