Energy Trends Petroleum and coal companies aren’t going away just yet, but we can see an increase of money being directed to providers of solar, wind, natural gas, nuclear, and hydroelectric power. The Energy Information Institute projects that clean natural gas will provide a larger share of the nation’s electricity in the coming years, along with an increase in the use of wind and solar energy and a decline in coal use....
The best way to prepare for a job interview is by learning the most common interview questions and practicing your answers. Types of College Job Interview Questions There are a few types of questions that you might get during a job interview as a college student or recent graduate. Standard Interview Questions Many questions will be common interview questions you might be asked at any job, including questions about your work history and your skill sets....
How Construction Loans Work A construction loan is a short-term loan for real estate. You can use the loan to buy land, build on property that you already own, or renovate existing structures if your program allows. A construction loans is similar to a line of credit because you only receive the amount you need (in the form of advances) to complete each portion of a project. As a result, you only pay interest on the amount you borrow rather than a lump sum loan, where you take 100% of the money available upfront and pay interest on the entire balance immediately....
Of the 444,551 consumer complaints received by the CFPB in 2020, 63%, or 282,000, were about credit reporting, compared with 136,000 in 2019, according to an analysis by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (U.S. PIRG) Education Fund. The 282,000 credit complaints eclipsed the total number of complaints logged by the CFPB in 2019—277,366—which was a record at the time, the independent consumer advocacy organization said. The majority of the credit reporting complaints involved incorrect information, and more than one in five mentioned identity theft....
If you’re interested in cellphone insurance, we’ve listed the major credit cards that provide it. Of course, you shouldn’t base your credit card decision solely on credit card insurance—cost, rewards, and benefits take priority—but if you’re deciding between two similar credit cards, the extra protection can be a tiebreaker. Which Credit Cards Offer Cellphone Insurance? While cellphone protection is uncommon, in our database of more than 300 credit cards that we track and monitor, more than a dozen cards offer some level of cellphone insurance....
Debts Are Paid in Probate Debts don’t simply go away when the individual who has incurred them dies. Responsibility for payment typically passes to the deceased’s probate estate. The executor of the estate uses any cash left by the decedent, as well as liquidated assets, to pay off these creditors. Exceptions exist for debts on which someone who’s still living has cosigned for the obligation, and in community property states where debts incurred during marriage are treated as the equal obligation of both spouses....
What Is Consumer Debt? Consumer debt is how much money the citizens of the U.S. owe on loans, credit cards, or other credit instruments. It does not count debts from businesses or the government. It’s also called consumer credit. You can borrow it from a bank, a credit union, and the federal government. It has two components: revolving and non-revolving debt. Revolving debt set a record of nearly $1.1 trillion in February of 2020....
Rules for Deducting iPads It used to be that you couldn’t deduct the entire cost of your tablet in the first year, and you had to have a business net income that exceeded the cost of the tablet. You had to use the tablet for business purposes more than 50% of the time. You could expense the tablet under IRS Code Section 179 or use depreciation to break down the cost deduction over several years....
As you can see in the chart, the price is on the vertical (y) axis, and the quantity is on the horizontal (x) axis. This chart plots the conventional relationship between price and quantity. The lower the price, the higher the quantity demanded. As the price decreases from p0 to p1, the quantity increases from q0 to q1. The Law of Demand This relationship follows the law of demand, which states that the quantity demanded will drop as the price rises, all other things being equal....
If passed, the law would waive federal income taxes on the first $10,200 in unemployment benefits received in 2020. This would lower federal income taxes for people who received benefits through regular state unemployment programs or any of the unemployment programs established by the federal government as pandemic relief. Currently, unemployment benefits count as taxable income as far as the IRS, and tax collectors in many states, are concerned, a fact that is little known among taxpayers....
Learn more about direct selling to help you consider different revenue streams and avoid potential scams. What Is Direct Selling? With direct selling, distributors avoid intermediaries in the supply chain and sell products directly to consumers. In traditional retail settings, products are sold online or at a physical store, but direct selling relies heavily on salespeople getting in front of customers in nontraditional settings. How Direct Selling Works Direct selling eliminates several intermediaries involved in product distribution, such as the regional distribution center and wholesaler....
As a financial publisher, we are in a strong position to ensure all ethnicities, genders, generations, sexual orientations, and socioeconomic backgrounds achieve financial literacy. We also understand that an important part of that mission includes showing how we got to where we are today and how bias and racism have played a part in our financial systems. In order to do that, we have committed ourselves to the following pledge....
But, that’s something that needs to be considered carefully to avoid putting children’s future education in jeopardy. Having a plan for dividing these assets can minimize the financial disruption associated with divorce. Know Where College Divorce Assets Are Located It’s important for both sides in a divorce to be clear about where college savings assets are held. Those assets may include: 529 plans Coverdell Education Savings Accounts Savings bonds Custodial accounts UGMA/UTMA accounts...
Learn more about the effectiveness of EAPs. What Do Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) Do in the Workplace? EAPs provide needs assessment, help, counseling, and referrals for employees and their family members when they are faced with mental health or emotional issues. EAPs are available to assist the employee when he or she needs help dealing with life events, workplace issues, and other personal problems and challenges. EAPs most frequently assist employees to deal with issues in these areas:...
If you’re an individual or a married couple (corporations must have attorneys to file), you can file a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy case without an attorney. With Chapter 7, all your eligible debts are discharged. With Chapter 13, you establish a payment plan with your creditors, and your debts are discharged after the payment plan is completed. You’re said to be a pro se filer when you don’t have an attorney to represent you....
If a disaster were to strike tomorrow, would you be covered? To make sure you are financially protected, take time to evaluate your insurance policies, understand what natural disasters are and aren’t covered, and speak to your insurance agent about adding any additional coverage. This way, you can be confident you have coverage in place if you need it. Insurance Has Its Limits Standard home insurance policies protect your home from many natural disasters....
During a probate process, the beneficiaries must demonstrate to a court that the distribution of property is honest and fair. Any property owned by the decedent at their death as well as bills or debts they owed become part of the probate. The debt will be subtracted from the total amount of properties and the remaining balance is separated according to law. Depending on the circumstances, the cost of court costs in a probate case can vary from just a few hundred dollars to over a thousand dollars....
What You Need to Know About Confidentiality Agreements Confidentiality agreements are legally binding contracts in which one party promises to keep trade secrets and not to disclose secrets without authorization from a superior. These agreements are usually binding until the private information is commonplace or the receiving party is released from the contract, whichever occurs first. While these contracts were once more common among executives and celebrities, they’ve now trickled down to ordinary workers—the kinds without golden parachutes, fat bank accounts or massive stock options....
Taxable pay in this article relates to income for federal income tax purposes as reported on an employee’s annual W-2 form. It doesn’t include wages and benefits that must be included for FICA tax (Social Security/Medicare) purposes. Taxable Pay and Benefits All payments your business makes to employees for work are taxable, including salaries and wages, including overtime. Other examples of taxable income includes tips, commissions and fees, benefits, and stock options....
Here’s a closer look at Ethereum vs. Bitcoin. Find out the objectives of each cryptocurrency, and the specifics of each digital asset that can inform you as an investor. What’s the Difference Between Ethereum and Bitcoin? Ethereum and bitcoin are both digital currencies that use open-source software, meaning that anyone can view the code and contribute. Both use blockchain technology, which can create electronic ledgers that prevent a digital currency from being double spent....
