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Most people know someone who has purchased a new home, but the question of how much they paid could seem a bit invasive. After all, different people have different reactions to questions regarding financial matters, and you don’t want to offend the other person — but you really want to know. By Jennifer Taylor More Money Etiquette: Should You Pay a Friend Who Does You a Professional Favor?Find Out: Do You Tip on Takeout Orders or Not?...

Nearly a year and a half after the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted college plans of millions of American students, most U.S. families say they have returned to their pre-pandemic college plans, according to a new survey from Discover Student Loans. By Vance Cariaga But financing those plans will still be a challenge for many families grappling with the economic fallout from COVID-19. Discover: What It Would Really Mean To Cancel Student Loan DebtCheck Out: What It Really Costs To Attend America’s Top 50 Colleges...

How much do you know about Social Security benefits? MassMutual recently gave a 13-question true/false quiz to 1,500 individuals ages 55 through 65, CNBC reported. According to the results, 65% of people either failed or got a D grade, 18% of respondents earned a C, 12% got a B and 6% received an A. Only 1% of respondents got a perfect score. By Josephine Nesbit See: 27 Ugly Truths About RetirementFind: 25 Things To Sell When You’re Ready To Retire...

Southwest Airlines announced Wednesday that the company continues to experience improvements in leisure passenger demand and travel bookings for June, approaching pre-pandemic levels. By Josephine Nesbit See: The Cost To Book Last-Minute Summer Travel to Top US DestinationsFind: Summer Travel You Don’t Have To Splurge On: Cities You Can Stay in for Less Than $140/Night The airline said that while the average April flight was 79% full, June flights are expected to be 85% full, reports the Associated Press....

On Jan. 22, 2018, President Donald Trump approved more than $10 billion in tariffs on imported solar panels and washing machines from China. According to the Peterson Institute for International Economics, the historically rare move signaled the start of a protectionist trade policy that Trump had made central to his campaign. By Andrew Lisa The Future of Finances: Gen Z & How They Relate to MoneyLearn: Everything’s Bigger in Texas — Including Taxes, Which Are Outpacing California...

Travelers may find the SENTRI Pass a good choice to avoid long wait times at the U.S.-Mexico and U.S.-Canada borders. However, those looking for entry back into the U.S. may not know what the SENTRI Pass is and how it works for a better border crossing experience by car and air. By Kathy Evans About Eligibility Cost Enrollment What Is a SENTRI Pass? A SENTRI Pass is one of the five official Trusted Traveler Programs issued by the U....

With 762 homers to his name, Barry Bonds owns the most sacred title in all of baseball and perhaps in all of sports: the all-time home run king — but that title is hardly undisputed. By Andrew Lisa Barry Bonds Net Worth: $100 Million As controversial as he is accomplished, Bonds’ title will forever have an asterisk — Bonds, after all, was the most prominent player in the MLB steroid scandal that engulfed his career....

In 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act (ARP) expanded the Child Tax Credit (CTC) significantly for one year, making it the largest U.S. child tax credit ever and providing most working families with $3,000 per child under 18 years of age and $3,600 per child six and younger. By David Nadelle Taxes in 2022: Find Out Everything You Need To Know About Filing, Refunds and MoreRead More: 2022 Stimulus Checks: Is Your State Giving Out Money This Year?...

Do you ever think about the incredibly important role of documentation in a taxpayer’s life? The medium itself may change consistently, ranging from paper to email; but, regardless of the format, all taxpayers should maintain a thorough document trail. By Heather Taylor Why does any of this matter? Let’s find out why. ‘If It Isn’t Documented, It Didn’t Happen’ There’s a saying in the auditing community, according to David Levi — CPA, PFS and senior managing director for CBIZ MHM: “If it isn’t documented, it didn’t happen....

Gifting is one of the most rewarding feelings. Not only does it elicit joy, surprise and marvel from those who unwrap your present, but it can also make the gift-giver feel great. By Selena Fragassi See: 7 Florida Cities That Could Be Headed for a Housing CrisisFind: 6 Types of Retirement Income That Aren’t Taxable The same can be said about charitable donations. A financial gift can make a huge impact for a nonprofit that relies on contributions to keep their mission going, but there’s one other great benefit of charitable donations — they can help reduce your taxes, too....

