Archive for the ‘budgeting’ Category

Wal-Mart CEO: Recession Has Changed Consumers for the Better

Thursday, January 22nd, 2009

Suggesting that retailers “are closer to working men and women… than any other industry,” Wal-Mart CEO H. Lee Scott addressed the public once more in his farewell address after ten years at the helm of the retail megastore. Scott offered a candid take on the country’s current economy and where it’s ...

Princeton Review: Which Colleges Are the Most Affordable?

Wednesday, January 21st, 2009

Just because you’re in a bind financially doesn’t mean that you’ve got to settle your collegiate aspirations. The Princeton Review’s “2009 Best Value Colleges” report suggests that there are a number of extremely reputable colleges and universities, both private and public, working hard to help qualifying students pay for their ...

5 Reasons to Buy a Home Now

Tuesday, January 20th, 2009

There’s a brief exchange I had a few years ago with a friend’s father that I’ll never forget. We were sitting outside a Washington DC lunch spot talking about what I was going to do when I got out of college when I asked Mark, who’s been a real estate ...

Recent Gas Price Hike Could Forecast the Future

Monday, January 19th, 2009

Gas prices rose for the sixth consecutive day Monday, putting the national average at $1.842 a gallon. It’s a figure that’s 3 full cents higher than Friday’s figures. Gas Comparisons Over the Last Year Despite the temporary jump in prices, gas is still selling for 39% of what it sold for last ...

Maximize Your Annuity Payouts Before It’s Too Late

Friday, January 16th, 2009

If you were planning on holding off on making a charitable donation until after February, it may be time to reconsider. The American Council on Gift Annuities, the organization that operates under an exemption from federal antitrust laws and sets rates on charitable gift annuities, announced recently that they plan ...

Giving Obama’s Stimulus Package a Closer Look

Wednesday, January 14th, 2009

President-elect Barack Obama’s proposed economic stimulus package has garnered a great deal of hope and optimism from those being directly affected by the recession, but that doesn’t exactly mean our country’s financial tide will turn on January 20 when the Illinois senator is sworn into office. In fact, Obama’s camp has ...

Tax Returns Get User-Friendly This Year

Wednesday, January 14th, 2009

In light of the messy economic situation and the hardships our government is expecting Americans to endure in the coming months, the IRS has loosened its generally tight grip on the way it does business. Taxpayers should expect a little more leeway when it comes to paying their taxes, among ...

Can You Avoid Higher Roth IRA Taxes?

Friday, January 9th, 2009

Attn: Retirees – Yes, You Can Did you know you can switch your assets back to a more traditional retirement account if your Roth IRA isn’t holding value? It’s true, and CNN Money Magazine’s Walter Updegrave suggests the oft-overlooked tactic can be a smart move as our country looks toward what’s ...

2009 Senior Savings Get a Boost from Congress

Monday, January 5th, 2009

Senior citizens across the country got good news in December when reports out of Washington stated that Congress suspended the law that requires those 70 ½ or older to withdraw funds from their retirement plans in 2009, even if they don’t need the money. Traditionally, senior citizens have had to ...

Bigger ’09 Paychecks Under Obama’s ‘Make Work Pay’ Tax Plan

Wednesday, December 31st, 2008

Americans making less than $75,000 annually should expect to see a slightly larger paycheck every two weeks when Barack Obama takes the presidential office on January 20. While he was once believed to be re-thinking the plan he touted during the election, the President-elect is in fact expected to implement ...