While cash is still the most widely used form of payment, debit and credit cards have become consumers’ preferred payment choice. Although some small businesses steadfastly remain cash-only operations, many small businesses are now accepting credit card payments in order to increase their bottom line and customer satisfaction. Credit cards now have the second largest [...]
Estate planning can give you control over what happens to your wealth after you pass away. In some cases, an individual doesn’t designate a person as his or her beneficiary. Depending on the specific situation, this can have different effects on how the finances are distributed. What if you don’t designate a beneficiary at all? [...]
Buying a home can be stressful, and getting a mortgage may be difficult. Slightly more than half of all applicants for a mortgage are successful today, according to Ellie Mae’s April 2013 Origination Insight Report. And that’s an improvement; two years ago, only 47 percent of mortgage applications succeeded. Mortgage originators have tightened their standards [...]
College represents a new beginning, and it may be the first time that your child will be completely responsible for his or her finances. Help your student save money and budget for expenses by ensuring that he or she is set up with the right financial accounts. While you can start by helping your child [...]
This post was written by guest blogger Teri Cettina. You have fond memories of a road trip your family took as a kid, so now you’re treating (torturing?) your clan to something similar. Good move: A driving vacation can be significantly cheaper than a trip requiring air travel. However, it’s easy to lose track of [...]
This post was written by guest blogger Teri Cettina. The so-called lazy days of summer aren’t quite that laid-back for working parents of young children. Summer means no school for the kids for three full months—and instead, a complex patchwork of childcare or different summer camps. All this extra care can get expensive if you’re [...]
Everyone needs a vacation, but many small business owners feel too much anxiety about leaving their business for an extended period of time to actually enjoy their time off. Their minds wander to the what-ifs: What if a piece of equipment breaks down? What if there’s an issue with our biggest client? What if there’s [...]
Starting a small business can be difficult—it takes courage, determination, and a substantial amount of cash. But the labor doesn’t end when you open your doors for the first time; sustaining your company takes hard work. Customers are the key ingredient to a successful business, and devoted, repeat customers—those who would choose you over your [...]
Adopting a child is a reward in and of itself. But if you’ve recently adopted a child, you may be eligible for other benefits—in the form of tax credits—when filing taxes. There are two primary types of adoption benefits in the U.S. Tax Code: a tax credit for qualified adoption expenses (Form 8839), and the [...]
Whether due to the sluggish economy or anxiety over job security, many consumers have been putting off large purchases. But as stock and home prices have started to recover and unemployment has continued to improve in a baby-step fashion, these same consumers are spending again. Many consumers are now looking to purchase new vehicles to [...]
