VA Loan / Veteran Mortgage News
SPONSORS:
Pioneer Military Loans offers responsible military lending solutions that can help
service members avoid or break the debt cycle.
Military Hub is about building wealth and saving money. It's about helping you make the best military financial choices for your future.
FEBRUARY 2006
Free Tax Help for Military Personnel and Families!
The Armed Forces Tax Council (AFTC) consists of the tax program coordinators for the Army, Air Force,
Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. The AFTC oversees the operation of the military tax
programs worldwide, and serves as the main conduit for outreach by the IRS to military
personnel and their families.
Marines, airmen, soldiers, sailors, and guardsmen, and their families worldwide get tax
preparation help at offices within their installations. These VITA sites provide free
tax advice, tax preparation, and assistance to military members and their families.
They are trained and equipped to address military specific tax issues, such as combat
zone tax benefits and the effect of the new Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) guidelines.
The military tax programs generated over 392,000 electronic 2003 federal income tax returns.
Commanders support the program by detailing service members to prepare returns and by providing
space and equipment for tax centers. The IRS supports these efforts by providing tax software and
by training service members to prepare taxes at the military sites.
Most service members file their tax returns electronically at their tax centers and,
by selecting direct deposit, receive their refunds in as little as one week. This combined
effort ensures that service members receive free tax assistance from well-trained and
equipped military tax preparers.
Source:
http://www.irs.gov/individuals/military/index.html
Healthy Real Estate Market Moves Ahead
Home sales set a new record in 2005, capping five years in a row of ever-higher sales.
Low mortgage rates and strong demand have allowed many households to buy property, and then see
its value grow rapidly. Last year average home prices rose by close to 13 percent, says the
National Association of Realtors. Economists expect to see better balance between the
numbers of buyers and sellers in the future.
Continued moderate mortgage rates will keep housing demand steady nationally. Sales are
forecast to remain at healthy levels, while prices will go up at a slower rate than in the past.
Yet that still means home values should advance at a faster pace than inflation. Owning a house
remains an attractive long-term investment. Buying a house soon also can help you enjoy
life to the fullest. Let us show you why so many consumers have found it easy to purchase
a great home in recent years.
Online VA Gravesite Locator Exceeds 5 Million Names
Search for burial locations of veterans and their family members in VA National Cemeteries,
state veterans cemeteries, various other military and Department of Interior cemeteries,
and for veterans buried in private cemeteries when the grave is marked with a government
grave marker.
The Nationwide Gravesite Locator includes burial records from many sources. These sources
provide varied data; some searches may contain less information than others.
Information on veterans buried in private cemeteries was collected for the purpose of
furnishing government grave markers, and we do not have information available for
burials prior to 1997.
Source:
http://gravelocator.cem.va.gov/
Smart Choice
If you're buying a home - or think your current home loan isn't providing the benefits you need - take a moment to call us soon. We can schedule a free, no-obligation meeting to go over your home loan options.
You can rely on us to clearly inform you about the fees, interest rate, and monthly payments on different mortgages. We'll show how your payments could change in the future, as well.
With an adjustable-rate loan you'll need to know when your monthly payments could go up, and the highest amount they could ever reach. Together we'll identify a mortgage you'll be pleased with as long as you live in your home.
Reach Your Goals
Few activities are as rewarding as setting and achieving a personal goal. Here are some ideas from the Harvard Health Letter to make your goal-setting more effective:
- Limit the number of goals you have. Trying to improve every aspect of our lives at once can be overwhelming. Often we'll make more progress with a series of smaller steps.
- Make sure your goals are specific, and measurable. A vague goal, such as, "I want to be a better spouse" may not be that helpful. It's then easy to convince ourselves that we've accomplished something when perhaps our behavior hasn't really changed. But scheduling time regularly to do something for our spouse can be a specific step to take.
- Try not to raise the bar too high. We may think we'll accomplish more by setting aggressive goals - but that can become a blueprint for failure.
- Be certain you buy into the goal. Often we'll set a goal for ourselves based on the expectations of others, rather than identifying what we really want to accomplish.
- Set up a concrete plan for achieving your goal within a set time frame. Our goals should be attainable, and that means we can identify steps that will lead us to accomplishing those objectives.
High performance then becomes a habit. Identifying and implementing ways to move towards our ideals always produces results.
What's New?
High ceilings are popular with buyers now, report home builders. Many rooms in new houses will have ceilings nine feet high - or taller.
But no matter what you want your next house to look like, we're ready to help you make that important purchase. We'll find out your financing preferences, and work with you to obtain a mortgage that lets you reach your goals.
Remind your friends and co-workers that we're available to assist them, as well. We'll handle all the details, so you can focus on finding and moving into the home you're dreaming about!
The GI Bill Can Change Your Future.
We have partnered with the following schools and service providers. Visit their content centers and
fill out an instant inquiry to receive more information!
At AIU, our students can benefit from our experienced instructors, our blended campus and online learning option, our dedicated Career Services staff, and financial aid available for those who qualify.
More information: American InterContinental University
Welcome to Colorado Technical University Online, where you can earn a career-relevant Associate's, Bachelor's, or Master's degree in a convenient online format that fits your life. Come see how CTU Online can help you each your academic and career goals!
More information: Colorado Technical University
The Art Institutes
People who can innovate are in demand as never before—because the world needs new ideas like never before. To take your place in this new world of possibilities you should start with the kind of focused education you'll find at an Art Institutes school.
Grand Canyon University
Grand Canyon University offers online and campus-based bachelor's and master's degree programs through the Ken Blanchard College of Business, College of Education, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, and College of Liberal Arts.
Kaplan University
Kaplan University is an institution of higher education where you will find online courses that allow you to study anytime, anywhere with an Internet connection - 24/7. Kaplan University offers online bachelor's, master's, and associate's degrees, and certificate programs in some of today's most in-demand fields.
Strayer University
At Strayer University, we proudly welcome active duty military students, veterans, and their families. Established in 1892, Strayer University offers students a quality education that's flexible so you can balance your educational goals with the demands of your military service.
