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If you’ve put off filing your 2021 income tax return until the last minute, chances are you live somewhere out West. If you got your returns in early, you most likely live in the Midwest. No matter where you live, you only have about a week left to file your 2022 returns, and there are some things you need to remember before getting down to business. By Vance Cariaga See: The 7 Signs You Need To File a Tax ExtensionFind: Earn the Maximum Tax Refund With These Two Tips for Your 2021 Filing...

Valentine’s Day spending is expected to rise this year, according to a survey from the National Retail Federation. Shoppers surveyed said they expect to spend an average of $175.41 per person on Valentine’s Day gifts, which is $10.65 more than they spent last year. Flowers remain near the top of the list of favored Valentine’s presents, with 37% of those polled saying they planned to purchase flowers for a loved one....

There were 4.3 million new businesses created in 2020 — nearly 1 million more than were formed in 2019, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. But what has become of those businesses in 2021? By Gabrielle Olya Tips: 6 Money Moves Small-Business Owners Should Make Before OpeningCheck Out: 15 of Your Favorite Companies That Have Gone Out of Business Here’s a look at what the past year has meant for small businesses across the U....

We can all use a little help with financial planning from time to time, so take a break on this lovely Sunday and get some money advice from those in the know. By Gary Dudak The Big Lead: 6 Types of Retirement Income That Aren’t Taxable One often-overlooked aspect of retirement planning is the effect of taxes. Without proper planning, taxes can take a significant bite out of your nest egg....

It’s Friday, folks, and you know what to do. First, catch up on today’s top financial stories. Then, go enjoy the heck out of your weekend. By Gary Dudak The Big Lead: Is This SNAP Rumor True? If you’ve heard rumors about free tablets being provided by the federal government’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), don’t get your hopes up. While eligible households can receive deep discounts on tablets, there’s nothing on any official government website indicating that they’re free....

Fannie Mae’s new refinance program “RefiNow” is scheduled to launch June 5, available for qualifying homeowners with a Fannie Mae-owned mortgage. Low-income households could potentially save hundreds of dollars a month on their mortgage, reports CNBC. By Josephine Nesbit See: Mortgage Foreclosure Freeze Ends Soon — Here Are the Banks Extending the MoratoriumFind: How To Refinance a Mortgage According to a statement released by Fannie Mae, here are the eligibility requirements:...

First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes…reassessing you and your spouse’s student loan debt. It’s not the most romantic process, but it’s paramount, particularly when considering that the majority of college graduates carry student loan debt. By Nicole Spector Find: 10 Items That Are Always Cheaper at Sam’s ClubSee Our List: 100 Most Influential Money Experts Marriage can impact student loan debt in a few ways, which is why it’s critical to establish answers to the following questions with your partner: What type(s) of loan did you take out?...

Jo Ann Oravec, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Business and Economics, asked her students to write about how rising prices were affecting their daily lives. The results showed that the worst inflation in 40 years could actually change campus culture for the better. By Andrew Lisa Check It Out: Our 2022 Small Business SpotlightLearn: 7 Things You Should Never Do When Planning For Retirement Several students reported drinking less at bars, eating less at restaurants, and organizing potlucks, picnics and other low-cost alternative gatherings instead....

In today’s “Financially Savvy Female” column, we look at how two-thirds of mothers were either breadwinners or co-breadwinners for their families, and more than 4 in 10 were sole or primary breadwinners, according to the Center for American Progress in 2019. According to the group’s research, over time, there has been a significant upward trajectory of mothers’ breadwinning and co-breadwinning status. And while it’s exciting that women have been flipping gender norms, there’s certainly added stress that comes along with being the sole breadwinner of the family — especially if this status wasn’t a choice....

It’s true that opposites attract, but when you and your partner have different attitudes about spending and saving money, conflict may arise. By Gabrielle Olya In this “Financially Savvy Female” column, we’re chatting with Samantha Garcia, CFP, wealth advisor at Halbert Hargrove, about how couples can successfully navigate through this tricky situation. Some people are “spenders” and some people are “savers” — but what happens when these two opposites are in a relationship?...

