Get smart with your money
Today’s top story: The best credit card freebies. Also in the news: Breaking bad money habits, the worst states for retirement, and apps that can save you money while shopping.
8 Credit Cards With Freebies
Perks from the get go.
5 Ways to Break Your Bad Money Habits
Breaking the cycle.
10 Worst States for Retirement
States to reconsider.
The “Cash Back” Apps That Can Actually Save You Money When Shopping
Take your smartphone shopping.
Today’s top story: How a good budget can help you build credit. Also in the news: Avoiding financial scams, tips on managing your elderly parent’s money, and five money rules for a successful retirement.
How Your Budget Can Help You Build Credit
A good budget can help you build a great credit score.
10 Tips To Avoid Common Financial Scams
Don’t be taken advantage of.
Managing Your Mom or Dad’s Money
Taking over a difficult task.
5 Money Rules For A Successful Retirement
How to make your money last longer.
Today’s top story: It’s tax day! Also in the news: Apps to teach your kids about money, personal loans vs credit cards, and why a good FICO score matters when buying a home.
Time’s Up! It’s Tax Deadline Day
No more excuses!
5 apps to teach your kids about money
Just in time for Financial Literacy Month!
The Pros & Cons Of Personal Loans vs. Credit Cards
It’s all about the interest rate.
The One Graph That Explains Why a Good FICO Score Matters for Homebuyers
The better the score, the better the terms.
Today’s top story: How to finish your taxes before the deadline. Also in the news: How to file for a tax extension, when your employer can check your credit, and why you need to pay close attention to your parents’ financial advisors.
The Procrastinator’s Guide to Finishing Your Taxes
The clock is ticking.
How to File for an Extension
Buying some time.
When Can Employers Check Your Credit?
Far less often than you might think.
Hidden Dangers With Aging Parents’ Financial Advisors
Paying close attention is vital.
The Ultimate Tax Day Guide: Post Office Hours, Freebies and Expert Tax Refund Tips
Free shredding!
Today’s top story: What to do with a financial windfall. Also in the news: How to financially survive a military deployment, what you should cut back on first if you lose your job, and how to protect your retirement nest egg.
How Not to Blow a Financial Windfall
The yacht can wait.
3 Things Military Wives And Husbands Can Do To Secure Their Finances
Surviving deployment financially.
The Budget Categories To Cut Back on First When You Lose a Job
What you need to immediately cut.
How Retirees Can Build a Portfolio for the Next 30 Years
Protecting the nest egg you worked so hard to create.
Dear Liz: I have a business credit card that offers cash rebates. It has an interest rate of 15.24% on purchases and 25.24% on cash advances. I carry balances in each category. Each month the issuer posts my entire payment to my lower-interest purchases balance and nothing to my cash advance balance. I telephoned to complain but I was told that they will not post any payments to my cash advance balance until my purchases balance is completely paid off. I thought that there was a federal regulation that payments had to be posted to the highest-rate debt balance first. Am I mistaken? If not, to which federal agency can I complain?
Answer: There is indeed a federal law that requires payments in excess of the minimum to be applied to the highest-rate balance. It’s part of the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009. But the Credit CARD Act applies only to consumer credit cards — not business cards.
It’s not a good idea to carry a balance on any credit card, but it’s even more dangerous to carry a balance on a card that lacks the consumer protections promised in the Credit CARD Act. Talk to the bank that has your business checking account to see if you can arrange a lower-rate loan to pay off your balances.