Q My husband and I are First Time Buyers and are hoping to buy a home of our own to get out of the rent trap as soon as possible but don’t know where to start. Do I find a house first? Do I get a mortgage first? Can I afford this? How do I apply
Q My fixed rate is up next month and I’ve been told that I don’t need to do anything as interest rates are to start falling and I’ll get the benefit anyway. Is this correct? If not, what should I do to ensure I get the best rate available? A There are tens of thousands of fixed-rate
Q I am going to be 60 soon and have decided to try get my affairs in order. I have just completed my will and now want to concentrate on making sure I don’t leave any debts behind. With this in mind, I’d like to put a policy in place to cover the expense of
Q. I was thinking of switching my mortgage as the interest rate has increased a lot in the last few months. Is it worth my while as I hear interest rates have risen across the board? A. Homeowners are often reluctant to revisit their mortgages and shop around for a better deal. Thousands of Irish homeowners
Inheritance tax bills and saving the family home – part two This is a follow up to last week’s article where a reader was being forced to sell their family home to pay an Inheritance tax bill. In that article I mentioned dwelling house relief and how this could save you from inheritance tax on
Q We live in Dublin and our home is currently valued at €800,000. We have one child and I worry that with the way property values and wage rates are going that even with a good salary, she will be unable to manage the tax bill on this inheritance. Is there any way to manage
Q My children don’t seem to understand money. I’ve tried various methods, including pocket money, to no avail. How can I encourage them to develop a savings habit? Teaching your children about money will help them pick up good habits for the future. My children are in their twenties now but my process way
Q Should I fix my mortgage now, switch to a new lender or stay on my current rate? I’m afraid of making a mistake and being stuck with an unwise decision. A The short answer is simple. Get advice from a financial broker. If you want to go it alone, however, it’s a longer answer but
Q. My father keeps telling me to start my pension, but I think it’s too soon as I am still young, not on a high salary and have many other priorities. Is it important to start a pension now? A. For most people, talking about pensions is like watching paint dry. Boring they may be, but
Q. My fixed rate is up on my mortgage next month and it looks like I am going to be facing a significant increase in my repayments. My adviser is recommending that I switch mortgage for a better rate, but I don’t want to go through all that again. Is there way to bring down my