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Medical debt like this is one kind of unsecured debt, which goes away if it isn't covered by the estate. My mother and I laughed bitterly as we sat together at the dinner table, in horrified awe at the absurdity of our essentially being billed for my father's death. Unsecured debts generally remain the property of the deceasedUnsecured loans include most credit card debt, student loans, personal loans, and medical bills. Handling a loved one's debts in the wake of their passing can feel daunting, and even retraumatizing. I discovered in the wake of my father's death just how bureaucratically difficult it is to make the biological fact of a loved one's death a legal one — especially regarding their debts.

Yannick Kergoat, director of "Tax Me If You Can," hopes the film makes learning about tax evasion fun. The French filmmaker had trouble getting funding and TV pickup for his new documentary about tax evasion, "Tax Me If You Can." He pretends you're in a bar to show you news footage about why the US is the country losing the most tax revenue because of tax evasion. Houser's course included movies like "It's a Wonderful Life" and "Office Space" to teach students about banking and economics of scale, respectively. The repercussions of tax evasion include "incredible increases in wealth for some and constant impoverishment for others."

If you're spending your extra cash right now, it's a good idea to spend it on personal improvement. But deciding what to do with extra cash shouldn't just be about immediate fun if you can help it. And second, if you put the money in a high-yield savings account, it can earn interest. Let the money earn interestIt might take you some time to decide what to do with extra cash. Certified financial planner Jim Eutsler shared that you can park the cash in a high interest rate environment, such as a high-yield savings account or a CD.

Our experts answer readers' student loan questions and write unbiased product reviews (here's how we assess student loans). See Insider's picks for the best student loan refinance companies »Insider's Featured Student Loan Refinance Companies SoFi Student Loan RefinancingSplash Financial Student Loan RefinancingEarnest Student Loan Refinancing Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. APR Variable: 5.38% - 8.99%, Fixed: 4.99% - 8.99% Editor's Rating 4.5/5 A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star APR Variable: 4.74% - 9.99% with AutoPay, Fixed: 4.49% - 9.99% with AutoPay Editor's Rating 3.5/5 A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star APR Actual rate and available repayment terms will vary based on your income. Please note, we are not able to offer variable rate loans in AK, IL, MN, NH, OH, TN, and TX. Show more Variable: 4.99% - 8.94%, Fixed: 4.96% - 8.99% (with AutoPay discount) Editor's Rating 3.5/5 A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star Apply now Apply now Apply nowGetting the most bang for your buckI was an English major at Berkeley.

The last few years have been hard in our marriage, and he sometimes says he's considering a no-fault divorce. But if you live in a community property state, your husband will be entitled to half. Is your state a fault or no-fault state? You mentioned in your letter that your husband has specifically threatened a "no-fault" divorce, but according to Costas, it isn't up to him. If you live in a no-fault state, outside of criminal factors, it won't matter whether one partner cheated or left.

Our experts answer readers' student loan questions and write unbiased product reviews (here's how we assess student loans). I'm nearly 34 now, and I'm still paying off the massive student loans I accumulated in college. I'm still paying off that student loan, and I know decades of payments have affected my financial security. Given the chance to do it over, I would probably find ways to reduce my student loans. My mom knew a lot more than I realized back then, and she had my best interest at heart.

Americans' tax refunds could be worth $12.7 billion more if they were deposited into a 1-year CD earning 5.15% APY. Instead of using tax refunds on vacations, new cars or household appliances, Americans that receive tax refunds can turn them into extra cash. The total amount refunded to all Americans dropped by nearly $30 billion, from $267 billion to nearly $237 billion. CDs could grow America's tax refunds by $10.4 billion in a yearCDs Highest yield savings account Popular savings account 6 months $6 billion $5.7 billion $4.5 billion 1 year $12.7 billion $11.6 billion $9 billion 18 months $19 billion $17.7 billion $13.7 billion 2 years $25.6 billion $23.8 billion $18.4 billion 3 years $37 billion $36.6 billion $28.1 billion 4 years $47.1 billion $50.1 billion $38.2 billion 5 years $59.6 billion $64.2 billion $48.7 billionHow we got these numbersTo determine the potential growth of America's tax refunds, we assumed an initial deposit of $2,878, which is the size of the average tax refund as of April 7. We looked at typical rates at the best overall APYs available as well as the best rates at popular, well-known banks.

