The Chris Fritch Team

Question . Our house is free and clear. We have a $100,000 home equity line of credit, and the interest rate is somewhere in the neighborhood of 7 percent. We itemize tax deductions and are in a high federal tax rate, and hoping that any new tax laws will reduce our taxes. My question concerns using the home equity loan for investment. We are considering using $50,000 of the home equity line of credit and investing it in a growth stock for the next five years. An accountant/tax advisor, however, is strongly in favor of having an unencumbered house especially as we are close to retirement. Answer . It is a strong belief that homeowners -- of any age -- should make use of the equity they have gained from their real estate investments. As this column has suggested in the past, there are too many retired persons who are "house rich and cash poor." Hopefully, your house will appreciate in the future, and this appreciation will continue whether you have equity or not in ...

WRITTEN BY JAYMI NACIRI Getting ready to fill out the dreaded Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)? It's the form that strikes fear in parents of college students and college students-to-be who have been cautioned about the tedious process involved, and the disappointing results. And while there is a ton of advice out there about how to properly prepare, what you need, and what to expect, there's another layer of concern for homeowners and homebuyers: How does the FAFSA affect you if you're in the market, already own a home, have investment property, or are thinking about refinancing? We're breaking it down. First, a little bit about the FAFSA for those who have not yet had the pleasure: "Based primarily on your family's income and assets, the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) qualifies students for federal grants, loans and work-study programs,"  said Bankrate . "The purpose of the FAFSA is to calculate your expected family contrib...