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Monday’s need-to-know money news

May 4, 2015 By Liz Weston

Picking up the keysToday’s top story: How being frugal can actually cost you money. Also in the news: Tips for a better financial future, what to know when refinancing your credit card debt, and how to save when your teenager starts driving.

10 Ways Being Frugal Can Actually Cost You Money
Unintended consequences.

Listen to your mother: 6 tips for a better financial future
Mom knows best.

7 things to know about refinancing credit card debt
Pay close attention to the terms.

10 Ways to Save When Your Teen Starts Driving
The rite of passage doesn’t have to break the bank.

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: credit card debt, credit card refinancing, saving money, teens and driving, tips

Weekend reading: Purging paperwork, unpayable taxes and saving for college

May 1, 2015 By Liz Weston

taxesOne of the great things about being a columnist is getting access to experts who can help you with problems in your own life–under the guise of helping your readers, of course. Recently I was lucky enough to interview three smart CPAs who had great advice about purging paperwork from our lives, and have already implemented their suggestions. Paperlessness, here I come!

Another column that got a good amount of attention was one on two-year degrees that pay well. Not everyone wants or needs to go to a four-year school, and some are better off. Here are those stories plus the other columns I did for Reuters last month.

Financial records: What to keep, what to toss

I don’t make New Year’s resolutions. Instead, I resolve every tax season to get a better handle on my paperwork — with mixed results. This year, I turned to three certified public accountants to find out what apps, software and strategies they use to keep track of everything.
Two-year degrees can really pay off
Steven Polasck of Corpus Christi, Texas, liked math and science in high school. He considered attending a four-year college but ultimately decided to use his strengths to get a two-year degree in instrumentation from Texas State Technical College. He has not looked back. “I went to work on the Monday after graduation,” said Polasck, 27, who monitors and fixes systems at a Valero Energy Corp refinery. “The first year I made almost $80,000.”

College savings take a dive – study
Average amounts saved for college have fallen 25 percent since last year and fewer middle-income families are saving for higher education, even as parents overwhelmingly endorse its value as an investment, according to “How America Saves for College 2015,” the latest survey by education lender Sallie Mae.
What to do when you can’t pay your tax bill
Affluent clients facing a big tax bill often have one of two reactions, according to CPA and financial planner Jerry Love: They either try to avoid filing or they want to negotiate a deal. Neither is a good strategy, he said.
College watch list a ‘caution light’
Regulators recently made public a once secret watch list of 556 colleges under scrutiny for financial irregularities. But inclusion on the list doesn’t automatically mean the schools are about to fail, according to Department of Education regulators, college officials and even the reporter who triggered the release of the list with his Freedom of Information Act requests.

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: 529 plans, associates degrees, can't pay taxes, College Savings, IRS, paperwork, purging paperwork, tax bills, Taxes, two-year degrees

Friday’s need-to-know money news

May 1, 2015 By Liz Weston

download (1)Today’s top story: Balance transfer mistakes to avoid. Also in the news: What to do with an unexpected windfall, the savings cell phone carriers don’t want you to know about, and the eight loans to use for paying college tuition.

4 Balance Transfer Credit Card Mistakes
Making sure your transfers go smoothly.

Got a load of unexpected cash? Here’s what to do
What a great problem to have!

Savings Big Cell Carriers Don’t Want You to Know About
Contracts are becoming a thing of the past.

Use These 8 Loans To Pay For College in 2015-2016
Not all at once, of course.

Avoid “Keeping Up With the Frugals” to Improve Your Finances
It’s not a race to see who’s the cheapest.

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: cell phone bills, college loans, credit cards. balance transfers, financial aid, saving tips, windfall

Thursday’s need-to-know money news

April 30, 2015 By Liz Weston

BabyBoomersRetirementSavings_largeToday’s top story: What to do when you’ve reached retirement age and don’t have anything saved. Also in the news: Social Security taxes, learning from your tax filing mistakes, and how to get cash from transferring your retirement account.

You’re Retirement Age With Nothing Saved For Retirement. Now What?
Don’t panic.

For some Social Security taxes can really pile up
A refresher course in Social Security tax basics.

Learn From Your Tax Filing Mistakes
Get in better shape for 2016.

Get Paid Cash to Transfer Your Retirement Accounts
Look for accounts that offer cash bonuses.

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: Retirement, retirement accounts, retirement savings, Social Security taxes, tax filling mistakes

Wednesday’s need-to-know money news

April 29, 2015 By Liz Weston

105182624Today’s top story: Time for some financial spring cleaning. Also in the news: Apps that can make your summer vacation less expensive, how to appeal a college financial aid offer, and how banks and credit unions protect your information.

Financial Spring Cleaning; 5 Steps To Get Your House In Order
Getting rid of the winter dust.

9 Helpful Apps, Sites That Make Summer Vacation Cheaper
More money for souvenirs!

How to Appeal College Financial Aid Offers
Making your case.

How Banks and Credit Unions Protect Your Personal Information
Protecting you from identity theft.

How to Make Sense of Your Paycheck
Deciphering your pay stub.

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: financial aid, financial aid appeals, financial apps, financial spring cleaning, Identity Theft, paycheck, paycheck stubs

Tuesday’s need-to-know money news

April 28, 2015 By Liz Weston

Zemanta Related Posts ThumbnailToday’s top story: How to trick yourself into saving more money. Also in the news: States with the highest rate of identity theft complaints, the new face of consumer banking, and mistakes that could ruin your retirement.

4 Ways to Trick Yourself Into Saving More Money
You won’t even know you’re not spending it!

States with the most identity theft complaints
Do you live in one of them?

The Changing Face of Consumer Banking
Moving beyond the local branch.

5 Mistakes That Could Mess Up Your Retirement
And how to avoid them.

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: banking, budgets, consumer banking, Identity Theft, Retirement, saving money

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