Reverse mortgages: Frozen in place

By Alain Valles, CRMP, CSA, MS, MBA Nonprofit Charitable Managing Director As Managing Director of the self-funded nonprofit charitable mortgage company, Helping Hands Community Partners, our...
Alain Valles, CRMP, CSA, MS, MBA

Reverse mortgage answers

By Alain Valles, CRMP, CSA, MS, MBA, Nonprofit Charitable Managing Director, Helping Hands Community Partners, Inc. Information you can trust As Managing Director of the nonprofit...

Social Security announces 1.6 percent benefit increase for 2020

Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for nearly 69 million Americans will increase 1.6 percent in 2020, the Social Security Administration recently...
Alain Valles, CRMP, CSA, MS, MBA

Senior housing options education

By Alain Valles, CRMP, CSA, MS, MBA, Nonprofit Charitable Managing Director Should I stay, or should I go? To move or age in place? If you...
While I bonds are not a total answer to inflation, they can play a role in at least reducing it or helping to solve it.

I bonds are an investment that benefits from inflation

By David Wilkening, Contributing Writer REGION - Inflation news is almost always grim. But I bonds, a low-risk investment that flies under the radar for...
Dog Photo by Andreas-CC-BY-NC-ND-2.0.jpg

Estate planning for pets ensures your wishes are honored

By R. R. Fletcher, Contributing Writer Most people just want peace of mind―to know that the family pet will be loved and cared for after...
Boston-based attorney Marcia Wagner says apart from changing federal estate tax laws, the most important factor in estate planning may be a last will and testament.

How to avoid mistakes in estate planning

By David Wilkening, Contributing Writer REGION - If you’re considering estate planning, you might be putting it off until you’re older. Keep it simple, you...
DCU (Digital Federal Credit Union), is a well-known Massachusetts-based credit union, headquartered in Marlborough. Pictured is the Solomon Pond branch in that city. Photo/Submitted

Credit unions offer an alternative to big banks for consumers

By Debbie Spingarn, Contributing Writer REGION - If you’re tired of high banking fees, long telephone hold times and poor customer service, maybe your current...
“For lower-income individuals, I would say annuities might still make sense if they don’t plan to leave a bequest,” says Gal Wettstein, senior research economist for the Boston College Center for Retirement Research.. (Photo/submitted)

Are annuities right for you?

By David Wilkening, Contributing Writer REGION - For decades, people have been buying annuities for a lot of reasons that sounded positive. They are long-term...
With all the financial considerations of bankruptcy, one other factor is not measured in dollars and cents―the psychological impact.

Should you declare bankruptcy?

By David Wilkening, Contributing Writer REGION - If you’re considering bankruptcy, there are a lot of lawyers in Massachusetts who can help. And many offer...