Summer is winding to a close, but that doesn’t mean people are done traveling. With Labor Day as one of the last holiday gasps on the horizon until the fall and winter holidays, many people take this three-day weekend as the last opportunity to get out and away. According to a survey of 571 adults by the Vacationer, just over 54% of those surveyed said they will be traveling over the Labor Day holiday; 12....

The Great Resignation sent workers across the country packing up and shipping out in search of greener pastures, but a whole lot of those workplace refugees quickly realized that the grass is not always greener on the other side of the hill. By Andrew Lisa Find: The Minimum Salary You Need To Be Happy in Every State Discover: The Best and Worst Things To Buy Generic “Many people have started a new job and then, after starting their new role, have realized that it is not a good fit for them,” said Brian Vander Waal, a career coach and employment counselor....

Chances are you’ll find yourself in this bind at least once in your life — your wallet goes missing, along with some of your riskiest possessions. By Georgina Tzanetos See: 10 Financial Blind Spots To Fix NowFind: 7 Hidden Ways You Can Boost Your Credit Score Your driver’s license, ID card, work ID and several credit cards are likely in your wallet, and if it goes missing, you become easily susceptible to identity fraud....

Working mothers have, again, been put into a tough situation as more companies are beginning to call workers back to the office. Millions of women have been forced to leave the workforce since March 2020 due to lack of child care and in-person schooling, reports Bloomberg. By Josephine Nesbit See: 3 Alarming Ways Women Are Lagging Behind Men When It Comes to Their FinancesFind: 4 Essential Tips for Moms Re-Entering the Workforce...

You don’t have to be the Cookie Monster to celebrate National Cookie Day, which falls on Sunday, Dec. 4, this year. To mark the occasion, many cookie sellers are offering special deals – even freebies – in store or across their websites.If you want to pick up your cookies in person, support a local business and stop in to your local bakery and inquire about a National Cookie Day promotion. (Also check the social media pages of your local – and national – cookie sellers for deals....

Petal 2 Credit Card Overview Applying for a credit card with a less-than-stellar credit score can be frustrating. A credit score can be affected by a few late payments, a high level of debt, or high credit utilization, which is the ratio of credit used to the total credit available. By Thomas Streissguth Overview Features Competitor Comparison How To Apply Credit Building Card Final Take Rewards 4.0 Fees 5.0 App Features...

If you’re on the hunt for a rental home these days, beware of deals that seem too good to be true — because they probably are. The Better Business Bureau’s Scam Tracker found that more than 2,400 rental scams were reported in the United States during the six months ending on Aug. 15, 2022. By Vance Cariaga See: 5 Things To Always Buy at CostcoFind: 15 Cheap, Beautiful Places To Retire...

Federal student loan borrowers have about a month to prepare for the resumption of payments following a payment pause of more than two years that began during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Unless U.S. lawmakers step in to extend the pause yet again, it will end on Aug. 31, 2022, and payments will resume a day later. By Vance Cariaga See: 9 Bills You Should Never Put on AutopayFind: 7 Things You Should Never Do When Planning For Retirement...

Do you have 25 minutes to spare? UPS might have a job for you. The company has said it will hire 100,000 seasonal employees ahead of the holidays, adding that 80% of seasonal positions do not require an interview. By Yaёl Bizouati-Kennedy See: Searches for Dog Friendly Workplaces Spike as People Return to the OfficeFind: Employers Who Invest in Mental Health See 4 Times the Return — What Other Benefits Does It Provide?...

U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card Overview By Daria Uhlig Overview Key Features How It Stands Out Comparable Options How To Apply Who It’s Best For Rewards and Travel 4.6 Pros Travel point rewards are highly competitive. Introductory bonus offer is easy to earn. Six categories earn more than 1x points. U.S. Bank has an array of accommodations for customers with special needs. Cons The annual fee is higher than that of some competing travel cards....