Another year has come and gone, and as 2021 comes to a close it gives us the perfect opportunity to wrap up as many loose ends as we can and give ourselves a nice fresh and clean slate for 2022 and start the year on the right foot.
Among the things you should be wrapping up in 2021 is an end of the year estate plan check-up.
Refinance Plans
One of the best things you can do for your financial and home health is consider refinancing your mortgage. Take the time at the end of the year to look into your mortgage and see if there are any other options that could end up saving you money per month or across the life of your mortgage.
If you’re considering refinancing for the first time, we’ve got a handy overview of what refinancing your home could look like and give some guidance on whether or not you should consider refinancing.
Maintenance and Renovations
The end of the year is a great time to go on a quick spree of general household maintenance and start planning on next years renovations. Keep it simple. Go for things you don’t usually think about.
- Change your filters on your heaters and air conditioners.
- Make sure all your lightbulbs are LEDs.
- Change the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors (if they’re not hard-wired into the house)
- Double check that all your remotes have fresh batteries…and that you know what they go to.
By now, it may be a bit too late into the year to really get into doing renovations, but while you’re going around the house looking for lightbulbs to change, batteries to replace, and the purge your home of the random cobwebs that accumulate in corners, keep an eye out on things you want to change.
Want to repaint the living room? Now’s a good time to start thinking about and getting swatches and start making your plans.
Tax Exemptions Forms
Now this one is probably more urgent than the rest. If you bought a new house this year you might not know all the different tax exemptions you could be eligible for. Something like the Homestead tax exemption could end up saving you a lot of money on your property tax bill. If you only do one thing we suggest you do before the end of the year let this be that thing.
What do I do if I have any more questions?
At Frank B. Pallotta Law we are licensed Georgia Real Estate Lawyers with more than 20 years of experience helping our clients navigate the legal processes associated with homeownership. We’re here to demystify the closing process one question at a time.
