This article is reprinted by permission from NextAvenue.org. Travel for most of us falls into two categories: vacations and trips. Vacations are when daily life has you stressed to the max, so you arrive at your destination to relax and do as little as possible the entire time you’re there. Trips are when you think … Read more
Kimberley Palmer As a frequent PayPal user, I wasn’t surprised to see a payment request on the app pop up. But when I read it, I knew something was wrong. In the message, a stranger asked me to send them $699 in order to get a “refund.” While I instantly recognized the request as a … Read more
Moyo Studio | E+ | Getty Images The first Social Security check was issued 83 years ago. The check, for $22.54, went to retired legal secretary Ida May Fuller of Ludlow, Vermont. Today, in 2023, the average retirement benefit is $1,827 per month, according to the Social Security Administration. The maximum Social Security benefit for … Read more
Allison Michael Orenstein | Getty Images As the tax season kicks off, seniors may be facing new questions this year. A record 5.9% Social Security cost-of-living adjustment last year likely pushed up their income. Meanwhile, other income, such as required minimum distributions, other retirement account withdrawals or part- or full-time work may make filing more … Read more
HELOC use rose as cash-out refis dropped Last year, as mortgage rates climbed higher, accessing home equity by taking cash against it during refinancing (a so-called cash-out refi) became less appealing. Rates on mortgages went from close to 3% at the beginning of 2022 to a peak of above 7% in the fall. Right now, … Read more
Last year’s tax refunds were supersized for many families. Economic impact payments, an increased child tax credit and expanded eligibility for other tax breaks helped boost the average refund to $3,039 in 2022, a 7.5% increase from the year before. Now, many pandemic-related enhancements to tax credits and deductions have expired, and the IRS warns … Read more
The tried and true advice on covering a large (and planned) expense is to gradually save for it (preferably in a high-yield savings account). But sometimes the cost of a home renovation or unexpected medical procedure can overwhelm even the most prudent saving plan or emergency fund. That’s when personal loans can really shine as … Read more
Dalia Ramirez Save more, spend less and pay off debt are popular New Year’s resolutions — and perhaps the ones most likely to fall by the wayside a few weeks into the year when reality sets in and expenses derail plans. But an early-in-the-year setback, like paying your health insurance deductible or the credit card … Read more
Sarah Rathner Between financially helping his parents and losing income as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Jeremy Mazza landed into serious credit card debt. Relief came from a source he wasn’t expecting: his partner, Ginna Lambert, who had come into a small inheritance. She suggested “investing” part of her bounty in their shared future … Read more
Text size Dreamstime.com Television’s biggest draw is just three weeks away. But millions of households have cut their cable subscriptions. They’ll soon turn to Google with queries like “how to stream Super Bowl 2023.” And site after search-optimized site will pop up with timely guides on the matter. This year, the answers are confusing and … Read more