How Uncle Sam can benefit from better speech tech

Today, the public expects government bodies to provide services and benefits comparable to what they experience from private enterprises. They insist on exceptional digital customer service from these entities, leading to a disparity between what citizens expect and what agencies and departments can currently provide. This divide has resulted in mounting dissatisfaction, as many residents perceive the government as being out of touch and unconcerned about the needs of the people.

Fortunately, speech technologies can help significantly. In my newest article for Speech Technology Magazine, available here, I explore how governments can gain from speech tech in various ways, including automating routine tasks, streamlining internal processes, improving customer service, providing proactive information delivery, driving channel automation, analyzing customer interactions, and enhancing accessibility to services and assistance.

Will the real estate market heat up this summer?

Thinking about buying or selling a home in the coming weeks? Summertime can be an ideal season to shop for or list a property. That’s because the weather is more amenable – making it easier to host and attend open houses and private showings – curb appeal is more evident during the growing season and many purchasers are eager to claim homes before the school year begins.

But before you put your residence up for sale or begin house hunting, take a moment to read the tea leaves. Find out if experts anticipate house prices dropping this summer. Is an economic slowdown or housing market crash 2023-style forthcoming? Read my latest article for Bankrate, available here, for real estate market predictions from trusted experts, including expectations about home prices, mortgage rates, housing supply and more.

How to finance an investment property

Interested in purchasing an investment property like an apartment complex, commercial building, or mixed-use property? You’re going to need a different type of financing than a primary residential mortgage loan. And you’ll need to better understand the costs involved with this financing – including the investment property mortgage loan rate charged.

Read my first article for new client Awning.com (available here) and take the time to learn about different investment property loans, ways these mortgage rates are different from traditional mortgage rates, how lenders set these rates, how to pay less for an investment property loan, and financing alternatives to consider. 

Cineversary podcast celebrates 60th birthday of Fellini's 8½ with Antonio Monda

In Cineversary podcast episode #59, host Erik Martin celebrates the 60th birthday of one of the greatest foreign films ever made, 8½, directed by Federico Fellini. His guest this month is Antonio Monda, known for directing and producing several films and being an associate professor at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. Erik and Antonio will examine why 8½ is deserving of kudos six decades later, its important themes, what it reveals about Fellini, and more.

Antonio Monda

To listen to this episode, click here or click the "play" button on the embedded streaming player below. Or, you can stream, download, or subscribe to Cineversary wherever you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Audible, Castbox, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, PodBean, RadioPublic, and Overcast.

Learn more about the Cineversary podcast at www.cineversary.com and email show comments or suggestions to cineversarypodcast@gmail.com.

Save more money with these helpful apps

Finding it tricky to save money? Wish you had an automatic way to salt away extra savings? Want to grow your rainy day fund more quickly? You may be a good candidate for money-saving apps. These tools, easily used on your smartphone, can help you put aside extra money in a savings account or checking account. These apps can also assist you in better managing your money and tracking spending.

For recommendations to money-saving apps and how to use them, read my newest piece for FreedomDebtRelief.com, available here.

Is tuition insurance worth it?

Pursuing a college education involves a significant investment. Case in point: the average annual tuition for public in-state four-year universities is $10,740, on average, while public four-year out-of-state university tuition costs are $25,760 and private four-year universities charge around $38,070, per College Board data for the 2021-2022 academic year.

Considering these expenses, the worst-case scenario for families is when their student has to withdraw from school after these costs have been paid. While you might get a refund, it may not be the full amount paid for tuition, fees, room and board, and other expenses. In fact, the entire amount may have to be forfeited.

Fortunately, a form of protection exists in tuition insurance, which will pay out in particular situations and serve as a valuable financial safety net for college students and their families if they have to pull out of school. Learn more about tuition insurance, what it covers and doesn’t cover, who offers it, and if it’s a worthy investment by reading my latest article for Forbes Advisor, available here.