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The one aspect of personal finance that most Americans share in common is debt accumulation. Average household credit card debt exceeds $7,000. But then, controlling debt becomes a truly subjective issue. Some people might think that having a few hundred dollars of debt is a major problem while others are can barely survive under the weight of their out-of-control debt.

When it comes to working with an investment advisor, the value you receive is based in the quality of the relationship you establish and his or her ability to meet, or even exceed, your expectations.

With interest rates still hovering near historic lows and the credit crisis a fading memory, the stars may be aligned for auto buyers. However, few things can cause more angst than trying to find the best deal on a new car and securing the best auto financing which, next to house, can combine to become the most expensive purchase people make.

In my opinion, it is impossible to predict future stock market returns. Investment models can produce hypothetical returns but they can’t account for future events. So, in my opinion, investors who manage their investments based on market performance or what they perceive as opportunities for better returns have very little control over the outcome.

For many people, life insurance forms the security foundation of their financial plan. While most financial planners recommend that life insurance be purchased for its protection, and not as a primary savings vehicle, few would argue that cash value life insurance doesn’t have some fairly unique and attractive savings features.

Although whole life insurance, in its present form, has been around for over a century, it remains somewhat of an enigma for people who want to buy permanent protection, especially as new forms of life insurance have sprung up around it over the last several decades.

With home values finally recovering from their steep declines of the last half decade, and interest rates still hovering around their historic lows, homeowners are, once again, looking to their home equity for financing.

When you change jobs, everything you need to take with you can usually be packed neatly into a couple boxes for your move - everything except your employer-sponsored retirement plan. Of course, you will likely enroll in your new employer’s retirement plan, but the decision as to what to do with your existing 401k plan may not be all that clear.

It should not take the filing of a tax return or a death in the family to finally create order out of paper chaos so you are not forced to scramble in those critical circumstances. The chances of making costly errors are too great not to take some very simple, albeit essential, measures to get and stay organized all year long.

Some, stockbrokers, stock analysts, investment gurus and individual investors will have you believe that investing is an art, requiring nuanced skill and timing based on information that only they possess. So, it’s not surprising they are very quick to attribute any successes they have to their individual abilities.