A person in a blue shirt and black pants stands with their pockets turned inside out, indicating they are empty, perhaps burdened by student loans.

How To Deal With A Student Loan That You Can’t Afford To Pay

Q. How do you suggest dealing with student loans that you cannot yet pay because of lack of job or business profit? A. If you can’t afford to pay your student loans due to a lack of income, get a deferment, forbearance or loan cancellation during periods of economic hardship. Most people think only students […]

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1099-c

What To Do With That 1099-C You Got In The Mail

If you settled a credit card debt last year, by paying less than originally owed, the debt settlement company probably didn’t tell you this, but the IRS will: You likely owe taxes on the amount of debt that was forgiven. Anytime a bank, credit card issuer or financial company writes off $600 or more worth

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Payday Loans

Were You a Victim of Payday Lender Quik Cash?

Today, payday lender Quik Cash was forced to pay $170,000 in restitution by the Arizona Attorney General to “eligible consumers” that were victims of consumer fraud. According to a news release, the attorney general filed a lawsuit against Quik Cash in December 2009 for reportedly obtaining as many defaults as possible against consumers who lived

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tax refund

4 Tax Credits That Can Give You a Big Fat Tax Refund Check

]Nobody likes to pay taxes. In fact, most people prefer to get a little something back from the IRS after filing a federal tax return. Even though it’s more prudent, financially speaking, to break even – or have to write the IRS a small check – I recognize that lots of Americans love the idea

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tax

How to Pay Zero Taxes on Mortgage Debt Forgiveness After Foreclosure or a Short Sale

Did you go through foreclosure, modify your mortgage, or do a short sale last year and sell your home for less than what was owed to your mortgage lender? If so, you probably got a 1099-C, a Cancellation of Debt, from your lender and you now need to know how to account for that transaction

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401 k

10 Facts About Early Distributions You Must Know

Amid the tough economy, lots of people tapped into their 401(k) retirement plans or Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) as a way to get cash to pay the bills. That money probably gave you a short-term cushion, but it also has long-term tax consequences, particularly for those who were under the age of 59 ½ at

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tax advice

Four Places for Free Tax Help and Free Tax Preparation: IRS Publication 910

Gathering all your tax records together and figuring out whether you owe money or will collect money at tax season is stressful enough. But chances are your blood pressure might rise a few points if you also have to think about paying a big bill to a tax specialist or your CPA. Fortunately, many Americans

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tax advice

Tax Tips About the Child and Dependent Care Credit: IRS Publication 503

All taxpayers want to lower their tax bills. One way to do it is by claiming tax credits to which you may be entitled. A tax credit is better than a tax deduction, because a tax credit gives you a dollar-for-dollar reduction in what you owe Uncle Sam. And one of the most lucrative tax

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save more money

Money-Saving Tips: 4 Ways to Save More Money

One out of four Americans plans to make New Year’s resolutions about money, according to a new survey from Sallie Mae. According to Sallie Mae, 21 percent of consumers want to save more cash. If you could stand to bolster your bank account, here are four ways to save more money and help you keep

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chapter 7

5 Questions You Must Ask Before Filing Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 Bankruptcy

A number of celebrities have made headlines in recent months for having enormous debts and tax problems or because they’ve filed for bankruptcy protection. Actor Eddie Murphy’s ex-wife, Nicole, reportedly owes millions of dollars, including five IRS tax liens of just under $850,000. Singer Toni Braxton recently went bankrupt for the second time, with debts

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Book cover titled "Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months" by Melinda F. Emerson, featuring a testimonial, a calendar, and a tagline "Strategies for anyone, anywhere, in any field." Let Melinda Emerson guide you on your entrepreneurial journey!

Managing Positive Cash Flow in Your Small Business

The two most important jobs you have as a business owner is getting business and getting paid. Being a bill collector is one the toughest jobs you’ll have as an entrepreneur. But if you take control of the situation up front, you can minimize any delays with payments.  The key thing to do is make

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entrepreneur

Finding The Money To Start Your Small Business

If you are ready to take the leap into entrepreneurship, you must get really focused on your finances, like to bring your invoice template online. It will be a real test to get back to only the bare necessities. Check out billig wordpress hjemmeside design from YGO.dk for your new website. Are you willing to reduce

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An entrepreneur wearing a pink checkered shirt is sitting at a desk with a laptop, smiling at the camera. The office background includes multiple computer monitors and paperwork. New Business

Can You Afford to Become An Entrepreneur?

Everyone has good ideas.  Some of them may even be million dollar ideas, but if you live from paycheck to paycheck or way beyond your means, you may never be able to quit your job and start a business. As the Smallbizlady, often I get emails, facebook messages and DM’s on Twitter from people asking

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