The 7 Best Home Buying Apps for 2022

by Tiffany BeyerContributor As rent prices continue to soar all over the country, you may be finding yourself entering your first real estate search. You’re not alone. According to the National Association of Realtors, millennials are ending their leases and buying homes in large numbers. Those in their late 20’s to early 30’s now make up the fastest-growing segment of buyers today. But how to even shop for a home

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8 Dangerous Financial Assumptions to Avoid

by Carson KohlerStaff WriterWe all have bad habits.We leave our laundry on the bathroom floor. We bite our nails. We swear a little too often. We hit the snooze button four times in a row.But perhaps the most dangerous? Bad money habits.Money habits can be difficult to break. Heck, sometimes they can be difficult to recognize just because they’re so ingrained in our day-to-day lives.But now’s the time to pinpoint

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Disabled Workers Can Attend This Virtual Job Fair On April 13

by Robert BruceSenior Writer Good news for disabled job seekers is right around the corner. Numerous major employers will be on hand for a virtual job fair on April 13 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m ET. The event is open to experienced and early-career job seekers with disabilities nationwide. Sixty-six companies are participating, representing industries from health and medicine, banking, communications, government and many more. Some of the more

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What You Need to Know Before Getting a Tax Refund Advance

by Riley Adams, CPAContributorWhen you know you have money coming to you, being patient can be difficult. As you visualize all the opportunities for how to use this pending receipt, you start to wonder how you can get it sooner.When you file your taxes, there’s a tool for getting your refund sooner: It’s called a tax refund advance. It’s effectively a loan against your anticipated refund.Many companies offer them because

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Student Loan Forbearance Extended Until September 2022

Federal student loan borrowers are getting an extension — again — this time until September 2022. For those keeping score, this is the sixth student debt reprieve since the start of the pandemic. The freeze on interest rates and payments for federally held student loans — aka administrative forbearance — has been extended by the Department of Education through Aug. 31, 2022. Millions of Americans were staring at the resumption

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The 9 Best Installment Loans of April 2022

Best Overall Installment LoanMarcus by Goldman SachsStarting at 6.99%APRBest for Large LoansSoFiStarting at 5.74% APRBest for Low APRLightStreamStarting at 2.99%APRBest for No FeesPenFed Credit UnionStarting at 4.99%APRby Timothy MooreContributor If you’re in the market for a personal loan — also called an installment loan — in 2022, expect to pay a higher interest rate than you would for a mortgage or auto loan. At the beginning of 2022, personal loan

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How Do Savings Bonds Work?

by Rachel Christian, CEPF®Senior WriterLooking for a nearly risk-free way to save for the future? A savings bond might be right for you.With amounts ranging from $25 to $10,000, U.S. savings bonds fit almost any budget. Most importantly: You’ll never lose value on your initial investment.Plus these bonds are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government — which has never defaulted on bonds.The catch? Savings bonds

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9 Tax Breaks Parents Can Get for Claiming Kids on Taxes

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

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How to File Your Taxes for Uber, Lyft and Other Popular Gig Apps

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

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Dear Penny: Are We Nuts to Retire at 42 With $1.5 Million?

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

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