A brief summary of this episode

A brief summary of this episode

You've seen the advertisements by now: "Start your return for free" or "file for free". But honestly, are these tax software and service companies really free? Not to mention the fact that the IRS has the FreeFile alliance, which is a group of companies that have committed to offering free filing for eligible individuals (you may have seen the countless news articles on this recently). We took a look at every major tax filing software and service, and broke down who is offering free filing and who isn't. Many of these companies offer free Federal returns for certain filers, but then charge for the State return. Or even worse, charge more for a State return than other versions of their software! Here's our list of the top free tax software so you can file your tax return for free! 

A brief summary of this episode

A brief summary of this episode

A brief summary of this episode

The start of tax filing season is right around the corner. You might have already received some of your tax paperwork in the mail. And you're probably thinking about which tax software option is the best for you? Well, we've been reviewing all the major options this season, including TurboTax, H&R Block, TaxAct, TaxSlayer, Credit Karma Tax, and more. Because of all the options, there is no "one-size-fits-all" for the best tax software. It all depends on what you have to file on your taxes.  We're breaking down the categories for each "type" of filer and which software makes the most sense for your situation. There's nothing worse than spending 30 minutes thinking your taxes will be free, only to find out you need to upgrade to file! If there's something you think we've missed, or don't quite know which is best for you, let us know in the comments! We've seen them all, so we'll try to point you in the right direction. See the full article here >>

A brief summary of this episode

A brief summary of this episode

A brief summary of this episode

A brief summary of this episode

A brief summary of this episode

A brief summary of this episode

A brief summary of this episode

A brief summary of this episode

A brief summary of this episode

A brief summary of this episode

A brief summary of this episode

A brief summary of this episode

A brief summary of this episode

A brief summary of this episode

A brief summary of this episode

While hackers have gotten savvier over the years, it is possible to take steps that reduce the chances of someone stealing your identity. Like the old saying goes, prevention is better than a cure. Preventing identity theft is way easier than rebuilding your credit after someone steals it. In this post, we’ll go over 10 things you can do to protect your identity and prevent identity theft. Some of these may seem tedious, but by doing them, you can protect yourself.

Are you trying to figure out what student loan repayment plan makes sense for you? The myriad of options can be confusing, but figuring out the right option is critical to your financial health. Below we outline resources and options to help you figure out what makes sense for you.

A brief summary of this episode

One of the big perks of using a 529 plan to save for college is that many states offer a tax deduction for contributions to the plan. But, like anything, there are rules that apply. Some states require you to contribute to their state's plan, while other states allow you to take the tax deduction for contributions to any state's plan. Finally, there are (sadly) states that don't offer any incentives for contributions. Also, the rules for withdrawing can also impact your taxes. Make sure you understand the differences in qualified 529 plan withdrawals so you aren't paying taxes and penalties!

A brief summary of this episode

A brief summary of this episode

A brief summary of this episode

A brief summary of this episode

A brief summary of this episode

A brief summary of this episode

So you want to start an online business that will allow you to make money from anywhere? You’ve stumbled on the right post! In today’s post, we’ll discuss 15 lucrative business ideas that will help you make money from anywhere. Most of these business ideas don’t require a lot of capital. You can even start some of them absolutely free. With dedication and drive, you can make serious money with any of these business ideas. Ready? Let’s dive in.

Does your spouse owe past-due taxes, late child support, alimony payments, or have delinquent Federal student loan debt? If so, all of the money from your joint tax return could be garnished to meet those obligations. But as a married person filing jointly, you have some recourse against this. You can file IRS Form 8379: Injured Spouse Allocation. This form allows the injured spouse (that is the person who doesn’t owe the payment) to get a certain portion of the refund back. Read on to learn how it works. Read the full blog post here >>

As a culture, we are becoming more productive with our time, and less wasteful of our money.  For example, hundreds of thousands of folks across make money off of Airbnb. If you have a spare room -- why not make a couple extra bucks by making it available for people to use? Why watch TV (and spend money on cable), when you could be making money on Fiverr or TaskRabbit? We’re partnering with Turo to show you a way to make the most of your time and idle assets to earn more money. Turo is a marketplace where you can share your car and make an average of $500 per month, or in the case of a graduate student named Kayla, who we spoke with for this piece, easily make between $600 and $900 per month. Check out Turo here and see what it’s all about >>

​Credit scores are the gatekeepers of credit. They determine how much credit you’ll receive and under what terms. Credit scores have also become more influential and are now used for job and apartment applications. Credit scores are obviously an area that none of us can ignore. But what impact do credit scores have on our money? Generally, the higher your credit score, the more credit you’ll receive. As we’ll see, there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to how much credit a lender may extend to you. From the worst scores to the best, there are score ranges that much of the population falls into. What those ranges mean for your money is what this article will dive into. Read the full article here >>

A brief summary of this episode

Dividend investing involves investing in stocks that pay dividends. Dividends can be a source of income for investors. They can also indicate solid, growing companies whose stock might constitute a solid investment. And dividends have been a popular investment strategy for decades — but it can be hard to do the research, know what companies to invest in, or know what products might be worthwhile. That’s why we’ve partnered with Emperor Investments to help you learn a bit more about dividend investing, and see how their platform makes it easy for you to get started. Check out Emperor Investments here. Read the full article here.

A brief summary of this episode

A brief summary of this episode

A brief summary of this episode

Do you remember where you filed your tax return? What about your tax return from 3 years ago? The IRS recommends that you keep at least 3 years of tax returns on hand. But what if you can’t find your tax return in your black hole filing cabinet? Tax Transcripts are the answer. And if you want to check on the status of your tax return early, your tax transcript can also help. Read more here.

A brief summary of this episode

If you’ve struggled with bounced checks, regular overdrafts, or closing an account with a negative account balance, you may have run into issues opening a new account. The issue of being unbanked or underbanked can lead to many issues for people who have struggled with poverty, economic instability, or those who tend to use cash to the exclusion of bank accounts. In certain circumstances, some banks won’t allow you to open an account due to a checkered banking history. But if you’re trying to make headway towards economic stability, getting a checking account in place can go a long way towards reducing check-cashing and other nonsense banking fees. In these circumstances, a second-chance checking account may be your best option. Here’s what you need to know about them. Read the full article here.

A Health Savings Account (HSA) allows you to contribute funds into the account and use those funds to pay for medical expenses. A flexible spending arrangement (FSA) allows you to contribute funds into the account and use those funds to pay for medical expenses. Did we just repeat ourselves? On the surface, an HSA and FSA don’t seem any different. But there are differences. There are differences in contribution amounts, employer contributions, and qualifications based on your health plan and employment status. Read the full article here >>

A brief summary of this episode

A brief summary of this episode

There are so many opinions about millennials and how they are either shaping or destroying our economy. Recent news headlines suggest millennials are being too thrifty, and thereby killing consumerism. Others say millennials are ruining their chances of buying a home and incur more debt by overspending on luxuries, lattes and avocado toast. While overgeneralizing a select group is rarely accurate, in order to understand millennial spending habits and risks, we have to examine the actual age range and economic climate surrounding the individuals called “millennials.” Read the full article here.