Southern Blog

By Charlestien Harris As a new homeowner or a first-time home buyer, one piece of important information that can be overlooked is the filing of the homestead exemption.  Any homeowner can suffer a major loss, like the loss of a spouse or other financial setbacks,...

By Charlestien Harris Purchasing a home is one of the most important decisions most people will ever make.  The length of time it takes to buy a home varies according to the readiness of a potential buyer.  For some it can take a few months, for others it...

By Charlestien Harris A lot of conversations have been happening around understanding how mortgages can be used as a financial tool to improve your financial health and possibly build your net worth.  So let’s dive in to get a better understanding of how a...

By Charlestien Harris As a financial counselor, I get a lot of questions and concerns about which financial products can best suit my clients’ financial goals.  One such product of interest is the certificate of deposit or the CD as it is most-commonly...

By Charlestien Harris In the excitement of buying or selling a home, people sometimes overlook an essential step in the process. However, it is very important that you schedule a home inspection whether you are the buyer or seller of a house. The inspection is an...

By Charlestien Harris Since I am thinking about retirement myself, I thought I would explore some important questions that should be answered before the big day arrives.  Question 1: What age do I plan to retire?  There is a lot of curiosity about what is the...

By Charlestien Harris Last week, I started a conversation about resources, such as the FAFSA and scholarships, that could be utilized to pay for college.  Read that blog here. This week, I am going to continue that conversation with additional options for financing a...

By Charlestien Harris At one time or another all of us think about the security of our children or grandchildren’s future.  Education is a big part of the success of a child’s life.  However, college is expensive and can add a heavy burden to the average...

By Charlestien Harris Last week, I talked about some very important steps you should consider to secure a stable financial plan for life during your retirement years. This week, I will go into more detail about retirement income withdrawals, the associated tax...

By Charlestien Harris Retirement is a subject that many of us think about at some point in our lifetime.  The earlier you begin to plan for this major milestone in your life, the more prepared you will be to make the transition financially.   According...