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.
Tax Tips: Seven Tax Resolutions for 2014
One of the universal truths about all New Year’s resolutions is everyone seems to find it hard to keep them. While it’s not the end of the world if you don’t stick to your resolutions, there are some that you may want to work extra hard to keep. The seven tax resolutions you should make [...]
Is Donating Your Car Worth the Tax Deduction?
Whether they’re on the Internet, the radio, or TV, there are a lot of tax tips floating around. Not surprisingly, many of them aren’t worth following. Many people accept tax advice from all the wrong places rather than spending the money to hire a professional. This is a prescription for disaster—listening to bad advice could [...]
Need Tax Records Now? New IRS App Can Help
Do you need to get your old tax records right now for a mortgage application, car loan or student financial aid? In the past, you had to wait days or weeks to get your tax records in the mail from the IRS. But now your tax records, including returns and other filing information, are available [...]
Five Things Successful Investors Do
This article was written by guest blogger Jeff Rose. You don’t need to be wealthy to be a successful investor. No matter what your objective, whether you’re investing for retirement or funding your child’s education, you can meet your money-saving goals and achieve financial success. Everyone yearns for stability and financial security, but very few [...]
When Can You Take Money From Your 401k?
It’s essential to save money for retirement and a 401(k) is a great tool to achieve your retirement saving goals. But your situation may change if you experience financial hardship before you’re ready to retire. Or maybe you are retired but you want to get the most bang for your retirement buck. You might consider [...]
How to Get Your IRS Transcripts a New Way
Tax season is right around the corner, so here’s how to get your IRS transcripts in a new way. The IRS just released an app called “Get Transcript,” and it allows any taxpayer to view, print, or download their own IRS transcripts online using a computer or smartphone. The breaking news is that now people [...]
Tax Tips: What to Look Out for This 2014 Tax-filing Season
While preparing for the 2014 tax-filing season, one of my clients received a notice from the IRS. It showed a balance of more than $1,200 due on her 2012 tax return, which made no sense because my client is meticulous about following instructions. Despite the fact that the IRS had reduced my client’s balance to [...]
Why Your Credit Score Matters During Retirement
A lot of nasty financial warnings went out during the Great Recession, including one that baby boomers wished they didn’t have to hear: Your credit score still matters. Boomers are plowing through the retirement gates at the rate of 10,000 a day, but the gate opened at about the same time that the bottom fell [...]
2014 Tax Filing Deadlines for Individuals and Businesses
Important 2014 filing deadlines for the 2013 tax year are quickly approaching for individuals and businesses. Review this list to see what you need to file and when. For the necessary forms and information on how to file, visit www.IRS.gov. Tax Filing Dates 2014 for Individuals 1/15/14: Deadline for self-employed individuals to file fourth quarter [...]
The Top Six Myths About Life Insurance
How much do you really know about life insurance? There are many myths surrounding it, and some of these myths may prevent people from buying a policy. As you shop for life insurance this year or consider whether you really need it, keep in mind the following six myths that many consumers believe: 1. Single [...]