Tired of the same old investment choices when it comes to your retirement? Consider a self-directed Individual Retirement Account (IRA), administered by The Entrust Group, the only national network of local branded offices providing account administration and education services for self-directed retirement plans.
It’s no secret that education is the key to a successful career and a solid financial future. So why not start early, making sure your children take advantage of every learning opportunity available to them?
Shmoop is a website that offers over 400 online courses and over a half million pieces of original content, designed to help students of all ages enhance their learning capabilities in every subject imaginable.
You’ve probably heard about charge cards and
Let’s explore the differences and similarities between charge cards and credit cards.
If you’re like most consumers, the biggest single investment you will make in your lifetime is the purchase of a home. According to Zillow, a leading real estate and rental marketplace, the median U.S. residential property was worth $202,700 in September—and values are likely to rise. U.S. home prices have increased nearly seven percent over the last year, and Zillow predicts they will gain another three percent or more in the next 12 months.
Have you ever wondered what credit card APRs are? APR stands for annual percentage rate. Understanding the mathematics behind that rate will help illustrate how dangerous and expensive credit card debt can be. It’ll also give you extra motivation to pay off your credit card balances in full every month so you don’t have to worry about interest.
The goal of investing is to make money. But what if you could invest, make money and help improve the global community at the same time? That’s where sustainable investing and The Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment (US SIF), a Washington, DC-based organization tasked with advancing sustainable, responsible and impact investing across all asset classes.
The organization’s mission is to rapidly shift investment practices toward sustainability, focusing on long-term investment and the generation of positive social and environmental impacts. Members include a wide range of organizations, including investment management and advisory firms, mutual fund companies, broker-dealers, non-profits and pension funds.
Planning for retirement is not an easy task. With jobs, bills, kids, mortgages and other financial commitments, the prospect of putting aside money for use years down the road can seem impractical.
With proper planning though and smart financial decisions, the road to securing a happy retirement does not have to be rocky, especially for working women who sometimes get lost in the financial shuffle.
One of the most cost-effective ways to pay down credit card debt is to transfer the balance to a low interest credit card, also known as a
Consumers who are merely paying the minimum payment on their credit card balances are on the road to a lifetime of debt. The minimum payment is usually so low, that it keeps consumers in debt for decades.
When it comes to your money and finances, nobody wants to pay more taxes to Uncle Sam. That’s why now is a critical time to check up on your tax health, with the end of the year approaching and Congress considering an overhaul of the nation’s tax code.
One of the ways you can assess your tax situation is through the help of an agent. James Adelman is an agent in Tulsa and the president of the National Association of Enrolled Agents (NAEA). He spoke to RewardExpert about how working with an enrolled agent can benefit you.
It’s no secret that holiday shopping can do some damage to your bottom line. Unless you create a gift-giving budget based on what you can reasonably afford—and commit to sticking to it—it’s all too easy to run up your credit card balances and end the year in unexpected debt. However, there’s a sneakier financial danger you may not have considered. It’s known as identity theft, and unless you take steps to protect yourself, you may be putting your financial future at risk with every online purchase.
With credit cards, consumers typically hear about
For example, credit cards can be completely free if you use them properly. But credit cards are never free for merchants, who must pay a fee to the credit card issuer each time a consumer swipes the card.
Whether you’re shopping for a new television set, baby toys, a crockpot, or the perfect shade of lipstick, it’s always more fun when you can snag a great discount in the process. Thanks to DealsPlus, an online community of bargain hunters launched in 2006, racking up savings on everything from the products you buy every day to special gifts, travel, and event tickets can become a regular occurrence.
Regular airline and hotel program devaluations are becoming the norm, and recently Singapore Airlines has announced program changes without giving us a whole lot of warning. Effective December 7, 2017, many flights booked on Star Alliance partners will be changing in price and there are a few non-price related changes as well. All in all this is a pretty big deal.
Nearly everyone these days is looking to save more money and earn more money, too. While staying on top of financial goals can be overwhelming, there are companies that offer critical data, information and guidance to help a consumer keep of track of their finances. That includes Money Dashboard. The Edinburgh, Scotland-based website was founded in 2010.
“The mission is to help UK consumers make their money go further by empowering them to make informed financial decisions,” said Sean MacNicol, engagement manager for Money Dashboard, who spoke to RewardExpert. Besides its desktop site, Money Dashboard is also available on mobile, iOS and Android apps.
Far too many consumers have credit card balances. This isn’t something to be proud of as a credit card balance is another term for having debt. Remember, when charging items on a credit card, those expenditures must be paid back in full.
Let’s explore some of the ins and outs of credit card balances, including what they are and how they can snowball into a major financial problem that affects your life for years to come.
U.S. households are carrying $1.4 trillion in student debt according to the latest analysis by Experian, a consumer credit reporting agency. That’s a lot of education loans and, in fact, Experian’s analysis shows that more than 13 percent of U.S. consumers have one or more on their credit file.
Fiserv bills itself as a leading global provider of financial services technology, focused on enabling its clients to create and deliver financial service experiences at the “speed of life.” The company’s client base includes millions of consumers and thousands of financial institutions, businesses and organizations that rely on the moving and management of money and information every day.
Imagine that you’re standing at the checkout counter and the cashier informs you that your credit card has been declined. Not only is this an embarrassing situation to be in, but it can also be an inconvenience. If you don’t carry cash, you’re left scrambling for another method of payment.
If you love buying holiday gifts at deep discount but hate dealing with Black Friday crowds, you’re not alone. According to an eBay Holiday Shopping Survey, 72 percent of shoppers start buying gifts early in order to find a better selection. However, 76 percent would still rather give something up—such as social media for a week (38 percent), sugar or carbs for a month (35 percent), or caffeine for seven days (32 percent)—than stand in line on one of the biggest shopping days of the year. One in four (26 percent) would even rather have a root canal than line up in the hopes of scoring a holiday bargain.
How much does the average American family spend on entertainment each year? According to data on consumer expenditures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the answer was $2,913 in 2016, an increase of 2.5 percent over the year prior. That’s a lot of cash in an economy in which wages are stagnant and the costs of essentials such as food, housing, and healthcare continue to grow.
