Articles by Will Osagiede, CFP®, AWMA®
Browse OnWealth articles written by Will Osagiede, CFP®, AWMA®.
RSS feedCredit Cards
When Is a Balance Transfer Card Worth It?
A balance-transfer card is worth using when the fee and promotional window clearly improve your payoff plan and you are prepared to stop adding new revolving debt while you repay it.
Mortgages
When Does an Adjustable-Rate Mortgage Actually Make Sense?
An adjustable-rate mortgage can make sense for a borrower with a short holding period, strong reserves, and realistic fallback capacity. It is usually a weak fit when the loan only works at the introductory payment.
Credit Cards
When Does a Credit Card Annual Fee Pay for Itself?
An annual-fee credit card is worth keeping only when the rewards, credits, or perks you really use exceed the recurring cost of holding the account.
Credit Cards
What Should You Put on a Starter Credit Card?
A starter credit card usually works best when it has a small, predictable job. One or two planned charges you can already afford are often enough to build a payment record without making the card hard to manage.
Credit Cards
What Happens to Your Secured Card Deposit When You Graduate or Close the Card?
A secured card deposit is usually refundable, but the timing depends on the issuer and what happens to the account. Sometimes the deposit is returned when the card graduates, and sometimes it is returned only after you close the card and pay the balance in full.
Home
What Does Mortgage Preapproval Really Tell You?
A mortgage preapproval can help you shop seriously, but it does not tell you what home you should buy or whether the purchase will still fit your life after closing.
Home
What Does Homeownership Really Cost?
The real cost of owning a home is not just the mortgage payment. It is the full mix of taxes, insurance, maintenance, utilities, fees, and upfront cash that determines whether the house actually fits the household.
Home
What Do Closing Costs Actually Include?
Closing costs are not one mysterious number. They are a mix of lender charges, third-party fees, prepaid items, and credits that determine how much cash a buyer really needs at closing.
Home
What Changes Between a Loan Estimate and a Closing Disclosure?
A Loan Estimate and Closing Disclosure should rhyme, not match perfectly line for line. The important job is to understand what changed, why it changed, and whether the explanation still works for you.
Home
Should You Rent or Buy Right Now?
The rent-versus-buy decision is rarely about one number. It usually comes down to time horizon, cash resilience, flexibility needs, and whether ownership really fits your life right now.
Student Loans
Should You Consolidate Federal Student Loans?
Federal student loan consolidation can simplify repayment, unlock some repayment or forgiveness paths, and help some borrowers out of default. It can also stretch repayment, capitalize unpaid interest, and change which benefits you keep.
Credit Cards
Should You Close a Starter Credit Card After You Get a Better One?
Not always. Keeping an older starter card open can help preserve available credit and account age, but closing it may still be the better move if the card has costly terms or keeping it open makes overspending more likely.
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