If you lose your job, you may qualify for unemployment benefits. The payments may serve as much needed relief. But did you know unemployment benefits are taxable?
Key Facts About Unemployment Benefits Read More »
What is a W-2? Simply put, a W-2 is a tax form your employer sends you, known as a Wage and Tax Statement. Sounds simple, then why are there so many boxes and codes? Familiarizing yourself with the most important parts of this form can help you understand the income you made, taxes you paid, and prepare you
Intuit/TurboTax, one of the tax industry giants, suffered a black eye recently when they were forced to stop e-filing state tax returns for a period of time while they investigated a potential data breach. They’ve since resumed e-filing of state returns and TurboTax announced there doesn’t appear to be breach of customers’ data, so what really went
After TurboTax Fraud Fears, Is Free Tax Software Safe? A Viewpoint Read More »
Deciding when to claim Social Security benefits is one of the most important financial decisions you will make during your life. Over 66% of today’s recipients are totally or critically dependent on their Social Security benefits to maintain their quality of life in retirement. Your choice of claiming early at age 62, delaying until age
Three Things to Consider Before Claiming Social Security Benefits Read More »
College is awesome, right? For most of us, it’s the first time we tasted freedom. The freedom to do whatever, whenever you want. The downside is that you have more responsibility, too, especially on financial matters. You get bombarded with credit card offers designed to put you in debt and keep you there. You may
A Student’s Guide To Filing Taxes Read More »
The Earned Income Credit (EIC), also known as the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), is designed to help you keep more of your hard earned money. It is a refundable tax credit, meaning you could qualify for a refund even if you did not have any income tax withheld from your paychecks. This article explains who is eligible
About The Earned Income Tax Credit Read More »
What is the 1040EZ? The 1040EZ form (aka the EZ form) is the simplest and shortest form you can use to file your federal income taxes. Each year over 20 million people file this form, around 1 in every 6.5 federal tax returns filed. This article explains who can use it, the information required to fill
Tax Form 1040EZ Explained Read More »
If you are diligent about monitoring your credit report regularly and take steps to maintain a healthy credit score, you may be wondering how long negative information such as delinquent accounts, judgments, and other adverse information stays on your report. By law, certain types of information must be removed from your credit files within a
How Long Negative Information Can Stay On Your Credit Report Read More »
If you’re feeling overwhelmed with bills lately and your car loan payments are putting a dent in your budget, take some time to review your loan agreement. Whether you’re dealing with overdue payments or just want to be more organized with your finances, you do have some options that you might have overlooked. Here are some
Tips for Managing Your Car Loan Read More »
One of the important parts of financial planning involves dealing with your child’s current or future college expenses. Even though you want your child to avoid dealing with the stress of heavy student loans right out of college, you also don’t want to make too many sacrifices that would obliterate your own finances. Here are some
5 Tips for Managing Your Child’s College Expenses Read More »
You may have taken out a student loan several years ago, but have you ever wondered how it affects your credit score? In the eyes of a lender or creditor, a student loan is another debt but the financial ramifications of a student loan on your credit score are different than standard loans. Federal Student
How Student Loans Impact Your Credit Score Read More »
Results of a study recently released by the Urban Institute revealed that more than 35 percent of Americans are behind with debt collectors. Falling behind on credit card bills or even missing a few payments for that cellphone can be reported to the credit bureaus and hurt your credit score. It’s a disturbing trend among Americans
Tips for Dealing with Mounting Debt Read More »
Dealing with unemployment can be a stressful time in your life and you will need to spend some time reworking your budget and ensuring that you are meeting your debt obligations. If you have an auto loan, it is even more important to prioritize your baseline expenses and make sure you are setting aside enough
How to Manage Auto Loan Payments When You’re Suddenly Unemployed Read More »
Spending a few days at a theme park could be just what you need to break away from the daily grind and enjoy some fun activities with friends and family members. Here are some ways to save money on tickets to America’s most-visited theme parks and attractions:
How to Save Money on Tickets to America’s Top Theme Parks Read More »
Have you ever had a great idea and wondered if you could make money off of it? Enough money to maybe one day quit your current, full time job? Before you start daydreaming about creating your own, “I Quit” YouTube video, there are some things you’ll have to do before your side-hustle can become your main
How to Run Your Side-Hustle on a Shoestring Budget Read More »