Older workers have generally been working longer, but will available jobs be able to support them? According to research by the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, certain factors could impact prospects for an aging workforce. By Josephine Nesbit See: 22 Side Gigs That Can Make You Richer Than a Full-Time JobExplore: 10 Best Small-Business Ideas With Low Overhead Costs An older worker’s ability to find employment could be impacted by their ability to do their job as they grow older, and people can only work when firms are willing to hire them....

If you need evidence of how wages have not kept up with inflation, consider this: The average U.S. employee would have had to work more than 64 hours to afford the typical rent payment in September 2022, according to data from Zillow. That’s an increase of eight full hours compared to the same month two years earlier. By Vance Cariaga Discover: Average American Renters Can’t Afford Starter HomesLearn: Should You Still Buy a Home in Today’s Market?...

Leaving a job also means exiting the 401(k) plan attached to that employer — but that doesn’t mean that you should walk away and forget about these funds. You can roll over your 401(k) into a plan offered by your new employer, or you can convert it into an individual retirement account. But it seems that many people don’t take the steps necessary to do this. By Karen Doyle 401k vs....

While most renters are interested in owning a home in the future, this is still a years-away goal for many. According to a new survey, the majority of renters polled say they can’t currently save up any money right now. By Yaёl Bizouati-Kennedy Discover: 22 Side Gigs That Can Make You Richer Than a Full-Time Job More: How Much Is President Joe Biden Worth? The new survey conducted by rewards app Piñata — a program which works with renters to build their credit and get cash back for paying their rent — found that 64% of renters polled say they are not being able to save any money at all right now, let alone a down payment, confirming their status as “rent-burdened....

In 2021, the average tax refund jumped to $2,775 from $2,495 the year before, an increase of more than 11% over 2020. But for some lucky taxpayers, refund time comes with a supersized payout that’s even bigger than average. But the size of your check isn’t decided by luck, and when it comes to refunds, bigger isn’t always better. By Andrew Lisa Taxes in 2022: Find Out Everything You Need To Know About Filing, Refunds and MoreImportant: Major Tax Changes for 2022 You Need To Know...

If you have a membership at Sam’s Club, you may want to shop there first to save big on the Halloween goodies — especially if you like to stock up on candy to hand out to trick-or-treaters who always come knocking. The warehouse club also has a wide variety of other Halloween-themed items for great prices. By Cynthia Measom Dollar Tree: 5 High-Quality Items To Buy NowSee: This Credit Score Mistake Could Be Costing Millions of Americans...

Another night, same nagging question: “What to make for dinner?” By Nicole Spector It may not sound like a big deal, but cooking can be a major stressor for those most often charged with the task. Adding to the stress are the financial factors — inflation is out of control and the cost of food is soaring. On top of that, the pandemic refuses to fade away, so more people continue to stay home and make their own meals....

Fears about retirement continue to plague Americans, with 38% of those polled saying they are concerned about outliving their savings and investments, per a new survey. By Yaёl Bizouati-Kennedy See: 6 Shakeups to Social Security Expected in the New YearFind: With a Recession Looming, Take These 3 Retirement Moves To Stay On Track Said survey, Transamerica’s “Emerging From the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Compendium About U.S. Workers’ Retirement Outlook,” found that outliving one’s savings was the most common area of concern among Americans....

Amid a surge of Omicron cases throughout the country and the world, President Joe Biden announced Tuesday, Jan. 4, that as of next week, insurance companies will reimburse the purchases of at-home COVID-19 tests. By Yaёl Bizouati-Kennedy See: Stimulus Checks in 2022? How Omicron Could Prompt Discussions for Further Relief Payments Find: Omicron Variant Triggers US GDP Downgrades “Next week, our requirement that your insurance company reimburse you for at-home tests takes effect,” Biden said in his speech....

With the average monthly car payment now $712 according to Moody Analytics, saving for a car, or at least a reasonable down payment, is often necessary to get into an affordable vehicle. Before you begin auto shopping, you need to determine how much you need to save for a down payment. Here is how to save for a car in three simple steps. By Andrea Norris Three Steps Takeaway Determine your monthly car spend...