We cover the basics and more about personal finance, answering frequently asked questions about credit and debt, identity theft, saving for college, retirement, estate planning, insurance, taxes, job hunting, and raising money-savvy kids. Check out the articles, columns, blog posts, radio shows and videos for tons of personal finance advice.
Eight Essentials for College Freshmen
College is a step toward independence for many young adults. It may be your first time living away from home and managing your own finances, and the prospect is likely both exciting and daunting. When you start college, it’s important to be prepared for the changes that life will throw at you. Here are eight [...]
What Insurance Do I Need if I’m Participating in a Car-Sharing Program?
As many people are recognizing that their car is an underutilized asset and that technology has turned it into a potential money-maker, car-sharing and ride-sharing programs are becoming more popular. Car-sharing companies, such as Relay Rides, allow individuals to rent their cars to strangers for a specified fee over a fixed period of time. Car [...]
Why You Should Never Buy Permanent Life Insurance
If you want to throw your hard-earned money into a hole, then buy permanent life insurance. While life insurance is a key component of your financial planning, it shouldn't be an expensive investment vehicle. Your policy should cover enough to replace the lost income if you die, or your spouse dies, so that the remaining [...]
Investing in a College Education? 5 Tips for Maximizing Your ROI
Whether you're finishing your bachelor’s degree, getting your master’s degree or a professional certificate, or going to college for the first time, furthering your education is an expensive investment. But, like any other investment, you can earn a lot more than you initially spent, if you do it right. According to 2012 data from the [...]
Saving For Retirement: A Timeline for Your 20s Through Your 50s
No one is going to plan your retirement for you—at least not for free. A paid financial advisor can certainly direct your capital to the right stocks, bonds, and funds, but so can you. It may take some time and effort to truly wrap your head around the investment landscape, but the end results are [...]
3 Tips to Get a Lower interest Rate
Want a lower interest rate, late payment fee forgiveness or a higher credit limit? Just ask for it. Nearly nine out of 10 credit cardholders who asked their credit card companies to waive a late payment fee were successful, and about two-thirds who asked for a lower interest rate were approved, according to CreditCards.com. “It’s [...]
What Does My Insurance Cover When I’m Traveling?
Whether you’re traveling for business or pleasure, a stolen piece of jewelry or broken laptop can quickly put a damper on your trip. And if the stolen or damaged item isn’t covered by insurance, a dream trip can quickly turn into a nightmare. Before your next getaway, be sure to review your insurance policies—homeowner’s, renter’s, [...]
4 Ways You Can Go Green and Save Money
Want to go green and save money? Remodeling your home with a few key features could improve its energy efficiency and increase its value over time. http://youtu.be/zOKA81kD-vk In fact, homeowners who choose to take on green remodeling projects can lower their energy consumption by 30 to 50 percent, according to the Sustainable Building Council. [...]
How You Can Save $1 Million
Americans are living healthier and longer lives. The average life expectancy is now 79—that’s plenty of time to save more than a million dollars. The upshot is that you need to start securing an income for the 10, 20 or even 30 years after retirement right now. You don’t want to spend your golden years [...]
How FICO 9 Could Improve Your Credit Score (If Lenders Actually Use It)
Recently, FICO introduced a new scoring model that could potentially make a big impact on housing—if mortgage lenders ever use it. The FICO 9 score would limit the impact of paid medical collections on a consumer’s credit score, potentially lifting scores by 25 points on average, the company says. That’s good news to anyone who’s [...]