Second, the bailout allowed banks to start lending to each other again as banks had cut back on lending in April 2008. That made Libor rates unnaturally higher than the fed funds rate. Banks that couldn’t lend to each other were in danger of going bankrupt. That’s what happened to Lehman Brothers. It would have happened to AIG, Bear Stearns, and the big three automakers without federal intervention. By restoring the credit markets to more normal functioning, the bailout bill gave banks the freedom to start making loans again....

If you’d like to join this workforce and land a work-from-home job, it’s helpful to understand the remote hiring process. While many aspects of the interview process are similar to the in-person version, there are enough subtle differences that it pays to read up on how it works before you jump in. Here are some steps you may take or encounter during the remote hiring process. The Remote Hiring Process Just as with the traditional interview process, every company is different....

To that end, in a behavioral job interview, the interviewer will ask questions about your past work experiences. For instance, you might get a question like, “Tell me about a time that you had to multitask at work." The idea behind a behavioral interview question is that past behavior is an indicator of future behavior. Therefore, examples from your past give the employer an idea of how you would handle a similar situation if you were to be hired....

There’s a variety of questions about teamwork that an employer might ask. For example, you might be asked questions such as, “Describe being a part of a team,” “Tell me about a challenging workplace situation that you had to deal with,” or “What role have you played in team situations?” All of these questions help the interviewer gauge your experience and comfort with teamwork. Read below for information on how to answer interview questions about teamwork, as well as sample answers to common questions....

What the Interviewer Really Wants to Know Compared to some other questions you may get during an interview, queries about your skills and abilities are relatively straightforward. Interviewers ask these questions because they want to know what you’re capable of. However, do pay attention to what’s below the surface. Think about why interviewers would ask this particular question. For example, a question about explaining a complex subject to a non-expert audience may be both about your subject matter expertise and your ability to communicate with people who have a different background....

Reverse mortgages may be appropriate for some people, but they don’t make sense for everybody. If you and your goals don’t fit the right profile, a reverse mortgage can turn into a nightmare for you and your family. These loans have evolved to become less expensive and more consumer friendly, but they are still complicated. Before you take on a reverse mortgage, it’s important to weigh the alternatives and make sure it’s right for your situation....

As you prepare, here are the steps to follow as you purchase your first home. Determine Whether You Are Ready to Buy a Home First, you should determine whether you are ready to buy a home. Homeownership can be more expensive than renting, since you’re ultimately responsible for added costs like home repairs, utility costs, garbage pickup, water, and electricity. You also need to pay for taxes and insurance related to your home....

After all, each investor has different personal and investment business goals and different tax liability based on their total income and other factors. We don’t really care about that. We care about how the investment will perform, and we leave it to the investor to see if it meets their goals and personal tax situation needs. The rental property investor is very interested in cash flow. It’s the primary reason for most of them in getting into a deal....

Managing your credit utilization is important for maintaining a good credit score. As your credit utilization rises, your credit score starts to decrease. Keeping a low credit utilization is good for a healthy credit score and for keeping yourself out of debt. Calculating your own credit utilization can help you manage your credit card balances. If your utilization is too high, it’s a signal to cut back on your credit card spending to lower your ratio....

Keep it Professional When it comes to choosing a font to use in your cover letter, your best bet is to keep it simple and professional. You want your words and message to stand out, not your font choice. Ideally, the font used in the cover letter will be both the same size and style as the one used in your resume, to help you present a cohesive package. Review these tips for determining the right font for your cover letter, as well as what size it should be, and which styles are and are not appropriate to use in a cover letter....

To get the best Medicare Advantage plan for your needs, it’s helpful to know how to compare these plans, how they work, and what you can get with one that Original Medicare doesn’t provide. What Is Medicare Part C Coverage? Unlike Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage plans have an annual limit on your out-of-pocket expenses and might cover some (or all) of your Part B premium. Plus, they often include prescription drug coverage and benefits that Original Medicare does not....

You have several options for consolidating debt without the help of a debt management company. Learn the various methods you can use to combine multiple debt payments into one debt. Personal Loan A personal loan is a type of loan you can use for a variety of reasons, including debt consolidation. This is one of the best options if you can qualify for a low annual percentage rate (APR), relative to the overall rate on your existing debt....

Balance sheets are important accounting tools for small businesses because they not only provide a snapshot of a business’s financial balances at a given point in time but can serve as key indicators of potential growth or decline. Below, we’ll delve into how to read and prepare a balance sheet and identify the components involved so you can maintain better accuracy when recording and calculating your business’s finances. What Is a Balance Sheet?...

If you are contacted about arranging an interview for a job that you are no longer interested in, it’s important to decline the job interview politely. The simplest way to turn down a job interview is via email. Reasons to Decline a Job Interview There are many reasons you may have decided, after submitting your application and resume, that you no longer want this particular job. Take, for example, the following:...

Learn more about the process of wiring money internationally and discover some of the best, most convenient ways to transfer money. When Do You Need To Wire Money Internationally? Whenever you need to move a large sum of money to another bank, wire transfers are an excellent option. The transfer is fast, and you don’t need to worry about checks bouncing or getting lost in transit. International transfers may make sense when you’re traveling abroad or supporting loved ones overseas....

How To Appeal an Unemployment Claim Denial If you have filed an unemployment benefits claim and your claim is turned down by your state’s unemployment insurance program or contested by your employer, you have the right to appeal the denial of your unemployment claim. Don’t assume that one denial is the end of the claims process. Even if you quit your job, there are cases in which you might be entitled to benefits....

Getting Personal Loans With a Co-Signer Why You Might Need a Co-Signer Lenders need to be confident that you’ll repay your personal loan. If you have a low credit score or income, lenders may be reluctant to approve your application. But if somebody else guarantees your loan (promising to repay the debt if you stop paying), the deal becomes more attractive. What Does It Mean to Co-Sign? When you use a co-signer, that person applies for the personal loan with you, and they agree to pay off your debt if you don’t....

There are many ways for investors to hedge, or protect, against inflation, including some investments designed specifically for hedging against inflation. Learn more about assets that are used as inflation hedges and how they can fit in your portfolio. How Does Hedging Against Inflation Work? Hedging against inflation means taking steps to protect the value of an investment from the effects of inflation. For example, if you have an asset that increases in value by 3% each year, but inflation is 4%, the real return of that asset is actually -1%....

“We all want to be remembered, and an inheritance creates another connection to your grandchildren, whether you’re giving money and a head start, or a prized collection of baseball cards,” Jeffrey Asher, an estate planning attorney working in New York and Connecticut told The Balance. To provide your grandchildren with an inheritance, consider how you want to create those memories—and plan your inheritance carefully. Learn about an inheritance’s promises and pitfalls, the best ways to leave money to grandchildren, and how to prepare your grandchildren for one....

But while you may not be able to view copies of the actual will and other documents that have been filed with the probate court for free (many courts have started charging for the ability to view their documents), at the very least, you should be able to see a list of the documents that have been filed, who has been named as the executor of the estate, which attorney the executor has hired, and the name of the judge presiding over the case....