Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana

Articles written by Karen Goff


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  • Is Choice a Good Thing When It Comes to Mortgages?

    KAREN GOFF, Certified Liability Advisor|Sep 20, 2023

    It is likely that during your lifetime you will spend more dollars for the place you are going to sleep than anything else. With that, the potential to lose your wealth unnecessarily because of decisions made surrounding your mortgage is very high. There is a great deal of misinformation and misconceptions concerning this topic, and often our decisions are made based on commonly accepted perceptions that are not necessarily correct. There are so many options available it can be overwhelming to...

  • Debit and Credit - Friends or Foes?

    KAREN GOFF, Certified Liability Advisor|Sep 6, 2023

    You can't talk about money without talking about debt and the problems that come with it. Debt is a term that has different meanings in our world today and is a term that is often misused. What creates debt exactly? Debt is a financial position where you have made a financial obligation and the only way you have to pay for it is from money you haven't made yet. We measure our current lifestyle by monthly cash flow. What happens when you want or need to purchase something that you cannot afford...

  • Avoiding the Road to Financial Ruin

    KAREN GOFF, Certified Liability Advisor|Aug 30, 2023

    Have you ever stopped long enough to notice how many tools we have to assist our road travel these days? From traditional traffic lights and road signs to programmable electronic billboards, GPS, and a bevy of smartphone apps for every conceivable situation one might encounter on the road. The sheer volume is staggering. We are better informed and more equipped for travel decisions than we have ever been before. But what about financial signposts? How can we tell if we are doing the financial...

  • Your Mortgage Minute: Tips for First-Time Buyers

    KAREN GOFF CMA, NMLS 1906348|Dec 14, 2022

    Homeownership can be an excellent financial decision for people at a variety of income levels. We all have to live somewhere. Generally speaking, you will be better off in the long run if you own that space so your housing expense can also be increasing your overall wealth position (building up the equity you have in a tangible asset). With that being said, the most important tip I can give to a first buyer, or even anyone looking to upgrade, is to create a budget. When you meet with a mortgage...

  • Your Mortgage Minute: The Fed Does Not Set Mortgage Rates

    KAREN GOFF CMA|Sep 7, 2022

    People are often nervous about locking in rates because they hear the Fed is going to raise rates so I thought I would take a minute to explain a part of the system. The Central Bank ("the Fed") is tasked with monetary policy and they have two main objectives: price stability and maximum employment. Their primary tool for doing this is setting the Federal Funds Rate. The Fed Funds Rate is the rate for overnight borrowing for banks. (Banks are required to keep a certain amount of reserves on...