If you plan to graduate from college debt-free, you’ll need to create a budget for college to help you manage your money and limit your spending. You’ll also need to find creative ways to pay for tuition, books, and other necessities. Read on to learn tips on how to graduate from college debt-free. Apply for Scholarships The first way to pay for college without student loans? Actively look for and apply to scholarships....
Paying off your mortgage early might be a worthy goal if you’re planning to live there for a long period of time, but there might be better uses for your extra cash if you’re planning to move on in a handful of years. That said, you have several options for paying your loan off early if you’re determined to live mortgage-free, from making an extra payment now and again to refinancing....
This article gives information on Form 1099-NEC, including due date, how to complete the form, and how to file it with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). What Is Form 1099-NEC? Form 1099-NEC is an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) information form, used to report payments to non-employees each year. You must file this report with the IRS if you paid $600 to a freelancer, independent contractor, or other individual or business who provided services to your company during the year....
Section 8 is a federal program administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The program provides eligible families and individuals monthly rental assistance. But who qualifies for Section 8? If you need housing assistance, it’s helpful to know who’s eligible and how to apply. What Is Section 8 Housing? Section 8 housing is a federal program that provides vouchers to help low-income families and individuals pay for housing....
HELOCs are set up as a revolving line of credit, so you can borrow and repay money as needed until your loan reaches the end of its draw period. Then you need to start repaying the loan. These loans are popular because they typically have low interest rates. However, you may find you want to refinance your HELOC, such as if the variable interest rate increases. So, let’s learn more about your refinancing options and how they can help you secure better terms....
If your goal is to earn some passive income by renting out your first home, there’s a case to be made for taking that route. After all, rent prices have been steadily on the rise—clocking in at a national average of $1,381 in May 2018, according to a RENTcafe report. That’s a 2 percent bump year over year. Home values have been consistently increasing as well. The latest S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller home price index shows a 9....
Reasons to Report a Landlord There are certain health and safety issues which could cause a tenant to file a complaint with the health department. These include: Pests: A tenant may report a landlord if their apartment or rental property has shown signs of a mouse, rat, roach, bed bug, or other pest infestation.Mold: Mold in the living space is dangerous as it can cause breathing problems or more severe reactions....
Ways To Save for College Options for college savings offer flexibility to contribute individually or as a family. Explore your options to decide the best way to save based on your finances and time horizon. 529 Plan A 529 plan, also known as a qualified tuition plan, is the most common method of saving for college. A 529 plan allows your savings to earn interest, which are tax-free provided the money is used for qualified education expenses....
Feeling positive will help motivate you to continue with your search. Also, your positive attitude will come across during interviews and networking opportunities, increasing your chances of making a strong first impression. Tips for Staying Positive During a Job Search Here are 12 tips for remaining upbeat and enthusiastic during your job search. 1. Get Organized Take time to get organized. Having everything you need for a job search ready will make the process much smoother....
As cryptocurrency becomes a more prevalent part of our financial system, it’s natural for parents to wonder how they’ll teach their children about it. Learn about the basics of cryptocurrency—including its risks—and how it can fit into your and your child’s broader financial picture. Basics of Cryptocurrency If you’re planning to teach your child about cryptocurrency, it’s important to start with the basics. Just as your child probably learned to crawl before they could walk, the foundations of cryptocurrency are important before you move on to teaching them about more advanced investing concepts....
A written request gives you a chance to pitch the reasons why you’re worth more than what you’re currently getting paid, without stammering over your choice of words. It may also offer your manager a chance to review your situation before answering. But to make the best impression on your boss, you need to write a letter that makes a good case for giving you a raise. Here’s what to keep in mind....
It’s an odd phenomenon—a home can sit on the market for months without any offers, but the minute an interested buyer comes along, a handful of other buyers appear. There aren’t many incentives for an agent if there are multiple offers; unless they are the selling agent, who then gains a higher chance of selling the house and earning a commission. There isn’t much to earn via commission after the bidding war starts (unless bids rise dramatically)....
You can only accomplish these two tasks: learning and responding to the intended message. If you are willing to practice personal courage and seek out feedback following your rejection, you can do both. Examples of Workplace Rejection Actual rejection and feelings of rejection occur in a variety of work-related situations. In fact, rejection comes from big and small events and activities. Rejection can hit you unexpectedly or you can anticipate it based on the odds of your winning a sought-after contract....
Initial claims for benefits rose to 332,000 for the week through Sept. 11, an increase of 20,000 from the previous week’s revised level and a little more than economists expected, according to seasonally adjusted data released Thursday by the Labor Department. Weekly volumes are still less than 80,000 away from the last level before the pandemic—256,000—on March 14, 2020. That counts as progress, considering claims hovered in the 750,000-900,000 range for much of the last year....
Sincerely, Leslie Dear Leslie, Congratulations on your new job, and embarking on your personal finance journey! You’ve already identified making a budget, which will not only be the best way to ensure your financial stability but will also help reach your goal of getting an apartment. You say you want to be financially stable, and I want you to ask yourself what that means to you. For some, it could mean erasing all debt, while for others it means having emergency savings....
What the Interviewer Wants to Know The interviewer is looking for a real, substantive answer to the question of why you want to work at their company. Though it seems like an easy interview question to answer, many interviewers will ask, “Why do you want to work here?” or “Why would you like to work at our company?” in order to gauge your level of interest and to see if you have bothered to research the company in order to learn about it....
What Are Health Care ETFs? First, let’s review what an ETF is. An ETF, or exchange-traded fund, is a type of investment security that groups financial assets together. This basket of securities can include stocks, bonds, commodities, currencies, and more. They are similar to mutual funds, but unlike mutual funds, ETFs trade like stocks. An investor can buy and sell ETF shares during trading hours on an exchange. The diversification and convenience of exchange-traded funds have made them popular with investors....
Write a Mission Statement Your mission statement is a great daily reminder to yourself about what it is you want to accomplish. A good mission statement is short, clear, and should embrace your core values. It should state who you are serving (your market), how you are serving them (your services or products), and what makes your business unique. Once you have your mission statement, you can incorporate it into your business plan....
For instance, a rate could be quoted as “LIBOR + 0.50%;” if LIBOR were at 1.00%, the rate would be 1.50%. While the yield changes throughout the life of the security as prevailing interest rates fluctuate, the spread (+0.50) typically stays the same. The Federal Reserve has begun to transition away from LIBOR, which is set to be fully phased out by June 2023. Expect floating-rate bonds and other products using LIBOR as a reference rate to transition to referencing alternative rates in fallback language and in new contracts....
You may be wondering though: if you missed out on the Bitcoin explosion, are you too late to the game? Let’s take a look at Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies and their viability for a strong investment return. What Are Cryptocurrencies? Cryptocurrencies are digital currencies that can be used for some online money transfers and purchases and a few rare offline purchases. Bitcoin is the most noteworthy cryptocurrency, but it is not alone in this new frontier....
