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by Robin Hartill, CFP®Senior EditorYou survived the interviews. You deftly explained where you see yourself in five years. You managed to sparkle even when you talked about your greatest weakness.Now there’s just one thing standing between you and your dream job: a credit check.But what happens when you have a lackluster credit score? Will past missteps haunt your career prospects for years to come? First the good news: Employers don’t

by Quinten PlummerStaff WriterWhat is your credit score telling people about you? If your score is too low, it might as well be saying, “Charge this person more to buy a car,” “Double their deposit to rent a home,” or “Turn them away.”If you have low credit — or no credit — a company called Kikoff can help you change that.Kikoff gives you the chance to prove you’re credit-worthy, despite

by Rachel Christian, CEPF®Senior WriterAn estimated 200,000 defrauded former college students are set to have $6 billion in federal loan debt wiped clean as part of a proposed settlement agreement filed June 23 in federal court.Borrowers in the proposed settlement attended one of over 150 schools that the U.S. Department of Education has determined engaged in misconduct, including: Nearly all the schools involved are for-profit colleges or vocational programs.These 200,000

Real Answers for Life’s Money Challengesby Robin Hartill, CFP®Senior EditorIs it worth my time and effort to take my former boyfriend/roommate to small-claims court? We met in 2008. In 2010, his restaurant closed. He moved in with me, saying he could get another job anywhere. I relented. He moved into my home and had 20-plus jobs in five years. I told him NUMEROUS times to move out. I needed help with the

by Kent McDillContributor When modern consumers look at their subscription account statements, occasionally they ask themselves “At what price would I stop using that service?” Some consumers may have reached that tipping point for Amazon Prime when it raised its annual Prime membership early in 2022. The yearly subscription price is $139 (up from $119) and the monthly is $14.99, a hike of $2. Low-income subscribers and students also saw

by The Penny Hoarder Staff Side hustles, also known as side gigs, are paid projects you do outside your main job. They can be a great way to pay off debt or earn more money on the side.They can also be a means to tap into unused skills and explore your passions. And if you really want to get creative, you can use a unique side hustle as a testing