Department of Education announces new focus on warning students of the risks of federal loans — but critics push back, argue more urgent issues exist
The federal Department of Education announced recently that it’s launching a new initiative to warn students and their families about the “benefits and risks” of taking on federal student loans. The outreach will fall under the Office of the Ombudsman, which previously focused on resolving borrower complaints. It has since been renamed the Office of […]
ChatGPT says it can save me $12K on my taxes — but is trusting AI with your returns a safe idea?
ChatGPT and other generative AI chatbots are being used for almost everything these days, from writing emails to planning a vacation or even to help with filing taxes. That doesn’t mean it’s always a good idea. Imagine this hypothetical scenario: Lorin, a 42-year-old market researcher who has a side hustle selling products on eBay, hates […]
‘Mr. Buffett, how can I make $30 billion?’: Warren Buffett once explained how he’d turn $10,000 into a fortune if he were a new investor
This article adheres to strict editorial standards. Some or all links may be monetized. Berkshire Hathaway’s (BRK-B) annual meetings give shareholders the opportunity to pick CEO Warren Buffett’s brain on a wide range of topics. However, one investor who attended the conference in 1999 cut right to the chase. Must Read Real Estate: Thanks to […]
I’m 42 and my dad just passed away leaving me $4M. How do I protect and grow this windfall wisely so that it lasts me the rest of my life?
The great wealth transfer is underway. Young Americans, of either the millennial or Gen Z generation, expect to inherit, on average, $335,000, according to a survey by Choice Mutual (1). Eight percent are expecting $1 million or more. Must Read Real Estate: Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little […]
2 women arrested for trying to sell Scottsdale home they didn’t even own. These bright red flags told homeowner ‘something’s wrong.’ Be on alert
Selling a home you don’t own sounds like an outlandish scam, but real estate title fraud is becoming increasingly common, and in some cases, surprisingly easy. In Scottsdale, Arizona, one homeowner learned that firsthand. The homeowner, who wanted to remain anonymous, told 12News he was blindsided when the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office notified him that […]
You should probably stop waiting until 70 to claim Social Security. Here’s the math that will open your eyes (but nobody likes to show)
On paper, it seems rather obvious that the best way to optimize your retirement is to delay claiming Social Security for as long as possible. Must Read Real Estate: Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don’t have to deal with tenants or […]
My brother’s always asking to borrow money. I can easily afford to help, but I’m just sick of being treated like an ATM. What should I do?
Is lending money to family the right thing to do? Or is it a moral obligation? Consider the case of Jessie, a 33-year-old who is debt-free, runs her own business and lives comfortably after all her hard work and risk-taking. When her 29-year-old brother, Mark, recently asked her to cover four months worth of his […]
Millions of US drivers scored $1B in ‘auto insurance refunds’ from Progressive, and more expected to follow. Are you entitled to a fat check?
This article adheres to strict editorial standards. Some or all links may be monetized. You may be accustomed to paying your auto insurance company — millions of Americans do it every month without a second thought. But, in a welcome reversal, some drivers are getting a billion-dollar refund. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced that Progressive […]
My 85-year-old mother has stopped paying her credit card and is already $25K in debt — am I on the hook to repay after she dies?
Imagine Jean, a 51-year-old woman from Alberta, who cares for her elderly mother. While the two are close, Jean has just discovered her 85-year-old mother, Marie, has stopped paying her credit cards over the past year, following a terminal diagnosis. She has spent much of her life living frugally and has now expressed some regrets […]
These 4 investments will reduce your tax bill immediately. And could potentially save you up to 6 or 7 figures. How many do you use?
Most investors are focused on either generating cash flows, long-term growth or a combination of the two. But some investments can have another special perk: offsetting income taxes. To encourage the flow of capital into certain sectors of the economy, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) offers investors an upfront tax write-off to sweeten the deal. […]