Financial New for Everyone
By Sandra Hayes Although we’ve known about payday loan scams for more than a decade, it still costs consumers over $500 million in each. The scam works like this: you’ll get a call pretending to be a collection agency representative. That person says you need to pay your outstanding balance on a payday loan. You’ll get asked to …
By Sandra Hayes Most people don’t want to ask for money. It’s hard to admit to oneself that help is needed to get through the next few days. However, a few friends and family might constantly ask for help. Although you want to help out the people you love, it might be better to refuse to lend someone …
By Sandra Hayes The financial consumer services industry is one of America’s most competitive spaces for work. That means you can earn a lucrative income when you can find employment, but you’ll be competing against some incredibly talented candidates. Here are the places you’ll want to look if you’re going to expand your income-generating opportunities this year. 1. …
By Sandra Hayes If you want to make some extra cash this summer for a long overdue vacation, it makes sense to invest in some business opportunities. Although you could focus on stocks, bonds, or certificates, the income from those investments would get taxed at a high rate. You must hold onto those products for at least 12 …
By Sandra Hayes One of the advantages that come with an electric vehicle or a plug-in hybrid is the option to get a tax credit. You’re also reducing the amount of fuel that you use, thereby reducing the greenhouse gas emissions that get produced. Although an electric vehicle’s cost can be significantly higher, several tax breaks are often …
By Sandra Hayes Whether you’re a sole proprietor, LLC, or corporation, April is tax month. Although you can file for an extension, the U.S. government isn’t changing the deadline this year. You’ll need to have everything ready to go for your business by April 15. If you operate on a different fiscal year, the IRS needs you to …
By Sandra Hayes If you have some extra money in your pocket after everything that happened in 2020, consider yourself lucky. Almost 10 million people in the United States face an increased risk of eviction and foreclosure because their jobs and opportunities evaporated due to the coronavirus pandemic. When you have money available to invest, you can achieve …
By Sandra Hayes The COVID-19 pandemic tragedy seems like it might eventually come to an end as vaccines get announced. Some families are still trying to recover from the economic downturns in 2020 that were the worst circumstances for some since the Great Depression. With global energy use falling by at least 6% because of fewer transportation needs, …
By Sandra Hayes Joe Biden says he’d like to see more stimulus funds reach Americans. Mitch McConnell repetitively mentions that he’s open to the idea of a $500 billion plan, while Nancy Pelosi is thinking of having something close to $2 trillion. What will happen to the potential for stimulus funding in 2021? The uncertainty we have regarding …
By Sandra Hayes When most Americans received their $1,200 stimulus checks, the money went to alcohol, legal marijuana, and credit card payments. Those that had more liberties with their money spent the cash on health and wellness products. Brands like BrainMD, Numedica, and Terry Naturally got a significant boost. A few families tucked their money into savings for …