At the beginning of the new year Washington Post finance columnist Michelle Singletary “invited†her readers to a 21-day financial fast. Singletary introduced the fast at her church years ago, and says that many people have used it to jump-start their “path to prosperity.†I agree that the path to financial freedom starts with commitment […]
A friend of mine recently asked me a question: “Should I be putting extra money into emergency savings or an IRA at the end of the month?†Allocating funds and/or setting priorities for saving is something that many people struggle with. Order to Prioritize Your Savings Most experts will agree that first and foremost you […]
I looked at the calendar the other day and couldn’t believe the year was already half over! It seems like just yesterday we were ringing in 2010, and now 2011 is just 6 months away. The summer is a time for vacations and cookouts, but don’t forget to pay attention to your finances too! Follow […]
When I asked Are CDs Obsolete? I mentioned that SmartyPig was an alternative to CDs. As you recall, when I wrote about my experiences with SmartyPig, I found it easy to use, and its interest rate to be downright irresistible. At the time, the only thing I hadn’t done was actually meet one of my […]
Once upon a time, Certificates of Deposit (CDs) were a great way to put away money for a fixed period of time. A CD ladder could help you get the overall best interest rate by locking in funds for longer amounts of time while still giving you access to portions of your cash every month […]
We continue our in-depth look at the health care bill and how it might impact your finances. This afternoon, we’ll cover HSAs and HDHPs. I often trumpet the combination of a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) and Health Savings Account (HSA) as an effective way to save money on health insurance and receive a tax […]
Flexible Spending Accounts, or FSAs, are an excellent way to pay for healthcare expenses using pre-tax money. If you take full advantage of FSAs (find out how much you should put in your FSA), you can save money on eligible expenses ranging from over-the-counter medicine to the cost of transportation to and from your doctor’s […]
Over the last week, we’ve been taking an in-depth look at the health care bill and how it might impact your finances. Today we will cover the new 1099 reporting changes. Much has been written about the impact of health care reform on small businesses. But one hidden provision of the bill that has seemingly […]
Over the next two weeks, we’ll be taking an in-depth look at the health care bill and how it might impact your finances. Today, we’ll cover how the bill will change the insurance landscape for those in their 20s. Health Insurance for Young Adults A few days ago, we talked about the new individual mandate […]
Over the next two weeks, we’ll be taking an in-depth look at the health care bill and how it might impact your finances. First up is the new health insurance individual mandate. Health Care Bill Individual Insurance Mandate One of the most controversial provisions of the new healthcare bill is also the one that will […]