I used to love thrifting, but the disabled tax means that's not a viable choice for me due to long COVID. But I'd never heard of the disabled tax, or, as some disabled people have reclaimed it, the "crip tax." The disabled tax affects all disabled people differentlyLike the pink tax, the disabled tax isn't charged by governments, but by society itself. The disabled tax manifests in unique ways for all disabled people. Before long COVID, I'd long prided myself for a frugality that helped my family live well even on just one income.

I love writing about personal finance, but personal responsibility isn't the be-all and end-all. How disability shapes my family's finances »Demographic disparities persist through educationLike all areas of education, financial education suffers from disparities in school funding, which exacerbate racial inequality. As one instructor told the USBE auditors, "Financial literacy is critical to the financial wellbeing of our country. Financial education is under-resourced and undersupportedThe problems with financial education aren't surprising, given the lack of attention the subject receives from decision-makers. I'm glad I ignored mainstream financial advice »Financial literacy needs to include our history of inequalityPersonal finance media, gurus, and educators love to tout financial literacy as the missing puzzle piece to the American dream.

Adult ADHD can make it harder to focus on tasks that don't capture your attention, experts say. Strategies for managing your finances with ADHD include getting outside help and giving yourself extra time. It's no surprise, then, that adult ADHD affects your ability to stay on top of your financial management and overall financial well-being. Experts say there are ways you can keep your finances under control with adult ADHD, though. "When I was managing my business finances and using QuickBooks, it was a very visually overwhelming experience for me," says Potter.

Money is a big concern for a lot of retirees, but there are fears that go deeper than that. One of the biggest concerns for retirees is what their retirement will mean for the people close to them. Courtesy of Diane WiggerIt's perfectly normal to have financial and healthcare fears, especially for those who are more self-reliant. Wigger conquered her retirement fears moving abroad, gaining access to good healthcare, and living within her means. Blattner recognizes his retirement fears are different from most.

Phishing scams were up 61% in 2022, and the scammers' goal is to convince you to give them your information. A study from SlashNext even showed that in 2022, there were 255 million phishing scam attacks, a 61% increase compared to 2021. Fake bank emailsWhen you're scrolling through your inbox, you might occasionally get emails from your bank, open them up, and resolve what's inside. "These emails often contain a phishing link or attachment that, once clicked, can install malware on the user's device," he says. Real estate wire transferIf you're involved in real estate transactions, Sprung says there's a phishing scam happening in the industry that's worth paying attention to.

Bankruptcies were up 19% year-over-year in January as consumer debt reaches an all-time high. If your problem is poor financial habits, bankruptcy won't automatically fix those for you. Consumer debt — especially credit card debt — is at an all-time high as rising interest rates and high inflation continue to place financial pressure on Americans' budgets. The most common types of bankruptcy for individualsThere are several different types of bankruptcy, but most individuals will file for either Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy. Chapter 7 bankruptcy involves selling your assets to get rid of your unsecured debt, like credit card bills.

I requested an extension on my taxes last year, and I put off dealing with my taxes until October. I've gotten another extension this year, but this time it's out of necessity, and I'm going to be careful. I'm requesting a tax extension. Editor's Rating 4.2/5 A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star Editor's Rating 4.7/5 A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star Editor's Rating 4/5 A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star Learn more On TurboTax's website Learn more On TaxAct's website Learn more On FreeTax USA's websiteI kept putting my taxes off — and then it was OctoberThose are my excuses for logging on and begging for another six months. If everything goes according to plan, we'll be back on track in time to handle 2023 taxes on time.

☆ US housing market stabilizing as single-family homebuilding, permits surge
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Lucia Mutikani | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Summary Single-family housing starts increase 2.7% in MarchSingle-family building permits jump 4.1%Overall housing starts fall 0.8%; permits drop 8.8%WASHINGTON, April 18 (Reuters) - U.S. single-family homebuilding increased for a second straight month in March, while permits for future construction surged, offering some glimmers of hope for the depressed housing market ahead of the busy spring selling season. The improvement in the single-family housing market segment, which was reported by the Commerce Department on Tuesday, likely reflected buyers taking advantage of a retreat in mortgage rates. A survey on Monday showed falling mortgage rates and tight supply of previously owned houses were supporting the new home market. Single-family housing starts, which account for the bulk of homebuilding, rose 2.7% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 861,000 units last month. Single-family housing starts dropped 27.7% on a year-on-year basis in March.

