Everybody’s heard it: You need to save three to six months’ expenses in an emergency fund. Not as many of us have actually done it. In fact, a 2014 survey indicated that most of us couldn’t cover even a $ 500 calamity. That means we are clearly under-saving — it’s hard to argue that having …
As you get older, it may seem less and less prudent to carry life insurance. You could be retired, own your home outright and have kids who are self-sufficient. While for most people insurance is intended to protect you and your loved ones if you die prematurely, there are some financial situations where you may still need …
The one thing that everyone hates about credit cards is paying high interest rates, which can be especially costly. There are credit cards offered with low interest rates that can appeal to cardholders who are frustrated by high interest charges each month. They may offer rates of 10% APR or even less, but it may come at …
Young people are flocking to cities like New York, San Francisco and Washington D.C., when perhaps they should consider places in North Carolina, Ohio and Tennessee — at least if they want to buy a home. First-time homebuyers often find gathering enough cash to make a down payment is their biggest obstacle, but millennials aren’t helping …
Premera Blue Cross, a health insurer serving patients in Washington and Alaska, announced Tuesday it was the target of a cyberattack that accessed millions of customers’ personal, financial and medical information. An investigation reportedly discovered the attack began May 5, 2014. According to its website, Premera Blue Cross serves 1.8 million people in the U.S., though …
Over the past 25 years, the way individuals communicate with each other has changed dramatically. From telephone calls and faxes to emails and text messages, advancements in technology have made it much easier for individuals to get in touch with one another. Today, individuals communicate through text messages and emails more than they do through telephone calls. Businesses …
A close friend recently asked me for advice about reviewing her credit reports and credit scores. A few years ago, when she got a mortgage, her scores were very good — in the 800s — but she has since had a run-in with a department store card that she fears may have had a negative impact on her credit. So …
Husband and wife team Rick and Jari Searns, of Williamsville, N.Y., have been entrepreneurs for almost their entire working lives — roughly 45 years. They have successfully launched and sold three staffing companies, one of which was an Inc. 500 company, and co-founded and currently own two marketing companies. They founded RestMark in 2013, spent …
At a time when bipartisanship seems quaint, Senators Dean Heller (R-Nev.) and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) appear to have set aside their ideological differences long enough to collaborate on legislation that would extend the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act. Soon after the housing market collapsed, lenders reluctantly began modifying mortgages by abating interest and forgiving loan …
Americans of all ages grapple with the cost of higher education, whether it’s trying to save for the future, choosing a college or repaying student loan debt. Tuition and fees at U.S. colleges has increased an average of 5% every year for the last decade, and the $ 1.2 trillion in outstanding student loan debt …