Mortgage, Home-Equity Woes Linger – Number of ‘Underwater’ Borrowers Is Down but Remains Elevated, Zillow Finds

The Transformation of LGBT Law in the Workplace – To fully appreciate the recent shift in workplace culture for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees, consider this: In 2008, fewer than 10 companies took a public stand against a California ballot initiative to ban same-sex marriage. Just five years later, in 2013, 278 corporations— including some of the nation’s largest—threw their support (and for many, their money) behind same-sex marriage, submitting a brief to the U.S. Supreme Court asking it to overturn parts of the Defense of Marriage Act in Windsor v. United States, 133 S. Ct. 2675 (2013).

Housing debt still traps 10 million Americans – Nearly 10 million Americans remain financially trapped by homes worth less than their mortgage debts — an enduring drag on the U.S. economy almost seven years after the housing bust triggered the Great Recession.

Bankruptcy Mediation Is On The Rise, Panelists Say – Mediation in bankruptcy cases is on the rise as debtors look to avoid prolonged, expensive litigation, but judges and attorneys need to be careful in assessing what situations are best suited for bringing in a mediator, experts said on Thursday.

How To Protect Yourself In A Divorce Using A Domestic Asset Protection Trust – There is a word in a relationship that sparks more fear than even the dreaded words, “We need to talk.” That word is prenup. Successful and confident grown men and women shutter at having to breach this subject with their soon-to-be spouse. It’s a painful conversation that all want to avoid – and many do after they decide it would be too uncomfortable and too awkward. The result? They leave their assets unprotected and subject to division in a divorce. But even those who had the prenup conversation and subsequently got divorced will tell you, a prenup is not bullet-proof and can – and usually are – contested. Even if the prenup is ultimately deemed legitimate, it can still cost you thousands (if not hundreds of thousands) in legal fees proving this.

Quarterly Foreclosure Rate is Near Pre-Crisis Levels – The U.S. housing market’s recovery is still a work in progress, but the problem that got us here in the first place—waves of foreclosures that decimated prices and neighborhoods—is steadily fading into the rearview mirror.

5 ways divorce could affect your Social Security benefits – A marital split can have long-lasting ramifications when it comes to your retirement benefits.

Mortgage rates hit a 2014 low – Mortgage interest rates hit their lowest levels for 2014 this week.

Grads with more debt are less happy – Student loan debt isn’t just hurting college grads financially, it’s also having a negative impact on their overall well-being.

Mediation program helps community and students – A partnership between Utah Valley University, Brigham Young University and many of the Utah County justice courts is giving student mediators a chance to get real-world experience while helping the community and the courts.

New Foreclosures Fall to Lowest Level Since 2006 – Amid renewed concern about weak housing demand, there’s this bright spot: the number of mortgage on which lenders initiated foreclosure in March fell to the lowest level in 7½ years, according to a new report.

Thirty-Year Mortgage Rate Falls in Latest Week –Zillow – Real-estate website Zillow Inc. ( Z ) said its real-time rate on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages fell in the latest week, amid political unrest in the Ukraine.

9 Crucial Questions to Ask Yourself Before Calling the Divorce Attorney – None of us gets married thinking that five, ten, even twenty years down the line we’d be so frustrated or miserable that we’d be considering divorce. Most of us step into marriage with hope and enthusiasm, determined to have ours be a marriage that lasts.

Bankruptcy: The Foreclosure Kill Switch – 9.1 million homeowners are grappling with being seriously underwater (owing at least 25 percent more than their homes are worth) in an economy in which the average family’s earnings are stagnant or dropping. With banks and other lenders frequently unwilling or incapable of providing real solutions such as principal reductions to keep homeowners in their homes, more and more families are faced with foreclosure. However, when lenders refuse to approve loan modifications and other solutions, borrowers have one final option: bankruptcy, the foreclosure kill switch.

Mortgage Rates Headed Towards 2014 Lows? – “By all rights mortgage rates should be rising by now,” wrote Keith Gumbinger, vice president of HSH.com, in the latest Market Trends newsletter, but thanks to an inconsistent economy here at home and a rocky situation in many countries abroad, mortgage rates continue to find more room to settle.

Why Speed Is Crucial in a Divorce – What’s the biggest financial mistake divorcing couples make? Not settling as quickly as is reasonably possible. I say this from having personally worked on divorce cases.

Buying a Home In Foreclosure – Foreclosed homes have the potential to be incredible investments, but could easily turn into a bad investment if not handled properly. Before buying a home in foreclosure, there are a few things you should know that can help make sure you are getting a good deal.

Here’s A Way To Painlessly Phase Out The Mortgage Interest Tax Deduction – Americans love their homes – and their home mortgage interest tax deductions. But is there a better way to promote home ownership without slamming folks with a tax increase? There is.

The Right to Gay Divorce – There is something missing from the gay marriage debate. It’s not just about feeling validated, retirement or health care benefits. All those things are nice, but those of us afforded the benefits of marriage take one major thing for granted — the right to a mediated dissolution if the relationship goes south.

Mortgage rates fall ahead of spring home-buying season – Mortgage rates seem to be doing their part to spur the spring home-buying season, according to the latest data released Thursday by Freddie Mac.

See the 19 states with annual growth in foreclosure starts – For the U.S. as a whole, foreclosure starts in the first quarter were down 21% from a year earlier, according to Thursday data from online foreclosure marketplace RealtyTrac.