Insider asked four CEOs of fintech companies for advice they'd give immigrants who are new to the US. Compared to someone born and raised in the US, immigrants face unique challenges when meeting financial goals. Insider spoke with four CEOs in the fintech industry who are immigrants or children of immigrants. Here are their five tips for immigrants trying to gain financial footing in the US. He also suggests working with a credit union to set up multiple accounts — for example, a checking account for everyday expenses, a savings account for future goals, and another savings account for your emergency savings fund.

For Love & Money is a biweekly column from Insider answering your relationship and money questions. Write to For Love & Money using this Google form. The hidden costs of pregnancy »But from a value standpoint, I'd like to remind you of a similar choice you made years ago when you chose to have kids — kids you surely realized might have kids of their own one day. If your daughter doesn't recognize this, don't feel guilty for explaining it to her. She is trying to tell you what she hopes you'll tell her — that you can hardly wait to love her baby.

There are too many things that matter to me that travel insurance surprisingly doesn't cover. Cancellation coverage is limitedThe first few times I purchased travel insurance, I didn't read the fine print. I travel so much that it gets expensiveAs someone who takes up to a dozen trips every year, getting travel insurance per trip adds up. The average cost of travel insurance is anywhere between 4% to 8% of the cost of your trip. Most travel insurance policies won't let you make those changes unless there's an emergency.

☆ Weak retail sales, manufacturing output data point to slowing US economy
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Lucia Mutikani | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

Data for February was revised up to show retail sales falling 0.2% instead of 0.4% as previously reported. Retail sales are mostly goods, which are typically bought on credit, and are not adjusted for inflation. Retail sales and inflationThe decline in retail sales was almost across the board. Sales at food services and drinking places, the only services category in the retail sales report, edged up 0.1%. Excluding automobiles, gasoline, building materials and food services, retail sales slipped 0.3% last month.

CD rates are incredible right now, but you should think about your goals and how a CD fits into them. See Insider's list of the best CD rates »Rates vary pretty significantly depending on where you lookFor years, we experienced rock bottom interest rates. 5.00% Minimum Deposit Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. $500 Annual Percentage Yield Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. Insider's Featured Savings Accounts UFB Premier SavingsQuontic High Yield Savings AccountCIT Bank Savings Connect Account Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.

Getting more money when I was struggling with mental health didn't fix my problems. My depression led me to self-medicating with drugs and alcohol, and I thought that once I finally had money, everything would be alright. More money didn't solve my problemsGrowing up, I lived with my dad. Every time I received a raise or a promotion, I thought that would be what would remedy my depression. I'm grateful for everything I've been through, because it taught me that I don't need money to be happy.

Because of severe winter storms in California, taxpayers can file taxes until October 16, 2023. To accommodate individual taxpayers and businesses affected by the storm, the IRS has extended California taxpayers' filing deadline by six months, to October 16, 2023. According to the State of California Franchise Tax Board, an extension to file your tax return does not mean you also have an extension to pay your 2022 taxes. But Ellis says you can use the tax extension to max out your IRA contributions and lower your annual gross income. She says that the tax extension creates a unique situation where a taxpayer is filing their 2022 taxes while preparing for 2023 at the same time.

Our experts answer readers' student loan questions and write unbiased product reviews (here's how we assess student loans). The Secure Act 2.0, signed into law last year, makes it easier to prepare for retirement when you have student loans. Secure Act 2.0 allows employers to match employees' student loan payments with retirement contributions. The average monthly student loan payment is $460, according to the Education Data Initiative. Personally, I have [ insert student loan total here ] in student loans, and my monthly payments are [ insert monthly student-loan payments here ] .

Williams told Insider she never said she wanted to be put first on their joint taxes. "The sad part of women being the breadwinner is that they're not necessarily freed from a lot of these gender dynamics and considerations," N'Jie Konte told Insider. Laws told Insider it was the only year she and her husband ever filed joint taxes. Laws' husband was listed first on their deed and real estate documents. They put it under his account," Patterson told Insider.

I'm able to start investing the money for my future, and I cut my tax bill by around $3,500. This included a federal tax bill of around $9,700 and a New York state tax bill of around $3,300. Freelance income often fluctuates year to year, so this type of retirement account is great for meeting that need. All in all, my new tax bill was around $9,400 — with a $7,200 federal bill and a $2,200 New York state bill. If you're a freelancer looking for last-minute ways to reduce your taxes, consider opening up a SEP IRA account before the deadline.

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