Nationally-recognized financial expert and freelance journalist.
5 Facts You Should Know About Fee-Only Financial Planners
We all need help figuring stuff out sometimes.
This is true whether you’re learning to ride a bike or creating a long-term plan for your money.
A financial planner can be just the person to help you get on the right track. An outsider can see things about your finances that you might not notice. Plus, their expertise can open your eyes to new options you may have been previously unaware of.
In recent years, financial planning has become more popular — especially the fee-only model. But before...
The Ultimate Guide to Investing for Beginners
So, you’ve decided it’s time to start investing.
Good choice. After all, one of the best ways to build wealth over time is to invest.
The good news is that investing for beginners doesn’t have to be hard. In fact, you can get started almost immediately. Here’s what you need to know about how to start investing.
1. Figure out how much you can invest each month
The first step is to decide how much you can invest each month. There are plenty of online brokers that allow you to get started with a...
Fed Increases Interest Rates by 0.25%: What’s Next for the Economy?
Today, the Federal Reserve increased its Fed Funds rate by a quarter percentage, resulting in a target range of 0.75 and 1.00 percent.
The fact that the Fed raised interest rates wasn’t entirely unexpected, and stocks saw a small jump at the time of the release. Because this rate hike was widely anticipated, stocks aren’t expected to make a huge move during the rest of the session.
Most of the 10 voting members of the Federal Open Market Committee agreed to the interest rate hike. Only Neel K...
Betsy DeVos Rolls Back Obama-Era Student Loan Protections
On Tuesday, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos rolled back more Obama-era student loan protections.
A memo issued by DeVos to James W. Runcie, who oversees Federal Student Aid (FSA), overturned Obama administration directives requiring FSA to hold student loan servicers accountable for working in the best interests of borrowers.
This is the latest in a series of regulation reversals since DeVos’s appointment; last month, the Department of Education got rid of a rule barring debt collectors fr...
House Votes to Change Overtime Wages: Here’s What’s at Stake
On Tuesday, the House voted to pass the Working Families Flexibility Act, a bill to change the way employees are compensated for overtime work. The bill passed 229 to 197; no Democrats voted for the bill and six Republicans voted against it.
Supporters say the bill is aimed at providing more flexibility for hourly workers who put in overtime. Instead of being paid time-and-a-half for working extra hours, workers could instead choose to bank an hour and a half of paid time off.
Opponents, howe...
Should You Ditch Freelancing For a Full-Time Job?
For years, I’ve enjoyed the freelance lifestyle.
But in September 2016, I shocked everyone I knew: I scaled back my freelancing clients and accepted a full-time position with Student Loan Hero.
In a lot of ways, I still enjoy the freelance lifestyle. My job is remote, so I still work from home (yes, sometimes in my pajamas). There is a great deal of flexibility, so I am still available for my son and involved in my community.
I’m not the only freelancer to look for a little more pay stability...
[Updated] Equifax Secures $7.25 Million Contract for IRS Fraud Protection
Only weeks after Equifax revealed details of a major security breach to its system, the IRS awarded a fraud prevention contract to the embattled company. The IRS finalized the $7.25 million contract on Sept. 29. In the contract, Equifax would provide verification and validation services for taxpayer identity.
“At first glance it doesn’t make a lot of sense,” said Beverly Harzog, a consumer credit expert and advocate. “Equifax knew about its breach well before they disclosed it, and the IRS kn...
How to Spot Work from Home Scams
One day, I received a message from someone on LinkedIn. A company I’d never heard of offered me a work-from-home position. The pay was phenomenal. All I needed to do was turn in my first assignment quickly, I’d get my first paycheck, and then we could settle in for a more regular agreement.
Now, I’ve been offered legit opportunities through LinkedIn before and even done work (and been paid!) as a result of connections through the site.
Unfortunately, this was not one of those situations.
I re...
Not Sure What Funds to Invest In? Here’s How to Build a Portfolio
The scariest thing about investing is trying to find the “right” stock.
We all want to choose a magical stock that will lead to untold wealth, but in reality, it doesn’t work that way for most people.
If you want to grow your wealth over time, you’re more likely to have success with funds. Learning how to use funds to invest in your portfolio can help you put together a long-term plan that can grow your wealth.
Why you should invest in funds
Not every investment is right for every person. How...
Roth vs. Traditional IRA: 3 Questions You Need to Ask
Picking between the two flavors of Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) — a Roth IRA versus a traditional IRA — can seem like a simple choice. But it’s a big deal. This decision has everything to with where you see yourself later on down the road and the circumstances you expect to be in.
While making your decision, consider the attributes of the different types of IRA. (And if you’re not familiar with them, read our guide to IRAs here.) Specifically, consider these three questions as you ma...
0% APR Balance Transfer Cards Gaining in Popularity | Quizzle.com Blog
Once again, credit card issuers are rolling out 0% APR balance transfer offers....
3 Signs You Need to Hire an Accountant for Your Taxes | Quizzle.com Blog
As tempting as it is to save money by doing your taxes on your own (or with a little help from software), there are times when it makes more sense to just pay an accountant....
5 Must-Have Analysis Tools for Online Business Owners | Fox Small Business Center
5 Must-Have Analysis Tools for Online Business Owne...