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F E E L A T H O M E www.azindiatimes.com PAGE - 23 Apr 2019 1-844-AZINDIA Weight Management Clinic 2051 W Warner rd, #5 Chandler , AZ 85224 480-855-0425 Vanquish Me - Nonsurgical Fat removal Exilis ultra - skin tightening Cellutone - cellulite reduction Prescribed Stimulant appetite suppressants All–natural non-stimulant appetite suppressants HCG weight loss Better faster fat reduction , body contouring and improved skin texture By Kiran Vedantam kiran@kiranandkiran.com How to Shop for a Mortgage Buying a home is one of the biggest financial transac- tions you will ever make in your lifetime. Which is why it is so important to be an informed consumer. How do you do that? By shopping around, of course. If you were buying a car, you would no doubt shop around for the best deal. You should also do the same for your mortgage. Shopping will save you money Did you know that shopping around for a mortgage could save you hundreds, if not thousands of dol- lars over the life of your loan? According to a study from Freddie Mac, consumers who got one addition- al quote for a home loan saved $1,500 on average. Those who got five additional quotes saved $3,000 on average. The numbers are clear – it pays to shop around. Improve your credit score Having the best credit score possible will help you get the best deal on your mortgage. Before you shop around, get a copy of your credit report. If there are any errors, have them removed. If your score is lower than you would like it to be, take action. Pay off as much of your high-interest debt as you can, including loans and credit cards. Know the types of lenders You can obtain a home loan from several different types of lenders, so it’s important to know what they are. The most common types of mortgage lenders in- clude: • Commercial banks • Mortgage companies • Credit unions • Thrift institutions such as savings and loans or mutual savings banks Get quotes Now that you’ve identified several different lenders you can approach, it’s time to get quotes from each of them. Ask each lender for their current rates, and whether or not they are the lowest for the day or the week. Find out whether the rate is fixed or adjustable. If it’s adjustable, ask how the rate and payment will vary. Also inquire about the annual percentage rate (APR). In addition, find out the points, which are the fees paid to the lender or broker. More points means a lower rate. Finally, also ask about all the fees in- volved, including broker fees, underwriting fees, and closing costs, and what each of those fees includes. Get preapproved One essential step in shopping for a mortgage is get- ting preapproved. In today’s real estate market, it’s necessary to get preapproved for a home loan before you begin shopping for a house. Getting a preapprov- al letter signals to a seller that you are a serious buy- er. In fact, most other buyers will be preapproved. If you omit this important step, it’s unlikely a seller will choose your offer in the event they receive multiple offers on their home. In order to get preapproved you’ll need to have your financial documents in or- der. This includes bank statements, debt obligations, tax returns, employer information, and the amount of money you have saved for a down payment. Although shopping around for a mortgage will take a little extra time, it’s worth it when you consider how much money you can save. By following the guide- lines outlined above, you can feel confident that your efforts will secure you the best possible deal on your home loan. LAND & BUILDINGS WHY TAX PLANNING IN SPRING IS WISE. Strategize now to position yourself for savings. ajain@stratoswp.com By Asha Jain Spring is the ideal time for tax planning. Consider these ideas for lowering your 2018 federal tax bill.1 Howmuch can you direct into retirement accounts? Contributions to various employer-sponsored re- tirement plans are deductible dollar-for-dollar. The same applies to traditional IRA contributions; though, this tax break is reduced if your income exceeds a certain level. Both employer-sponsored plans and traditional IRA’s have contribution lim- its and other provisions that may vary. Check with your employer and financial professional for the specifics of your accounts. Can you contribute to an FSA or HSA? Flexible Spending Accounts have a $2,650 limit for 2018. Health Savings Accounts have a $3,450 limit for individuals this year and a $6,900 limit for fam- ilies. Your direct contributions to HSAs are tax-de- ductible. FSA contributions are not tax-deductible, but they do reduce your taxable wages.2 Can you harvest investment losses? An individual can deduct up to $3,000 in portfolio losses per year. Investments must be sold to get this tax break.3 Could you shift some income into 2019? If you work solo and must pay income tax, plus 15.3% self-employment tax, on net business in- come, perhaps you could collect some revenue next year rather than this year. If you aren’t self- employed, but might get a large year-end bonus, the same tactic could help. How could you donate to charity? Both cash and non-cash contributions to a quali- fied charity are deductible under I.R.S. rules; you do need to itemize them.4 Now is the ideal time to meet with your fi- nancial team. What potential savings could your business, prac- tice, or household plan to realize? Please call or email me today, so we can chat and explore some possibilities to see how they fit with your overall in- vestment plan. This information is not intended to be a substitute for specific individualized tax advice. We suggest that you discuss your specific tax issues with a qualified tax advisor. 1. smartasset.com/taxes/4-ways-to-start-saving- on-next-years-taxes-now [12/7/16] 2. flex-admin.com/news/irs-announces-2018-lim- its [10/23/17] 3. irs.gov/taxtopics/tc409 [3/13/18] 4. cnbc.com/2018/05/11/what-the-new-tax-law- means-for-your-charitable-giving.html [5/11/18] Securities offered through LPL Financial, member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advice offered through Stratos Wealth Partners, Ltd., a registered invest- ment advisor and a separate entity from LPL Finan- cial.