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We’ve done the work of evaluating credit repair companies for you. We researched and reviewed almost 20 credit repair companies, with the goal of giving you the best possible assessment of what’s out there. This is the process we used in each of our reviews. Credit Repair Company Review Methodology To create an objective review methodology, we broke down the different aspects of a credit repair company’s profile: stability, reputation, customer satisfaction, customer experience, the types of services you’ll receive, and cost....

Required Education for Entrepreneurs and Business Owners Many business owners also provide the services sold in their business. A doctor, for example, may own their own clinic. If you visit an auto repair shop, you might see the owner under the cars as well. While it’s common for owners to be involved in such ways, this isn’t a mandatory requirement for entrepreneurs. For this reason, there are no set educational requirements that an owner must meet....

After that, you set goals for how much you want to spend in each category, such as groceries, gas, and entertainment. This can be a great budgeting technique for people who are detail-oriented and who have more time. It’s not so great for people who are “big-picture” thinkers, creative types, and busy people. 50 percent of your take-home pay should go towards needs, 30 percent should be devoted to wants, and 20 percent should get put into savings....

More than 323,000 borrowers will be notified next month that their debt is being wiped out, and the discharges are expected to be complete by year-end, the department announced Thursday. These borrowers already were eligible to have their loans forgiven under existing rules that apply to people who have disabilities that prevent them from working. The changes announced Thursday make the process automatic for many and will eliminate a requirement that borrowers submit income verification paperwork for three years after the discharge—or be put back in hock....

How Does the IRS Treat Crowdfunding? Platforms such as GoFundMe or Kickstarter have made it easy to raise funds through crowdfunding, however, the tax treatment of that money depends on whether its a gift. Whether the money is taxable or not, if you’ve raised more than $600 in a year via crowdfunding, the platform you used to raise that money must report that distribution to the IRS using Form 1099-K. Prior to 2022, the threshold for reporting crowdfunding payments was $20,000 raised from 200 transactions or more....

If you’re wondering if you should include a cover letter, the short answer is yes. That said, there are a few exceptions. Here’s what you need to know about the value of cover letters, along with the situations where you can skip a cover letter. Why Write a Cover Letter? If you’re serious about landing the job, a well-written cover letter gives you a chance to sell yourself to the employer in a narrative format, and explain why you are an ideal candidate....

Being prepared with all your documents prevents delays and keeps the mortgage process moving ahead. Some lenders may request additional documents, particularly if there’s anything unusual about your finances. Having the most common pieces of information organized and ready will save you a lot of time and stress. Mortgage Loan Application Checklist Mortgage lenders request so much documentation to ensure loaning you money isn’t too risky. If the lender fails to properly qualify you for the mortgage loan and you end up defaulting, the lender may not receive any assistance from government-sponsored agencies....

HELOCs aren’t for everyone, though. Learn more about whether a HELOC might be right for you, and if not, what other options you may wish to consider. Is a HELOC a Good Idea for You? HELOCs work a bit differently than most lending products you may be familiar with. A HELOC is split up into two phases: a draw phase and a repayment phase. During the draw phase, you can borrow money and are only required to make interest-only payments....

In the week ending March 27, there were 719,000 initial claims for unemployment insurance, an increase of 61,000 from the previous week’s revised total, according to data released by the U.S. Department of Labor Thursday. Economists expected 678,266 initial claims for the week, according to a median estimate cited by Moody’s Analytics. The jump again put claims above 700,000, one week after the number fell below that threshold for the first time since the start of the pandemic....

The Federal Open Market Committee will wind down its $120 billion per month bond-purchasing program by $30 billion each month—doubling the pace it outlined at its last meeting in November—because of inflation and improvement in the labor market. “There’s a real risk now, I believe, that inflation may be more persistent and that may be putting inflation expectations under pressure, and the risk of higher inflation becoming entrenched has increased,” Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said at a news conference following the committee’s December meeting....

Half of the Federal Open Market Committee’s 18 members, up from seven at the committee’s last meeting in June, forecast a rise in the benchmark fed funds rate by the end of 2022, pushing the median forecast into next year. In June, most members had predicted rate hikes starting in 2023. With the economy and employment continuing to strengthen, the committee also inched closer to announcing that it would begin trimming its asset purchases....

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia declined an emergency request by the Alabama Association of Realtors and other property groups to lift the CDC’s moratorium, which was put in place for two months on Aug. 3 in areas with heightened levels of COVID-19 transmission. As of Friday, more than 87% of the country fell into the CDC’s “high transmission” category. The realty groups filed their appeal after D....

Right now, only one company is signed up with Fidelity on the plan. MicroStrategy, a business intelligence and cloud-services provider, will add the Bitcoin offering to its 401(k) later this year. Fidelity plans to make the new Bitcoin account available to more employers, who would have the option of offering it to their employees or not, by mid-2022. Fidelity said it would let investors put up to 20% of their account balance and contributions into the new Bitcoin account, although employers would be able to set their own limits....

All these reports can be filed online, and some businesses must do so. Deadlines for Giving Forms to Payees Employees must receive their Forms W-2 showing their taxable income, income taxes withheld, and other information by January 31 of the year following the tax year. Nonemployees must receive 1099-NEC forms showing the taxable payments your business made to them during the year by the same date. Filing Reports With Federal Agencies The deadline for giving forms to payees and for filing with federal agencies is the same....

If you’re a first-time homebuyer looking for a home, here are the steps to get started. Step 1: Understand Your Homebuying Budget Your first step toward buying a home is to understand your budget. You need to have a good handle on your finances, as well as know what you can afford to spend every month on your new home. To determine this, you should: Know how much you bring in monthly (you and any co-buyers)Tally up your monthly expenses and debtsAssess your savings scenario...

You can fix this situation in a couple of ways, depending on how you want your retirement money to be taxed. Deductible Contributions You have two options when it comes to IRAs. Your contributions can be either tax-deductible or nondeductible. You can claim a deduction at tax time for the money you put in, which is what most people do. These contributions reduce your taxable income in the year you make them, then they grow tax-deferred until you retire....

The FAO Food Price Index, a measure of international food prices compiled by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, grew by 4.8% between April and May, the largest month-on-month gain since October 2010, according to a report released last week. After its 12th consecutive increase, the index now rests at its highest value since September 2011. The chart below shows just how much food prices have skyrocketed in the last 12 months....

While you may use your net income for budgeting purposes, for instance, your gross income is what you would need if you’re applying for credit or starting your tax return. Here’s what you should know about gross versus net income and why it matters. What Is Gross Income? As an individual taxpayer, your gross income includes all of the income you receive from all sources. For many people, this might only be your salary or wages from your employer before any taxes and other deductions—such as for health insurance premiums and retirement contributions—are taken out....

Here’s what you should know about the UltraPro Short Dow30 before trading it. What Is the UltraPro Short Dow30? The ProShares UltraPro Short Dow30 ETF (SDOW) tracks the Dow Jones, but unlike ETFs (such as SPDR’s DIA), which seek to replicate the Dow’s performance exactly, SDOW is both leveraged and inverse. That means it is designed to move in the opposite direction as the Dow (“inverse”), and it’s also designed to multiply the amount of daily movement by three (“leveraged”)....

These simple questions can help you to address the budgeting weaknesses that stop you from managing your money effectively. Read on to identify your budgeting mistakes and learn to fix them. To create a realistic plan for your money, be sure you consider your set major monthly costs—rent, bills, online monthly subscription fees, student loan payments, retirement contributions—as well as discretionary costs such as entertainment-related spending. That way, you can form a realistic view of how much you really spend each month, which will help fill in the blanks when it comes to evaluating your budget....