Black News

Serving the Pasadena / San Gabriel Valley

Americans Spend an Annual Average of $2,746 on Lunch

If you want to uncover new ways to save money, start by thinking about what you spend on lunch every day. A new Visa survey shows that American consumers are spending nearly $3,000 on midday meals each year. But don't lose your appetite – this is actually a great opportunity to budget and save. Visa's 2015 survey, intended to call consumers' attention to opportunities to save and budget in their discretionary spending, reports that the average American consumer spends roughly $53 a week or … [Read more...]

Problems Created by “The Right of Survivorship”

In my practice I am confronted on a regular basis by a common problem – the use of joint tenancy deeds to create joint interests in real estate without a full understanding of the impact of joint tenancy. Joint tenancy, by legal definition, carries with it the right of survivorship so that only the heirs of the last person to die have a claim to the property. Many people are not aware of a viable alternative -- holding property as tenants in common. By holding property as tenants in common, each … [Read more...]

6 Ways To Talk About Money With Your Family

Finance Cuts To Our Emotional Roots, Money Professional Says When we think about money, let’s be honest – we’re not talking about just money, but also a host of related consequences and deeply felt emotions, says retirement specialist Lee Stoerzinger. “Money cuts to the emotional roots of every human issue,” says Stoerzinger, a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, head of Lee Stoerzinger, Inc., (www. leestoerzinger.com) and author of “On The Back Burner.” “In my years of advising, I’ve come to … [Read more...]

“The Law of Relatives”

The State of California has laws that determine what happens to your worldly goods if you pass away without having made plans for their distribution. The important factor in determining who inherits the property is the legal relationship between the deceased person and his or her survivors. If the deceased person was married and leaves behind a surviving spouse, the surviving spouse will inherit all of the community property. If the deceased person had non-community property (“separate” … [Read more...]

Be a Smart Shopper for the Holidays

In past years, Americans' holiday spending has averaged around $700, for a total of $465 billion, according to the National Retail Federation. If you're trying to trim your budget a little this year, or if you'd just like to get more value out of your spending, there are simple steps you can take, according to the California Society of CPAs (CalCPA.org). Make a List: Write down all of the people you plan to give gifts, then set a realistic budget and see if you can afford to buy all the … [Read more...]