You can become a landlord by choosing and fixing up a rental property, creating a lease agreement, and advertising your property’s availability. However, being a profitable landlord comes with major undertakings like managing finances, handling repairs, and staying on top of your tenants.

In a real estate contract, a time is of the essence clause is a provision that legally requires a party to complete a task within a designated time frame. Examples of deadlines that may be subject to a time is of the essence clause include delivering required documents, accepting or rejecting an offer, conducting a home inspection, and closing on a home sale.

Dual agency occurs when a real estate agent acts as both the buyer’s and seller’s agent. Dual agents are illegal in some states and are generally frowned upon by regulators in the real estate community. However, in states where dual agency is allowed, clients may consider a dual agent for efficiency’s sake.

A buy-down rate is a mortgage financing tool to reduce your interest rate. While it can be an excellent investment when rates are steep, it is not always a good idea. The key factor that determines whether or not buying down your interest rate is a good financial decision is how long you plan to own your home.

A revocable trust is a living trust that gives you control over how your assets are managed and distributed after your death. An irrevocable trust is a permanent arrangement that gives you tax benefits and protects your assets from creditors and judgments.

Like most credit card companies, American Express has a process in place for card member disputes in case of credit card fraud or billing errors. To file a payment dispute with American Express, simply initiate a claim through the company’s online dispute center and provide all the requested information. In most cases, American Express customer service will respond to your request within a month, and if your dispute is accepted, your money will be refunded.

Typically, you won’t have to include your child’s income on your tax return. Depending on your child’s income, they may not need to file a tax return at all. However, regardless of whether your child must file a separate tax return, you can still claim them as a dependent under certain conditions.