by The Penny Hoarder Staff Does the thought of doing your taxes on top of caring for your kids make your head spin?Take a deep breath: We found nine tax breaks for parents.Whether your children are swaddled newborns or seeking college degrees or whether you’re single, married with kids or adopted this year, you’re eligible to get some money back on tax day. Here are the top tax credits and
by The Penny Hoarder Staff Tax Day 2022 is closing in, and the burden for gig workers is a little heavier because you’re considered independent contractors — not employees — of the popular app-based companies you work for. After two years of filing extensions because of the pandemic, we’ve returned to a more familiar April deadline. The deadline to file your federal taxes is April 18. While seasoned freelancers and
Real Answers for Life’s Money Challengesby Robin Hartill, CFP®Senior EditorMy wife and I are both 39 and have worked hard since graduating college. For the past 17 years, neither of us have been out of a job or for that matter ever really taken a vacation for more than a couple days. We’ve always planned to retire early, but in the past couple of years with COVID and our sons’ (11
by Mike BrassfieldSenior WriterLet’s say you’re suddenly in need of more money.Maybe you need to move across the country, but you’re strapped for cash. Or it’s finally time to upgrade your outdated kitchen or bathroom. Perhaps you need to pay off medical bills or even finance a large purchase, such as an adoption. Or it might be a smart move to consolidate your high-interest credit card debt.If you have an
by Mike BrassfieldSenior WriterIf you’ve got credit card debt, you know how painful it is. It’s the most expensive kind of debt you can have, and your credit card companies are just getting rich and fat while they gouge you with high interest rates.Wouldn’t it be great to turn the tables on them? Well, now a lot of people are. More and more Americans are simply paying off their credit
by Kari FaberStaff WriterSavings interest rates can seem like a joke these days. You can be earning less than pennies on the dollar — and banks still make you think you’re getting a great deal!But the only ones getting a great deal are the banks themselves.That’s why the best way to make sure you’re earning the most you can in a savings account is to shop around. If you can
by Rachel Christian, CEPF®Senior WriterCryptocurrency is no longer a novelty. From our social media feeds to Super Bowl commercials, digital currency is increasingly mainstream.But some people remain hesitant about cryptocurrency because of its inherently risky and volatile nature.In this guide, we’ll explain how to invest in cryptocurrency, including where to purchase digital coins and the safest way to store them. We’ll also dive into fundamental investing principles you should keep
by Rachel Christian, CEPF®Senior WriterYou work hard for your money. You want to make sure it’s safe.That’s where the FDIC comes in.The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) makes sure your money is protected when you deposit funds at a participating bank.It’s rare, but banks can fail. A bank failure occurs when a financial institution can’t meet its obligations to creditors and depositors.It’s a scary thought. But thanks to the FDIC,
by Katherine Snow SmithContributorAny chance you know when you last saw your wide-eyed Furby in your parents’ basement? Does your teenage dresser now double as a time capsule storing a “Titanic” T-shirt picturing Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet and the doomed ship? Could your old Sega Genesis console still be in the attic?You might want to start looking, because that Furby is worth $16 to $65, an original “Titanic” T-shirt (even
by Dave SchaferContributorAt tax time, most of us have a similar goal: minimize our liability, and maybe even get some money back in the process. The Earned Income Tax Credit, or EITC, is a tax incentive that might be able to help.You may be eligible for the EITC if you earned a relatively low income in the previous tax year — especially if you have children. In this article, we’ll
