Whether you need a convenient way to pay bills, track your finances or provide proof of payment, having a checking account can come in handy. It also serves as a more secure method of payment than cash. By Alicia Bodine How To Open Accounts Although there’s no shortage of financial institutions to choose from when you’re interested in opening an account, Bank of America, Member FDIC, is ranked as one of the best national banks of 2022....
Even amidst rising gas prices for the Memorial Day weekend, the economy may be showing some positive signs, according to new data reported Friday, May 27, by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. By Dawn Allcot See: 50 Ways You’re Throwing Money AwayFind: 11 Things You Should Never Buy at Walmart The Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge increased just 4.9% in April from the prior year. Meanwhile, personal income in April increased 0....
In a country that loves its cars as much as the United States, you might not expect new vehicle sales to slow because of a shortage of inventory. But that’s what’s happening. By Vance Cariaga Happy Wallet: Why These ‘Boring’ Cars Are Great for Your Wallet Gas: The Current Price of Gas in Your State Auto sales for August are expected to decline to their slowest pace this year, according to a new forecast from Cox Automotive....
As the federal moratorium on evictions nears its expiration date, U.S. renters are growing anxious. More than 10 million Americans, or 14% of renters, are still behind on their rent more than a year after the first COVID-related eviction ban, according to The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. By Josephine Nesbit See: Numerous Programs Offer Rental Assistance — Here’s How To Get ItFind: Fourth Stimulus Update Likely This Week...
Among the narratives that have taken hold during the current debt-ceiling negotiations is that the Republican-led House wants to cut Social Security funding in exchange for an increase in the debt limit. U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) aimed to quell those fears last week. By Vance Cariaga Social Security: Women Get $354 Per Month Less Than Men – Here’s WhyLearn: With a Recession Looming, Make These 3 Retirement Moves To Stay On TrackFind Out: Here’s Why 1 in 5 Americans Are Considering Switching Banks...
Around the holidays, the motto is always “the more the merrier.” So if you’re planning a bigger bash than usual this New Year’s Eve, make sure the same motto applies for party supplies. By Bridget Murray Take a Look Back: 2022 Year in ReviewLearn: 3 Easy Tips To Turn Your Credit Woes Into Wows If you’re a Costco member, you enjoy the benefits of buying bulk and big bargains on a regular basis....
If you’ve put in decades of hard work and are now less than half a year out from retirement, you’ve probably been planning for this transition for years. Even so, you’re going to want to sprint to the finish line without making any mistakes. Thanks to the economy, the pandemic and all the other forces brewing, you’ll want to make extra sure you’ve got your ducks in a row before you waltz off into your golden years....
Although employment and wage growth are on the rise, the U.S. economy could see an economic recession by the end of 2021, according to economists David Blanchflower of Dartmouth College and Alex Bryson of the University College London. By Dawn Allcot See: IMF Downgrades US Growth Forecast Citing Supply Chain Disruptions, InflationExplore: Grocery Shortage Costs Are Falling to US Consumers — and 64% Are Fed Up, Survey Says Consumer expectations indices from the Conference Board and the University of Michigan show downturns in consumer economic sentiment, which tend to reliably predict economic downturns up to 18 months in advance, Fox Business reported....
Robinhood announced what it deems the first-of-its-kind financial education program for student athletes at West Virginia University (WVU), in an effort to tackle post-college athlete bankruptcy and financial hardship. By Yaёl Bizouati-Kennedy Discover: 7 Financial Habits That Improve Your Daily LifeMore: 50 Ways You’re Throwing Money Away Robinhood said it believes it is critical that players learn about the basics of financial literacy, as many professional athletes declare bankruptcy in just a few years, with nearly 16% of NFL players filing for bankruptcy within 12 years of retirement; 60% of NBA players “go broke within five years of departing the league”; and 78% of former NFL players experience financial distress two years after retirement, a spokesperson said....
You have a friend who works for a multilevel marketing (MLM) company, and they’ve invited you to a — sales — party where you’ll definitely feel obligated to buy something. The thing is, you don’t want whatever they’re peddling. By Jennifer Taylor See Our List: 100 Most Influential Money ExpertsCash App Borrow: How To Borrow Money on Cash App Whether they’re trying to sell you leggings, makeup, books or kitchenware, you’re just not interested....
