Parents and children, siblings, and couples all may, at some point, choose to share a checking. Having an account with someone can be tricky and requires an extra amount of communication to be sure that you’re not overspending or creating problems that can affect your finances and your relationship. Once you open an account with someone, they learn a lot about your finances: how much you make, how much you spend, and what you spend it...
Some times are tougher than others. There may be times in your life that your finances are hard to manage. For example, if you’ve recently lost your job or suffered a pay cut, you may not have enough money to pay all the expenses you have. Ideally, you’ll get new employment soon enough that you don’t have to miss any payments, but it doesn’t always work out that way. You may face the tough decision of...
Mortgage and an auto loan are two of the biggest loans you’ll probably ever borrow. Some lenders require that you put forward a certain percentage of the home or auto cost because lending you 100 percent of the cost is risky for them. While you may find some lenders who don’t require a down payment and others who allow you to pay your own payment with another loan, there are several benefits to coming up with...
Last year, almost than 4 million South Carolina taxpayers had their social security numbers compromised when the state’s Department of Revenue suffered a data breach. In addition, close to 400,000 credit and debit card numbers were also stolen. Taxpayers who filed returns in the state as far back as 1998 were impacted. Since last year, the Department of Revenue has determined that only tax returns filed electronically were affected by the breach. Affected customers were given...
If a friend or family members comes to you with a request for financial help, you may struggle with the decision. Depending on your personality and your beliefs about money, you may jump at the chance to help out someone. Or, you may turn them away, if you have a policy to never loan money. Whatever you decide, it could have a major impact on your relationship. Who is it? Suffice it to say, your relationship...
Windfalls can be both a blessing and curse. When a sudden and unexpected chunk of cash blows our way most of us will squander it all in a New York minute. So say the statistics. We’ve all heard cautionary tales of lottery winners who, ironically, end up destitute within a year and a half of becoming millionaires. Hang on a moment. I need to clarify something here. Before you start getting all excited for me (or...
Much of the U.S. government has been shutdown since the beginning of the October while the nation’s decision makers try to figure out how the government is going to pay its bills. Meanwhile, scammers are taking advantage of the shutdown to trick consumers into giving up personal information that can be used for fraud. Sallie Mae, Student Loan Forgiveness ScamAmid the shutdown, there have been quite a few fake social media accounts created claiming to be...
Americans should be on alert for scammers posing as government workers, the Better Business Bureau advises. The purpose of the scam is to fool you into sharing your personal information, which can then be used to commit identity theft.The scam starts with a phone call from the con artists who claims that you have been selected to receive insurance cards through the Affordable Care Act - also known as “Obamacare.” In order to receive your insurance...
Most expenses are paid every month and so they’re pretty easy to remember. When you create your budget, you’re not likely to forget things like rent or mortgage, utility payments, credit card payments, etc. But, there are expenses that don’t come so regularly, that you pay only once or twice a year. These oft-forgotten expenses can break your budget during those months, especially if you forget about them. Here are some expenses that you might forget...
Having an “I don’t care” don’t care attitude about anything is dangerous. Being careless about your money is a severe threat to your security and freedom, now and in the future. No matter how much money you have, you can’t afford not to care about your spending. Are you spending carelessly? Here are a few signs. Careless spenders don’t create or adhere to a budget and, subsequently waste a lot of money. Many people avoid budgeting...
