loans

Browser-based loan calculator

Web Loanalyzer is a free loan calculator written in HTML and JavaScript. It quickly analyzes a loan's parameters and explains in plain English how long it will take to pay the loan off, how much interest will be paid, and so on. We took a look at Web Loanalyzer Q1.

We extracted Web Loanalyzer's zipped program file and clicked it, which opened the calculator in our Web browser. Web Loanalyzer is locally hosted, so you don't need an active Internet connection to use it. The program's interface is small, about the size of two banner ads … Read more

Homebuyer's best friend

A home is often one of the biggest purchases you will ever make, so it goes without saying that buying a home can be a really stressful undertaking. That's why it's important to go into it fully prepared. Mortgage+Care Loan Calculator offers just the right amount of tools to help you calculate your monthly payments for mortgages and other major purchases.

This program's user interface is as basic as it gets. A small window that acts as the main menu appears with different calculation tools: Payment Calculator, Amortization Schedule (it's misspelled on the menu; a … Read more

Quick and easy mortgage figures

Mortgage and Loan Calculator Analyzer from Debt Management Tool by TSI: It actually takes about as long to type that out as it does to display detailed information about your home mortgage, provided, of course, that you have your records and figures handy. It's optimized for mortgages, but it can calculate the rates and schedules for other loans, too.

Mortgage and Loan Calculator Analyzer opens with an example mortgage displayed in its businesslike interface, with several other examples available in the Mortgage List field. Large buttons labeled Add, Copy, and Delete let us remove the examples easily when we … Read more

U.S. gives $650 million loan aid for biofuels from waste

The U.S. government yesterday gave four biofuel companies loan guarantees of nearly $650 million to help build plants that will make motor fuels from sources like animal fat, orange peels, and trash.

The government is supporting the development of new feedstocks for ethanol to ease dependence on corn. Nearly 40 percent of the U.S. corn crop goes to making ethanol, which has spurred concerns from environmentalists and food groups that production of the fuel can raise food prices.

The Agriculture Department gave Coskata loan aid of $250 million to build and operate a 55 million gallon-per-year (gpy) plant … Read more

Personal finance calculators

Pine Grove's Loan*Calculator Plus is a free collection of nine easy-to-use financial calculators for loans and debt, focused on personal finance: Loan Calculator; Compound and Simple Interest and Calendar Math; Accelerated Extra Payments; Cash-Down Automobile Loans; Balloon Payments; Mortgages; Remaining Balance; Refinance; and Basic Amortization. In other words, exactly the sort of finances most people deal with on a daily basis: cars, homes, and small businesses.

Loan*Calculator Plus opens with a simple dialog that serves as a central control for its various tools, with prominent buttons for the nine calculators plus two extras, a Cash Flow/Scheduling … Read more

The 404 667: Where we find out who Elizabeth Warren is (podcast)

Aunt Jill Schlesinger of CBS MoneyWatch is back again on the show today, and admits that she wants to marry CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric.

So, what does today's show title mean? If you're a news junkie, you probably already know, but to Jill and Wilson's surprise, even in the financial capital of the country, nobody really knows who the heck Elizabeth Warren is. (In case you don't know, she's the Chairman of the TARP Oversight Committee and will likely be appointed as a "Special Adviser to the President" to run and build the new Consumer Financial Protection Agency.)

Warren has been a leading advocate for consumer financial protection for decades and was the person who initially came up with the idea for the CFPA. But what's interesting is that it was really the Internet, "The Daily Show", and social media that has made her into the "Money Momma." Unfortunately for Jill, "Money Aunt" doesn't seem to have the same ring to it. We won't get into other M-related alliterations.

As usual, Aunt Jill has some great advice for anyone who needs a little financial guidance in these trying times. For the tech enthusiast, there's Mint.com to manage and track your personal finances, and the best feature is its capability to automatically categorize your spending on your credit and debit cards. But keep in mind that you are giving up your personal financial information, user names, account numbers and passwords to a third party.

Some bullet points also to follow:

Don't buy actual gold; buy gold-based traded funds.  In general, don't buy gold unless you know what you're doing.

Follow Jill at @jillonmoney for daily financial tips.  We're still thinking of a Twitter hashtag for her to use.  Send us your suggestions.

The First Time Home Buyers' Tax Credit has expired.

Only consolidate your student loans (and loans in general) if you're going to get a lower rate.

You're probably "SOL" if you bought a brand new car a few years ago, are still making payments, and want to get a new car.  Jill's advice is to buy used always.  She even did, and she definitely makes more money than any of the guys.

Finally, couples who want to start a joint bank account together should find a bank or network that is close by.  If you're adventurous look into credit unions.  And there are a few banks that don't really have branches but will refund all ATM fees.

If you have any financial questions or just want to send your love to Aunt Jill and The 404, feel free to send us an e-mail at the404 [at] cnet [dot]. Or call us at 1-866-404-CNET (2638) and leave a message. Jill demands that you follow her on Twitter @jillonmoney, or follow us at @the404, @rhapsodyartist, @malusbrutus and @jeffbakalar.

Episode 667 Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

Freddie, Fannie reject energy retrofit loans

The Federal Housing Finance Agency announced Tuesday that the Property Assessed Clean Energy, or PACE program, backed by the Department of Energy and the Obama administration, is unacceptable for mortgage lenders to allow in its current form.

It's a move that will affect the program and those like them significantly as the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) regulates Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the 12 Federal Home Loan Banks.

The PACE program offers loans to owners of residential or commercial properties for the purpose of retrofitting their properties with green tech options like solar panels. The loan, which is … Read more

Lenders using social networks to assess applicants?

Could stacking your Twitter or Facebook contacts lists with financially-responsible friends help improve your chances of getting a loan?

The answer could be yes, according to a report out this week from CreditCards.com. In a story entitled, "Social networking: Your key to easy credit?" reporter Erica Sandberg writes that, "In their quest to identify creditworthy customers, some (creditors) are tapping into the information you and your friends reveal in the virtual stratosphere."

The idea here is that banks, credit card companies, mortgage issuers, and other lenders may have stumbled onto what they think is a … Read more

N.J. utility ups solar loans to $248 million

New Jersey regulators on Tuesday approved a proposal from utility Public Service Electric and Gas to expand its solar loan program by $143 million and 51 megawatts.

The program expansion means a total of $248 million in loans, translating into an estimated 81 megawatts worth of solar systems available to interested homeowners, businesses, and municipalities across the state.

Since Public Service Electric and Gas' (PSE&G's) first loan program for installing photovoltaic panels was approved in April 2008, about $105 million in loans, totaling 30 megawatts worth of solar systems, have been applied for by its customers, according … Read more