With the pandemic changing so many everyday work and home routines, its easy to forget that many people were forced to put the breaks on really big life events over the past two years. According to the Wedding Report’s 2021 COVID-19 wedding update survey, there will be close to 2.5 million weddings taking place in the U.S. this year. By David Nadelle See: 10 Things You Should Always Buy at WalmartLearn: 9 Bills You Should Never Put on Autopay...
There are a number of factors that affect your Social Security benefits, and your salary is just one of them. And it’s important to note that your benefit amount is not based on your last year or two in the workforce, but on your lifetime earnings, so even if you made a lot of money in your pre-retirement years, you might not get the maximum benefit amount. By Gabrielle Olya How Social Security Benefits Are Calculated The Social Security Administration calculates an individual’s benefit amount by considering an individual’s lifetime earnings and then adjusting actual earnings to account for changes in the average wages since the year earnings were received....
You’ve probably experienced it. You get the bill at a restaurant or for food delivery, and there’s a service charge attached that you weren’t anticipating. The truth is that service charges are becoming more common. By Cynthia Measom Here It Is: Our 2022 Small Business SpotlightFind Out: 7 Things You Should Never Do When Planning For Retirement Bob Patterson, CPA and founder of Patterson & Company Certified Public Accountants, specializes in the restaurant industry....
If you watch or read the news with any regularity, it can be hard to get through a single day without hearing some mention of cryptocurrency. Many stories focus on the incredible returns that some cryptocurrencies have generated for investors, while others proclaim that crypto isn’t really an investment class and that it has no real future. By John Csiszar Whichever side of the argument you fall on, it’s hard to argue that crypto has been gaining acceptance around the world, from El Salvador’s adoption of Bitcoin as legal tender to no less than Joe Biden announcing that the U....
West Virginia distributes its Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits through what is called a Mountain State Card EBT card. The Mountain State Card operates similarly to a debit card. By Georgina Tzanetos See: What’s the Difference Between SNAP and WIC? — How to ApplyFind: SNAP Benefits & Health Plans Can Now Be Used To Have Fresh Produce Delivered SNAP benefits provide monthly assistance to help eligible households buy food. Eligibility is usually determined by household size, income, assets and how many expenses the household incurs each month....
Although major retailers have been launching big sales since early October, there’s a whole lot of doom and gloom surrounding expectations for the holiday shopping season in general and Black Friday specifically. Some of the pessimism is warranted, but America’s top retailers are clearly gearing up for what they hope will be a blockbuster shopping holiday on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Here’s what you need to know. By Andrew Lisa Read: The 14 Best Holiday Deals From Costco’s Early Black Friday Coupon Book See: Is It Smart To Wait For Black Friday This Year?...
By Andrew Lisa Read: Are We in a Housing Bubble?See: 40 Cities That Could Be Poised For a Housing Crisis Nearly four out of five renters — 78% — said they would like to own a home at some point in the future. And they’re an optimistic bunch. Most think they can pull it off within five years despite obstacles like poor credit, nagging debt and no money saved for a down payment....
With the cost of college — and student loans — continuing to rise, you may be considering alternatives. Average tuition, room and board for a private four-year college was $50,770 for the 2020-21 school year, according to the College Board, and $22,180 for public in-state four-year colleges. And that’s just for one of the four years before graduation. Depending on your major — and the economy in your area — it could be years before your earnings can make that expensive degree worthwhile....
The 2021 summer travel season may have been cut short or failed to meet expectations when COVID-19 returned in full force with the Delta variant, but travel is back in full force in 2022. By Dawn Allcot More To Read: Stimulus Updates To Know for Spring 2022Find: 13 Best Items To Buy in Bulk at Sam’s Club This Summer The travel search site Skyscanner discovered that summer 2022 flight bookings for U....
Before digital banking, people often had to visit a bank branch to do their banking. That meant opening a checking or savings account at whichever bank or credit union was in the neighborhood. Thus, there was little need for extensive research on which banks have the best rates and sign-up bonuses. By Bob Haegele But the internet has vastly changed banking, as it has other industries. In the United States, for example, you can open an account at almost any bank as long as you are a U....
