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.
Three Ways to Avoid Taking Out Student Loans
The cost of college keeps rising, and many students are turning to student loans to help them afford their schooling. Unfortunately, this means many graduate with crushing debt. In fact, with outstanding student loans surpassing $1 trillion, many are questioning whether a college education is worth the high costs. Fortunately, with some planning, it’s possible [...]
Seven Common Homeowners Insurance Myths
As a homeowner, it’s important to know what your insurance policy covers. If your insurance doesn’t cover you for something you thought it did, you could end up paying out of pocket for property damage or injuries. Here are seven common myths about homeowners insurance coverage: Myth #1. Anyone I hire to do work is [...]
Personal Finance Advice: Get Your Financial Life Organized
There are many financial obligations that can clutter up your financial life. From the junk mail pushing the latest credit card offer to the checks you write to pay bills, the financial chaos can start to weigh you down. A piece of personal finance advice: To get back on track, you may want to begin [...]
Seven Reasons the IRS May Keep Your Refund (and What to Do About It)
I’ve seen thousands of cases where the IRS grabs tax refunds from taxpayers. In most cases, there is one cause for this irritating IRS practice: The taxpayer didn’t respond to the IRS’s letters. It’s as simple as that. When you have a balance or a new assessment due, the IRS sends out a notice that [...]
Glinkonomics: August Jobs Report 2013
Glinkonomics, life this week on WSB radio, Ilyce talks about the employment situation for August, 2013. Welcome back to the Ilyce Glink show, I’m Ilyce Glink. If you are investing in real estate and want more information you should check out my new series, The Intentional Investor: How to Be Wildly Successful in Real Estate. Go to [...]
Tax Tips: What If I Can’t Pay My Estimated Taxes?
Many people dream of the independence that comes with being self-employed. But along with that freedom comes more responsibility—like paying taxes to the IRS multiple times per year. Independent contractors and the self-employed don’t have taxes withheld by an employer and are usually required to pay estimated taxes in quarterly installments using Form 1040-ES. These [...]
Four Steps to Handling Personal Finances After a Spouse’s Death
No one can prepare you for the emotional upheaval that results when you go from being part of a couple to suddenly single. There is a period of grief that may be different for each person. Here is some personal finance advice that may help you get back in the driver’s seat of your life after [...]
Tax Credit Quiz: Can You Really Claim Your Dependents?
The biggest and nastiest tax battle divorced or separated taxpayers face is over which person gets the rights to the tax credits for children and dependents. One particularly underhanded trick that is often played involves one person filing taxes in early January to grab the dependents and tax credits before the custodial parent files a [...]
Money Management Tips for Couples: Do You Need Joint Accounts?
Whether you’re married or cohabitating, you’ve likely thought about how to most effectively manage your money as a couple. Should you combine everything, have a household account, or simply keep everything separate? The choice is a very personal one that depends mostly on your financial goals, but there are a few other things you may [...]