Author: Kim Franke-Folstad
The facts about getting audited
Filing your taxes can be challenging enough for the average American taxpayer. (Especially if you ended last year owing to some money to Uncle Sam.) But …
Where is my tax refund?
It can be tough to tamp down your impatience while you’re waiting on an income tax refund, especially if you have plans for the money. The Internal Revenue …
Popular monthly dividend stocks
You might not guess it from the way many investors base their mood on the day-to-day movements of the stock market, but for most people, an investment …
Do I need life insurance?
If you’re trying to decide if you need life insurance, a good place to start might be to ask yourself: Would anyone be put at risk …
Money management for college students
Parents expect that their children will head off to college with concerns about fitting in, finding friends, and not failing classes. What they may not think …
How does unemployment work?
Millions of Americans who never imagined they’d be out of work—especially in what was until recently an incredibly hot job market—suddenly have been forced by the …
How to budget for a baby
Having a baby can fill your house with love. It also can take a toll on your finances. So while you’re obsessing about pink, blue, or …
Is there such a thing as a safe investment?
Stocks are predictably unpredictable. And yet, even the media pundits who are paid to talk us through those roller-coaster twists seem to be surprised when there’s …
Average cost of medical school
Did you declare you’d be a doctor someday back when you were just a little kid? Perhaps your parents bought you one of those toy medical …
Tips for teaching your kids about investing
People talk about improving financial literacy for kids, but few seem ready to do much about it. According to the Council for Economic Education, only one-third of states …
Can medical bills affect your credit report?
Medical costs can sneak up on you. They’re often confusing and even frustrating. Billing statements may be hard to read. So can an insurer’s explanation of …
What is my liquid net worth?
Calculating net worth and liquid net worth can provide two valuable snapshots of someone’s financial health. Both look at what someone owns and what they owe. …
Exploring student loan forgiveness for nonprofit employees
Public Service Loan Forgiveness. The unicorn of student debt. Its very existence is debated. Thousands of federal student loan borrowers pursue it. And for those who …
5 ways to keep track of your expenses
Why is it important to track your spending? Let us count the ways: It can help you set and meet your goals. It can give you …
6 investment risk management strategies
We take risks all the time Risk is everywhere, every day. Some people take steps to protect themselves and manage that risk. Others leave it up …
US Recession History: Reviewing past market contractions
From time to time, media outlets that cover financial news will report rumblings of a coming recession. And that can be a little nerve-jangling. The potential …
6 strategies for becoming debt free
It isn’t the $5 cups of coffee. Or the $50 a month for the gym. It isn’t that new smartphone, or your shoe addiction, or even …
7 ways to avoid monthly account maintenance fees
Have you ever heard the old saying, “Penny wise and pound foolish”? It’s a little knock at folks who tend to be frugal about small expenditures …
5 ways to improve your borrowing power
Some are good. (An opportunity to go to France? Mais oui!) Some are not. (Two thousand dollars for an emergency root canal and crown? Downright painful.) In …
4 ways to pay for your child’s tuition
If you’re a parent who has always dreamed of sending your child to college someday, you’re probably well aware that tuition costs have increased pretty drastically over the …
How to save money from your salary
Americans are notoriously bad at saving money. Not just in the traditional sense, for the big stuff we want, like a car, college, a home and …
How much money should I spend on rent?
Maybe you can’t afford to buy a house just yet. Maybe you prefer renting to buying. Or maybe you’re just waiting for the right home to …
What percentage of income should I save?
Putting a portion of every paycheck into savings can be an important step toward building financial security. Parents, financial professionals and TV pundits like to press …
9 popular investment trends
Some investors choose an all-in approach, checking their portfolio daily. Others might be more comfortable with a set-it-and-forget-it approach. Regardless of approach, keeping tabs on the …
