Social Security

We in the personal finance blogosphere love to fill the internet with ideas on how to save money and discuss everything under the sun that you should not spend money on. Well, today, I’d like to discuss a few things that I believe are acceptable purchases.

Economies develop and move forward under almost any conditions. Mankind can adapt, survive and even make a living in the totalitarian economies of Chavez and Castro to the laissez-faire, free market economies of Canada and Hong Kong. In a manner of speaking, free market is alive and well wherever people live. Sometimes it is a [...]

While random chance plays its role in tax audits (sometimes there is just no way to avoid some sort of an audit — no matter what you do), there are some red flags that may prompt a closer review of your paperwork. Here are some tips for avoiding a tax audit.

At least once  a year, if not more, you visit the dentist and doctor to make sure everything’s working properly – why not give your finances the same opportunity? As we approach the busy holiday season, it’s easy to let attention slip from personal finance. If you find yourself barreling toward the end of 2009 [...]

Chances are, you are already planning your holiday shopping. You might even be looking ahead toward Black Friday and Cyber Monday. With retailers still trying to lure customers into spending, this year offers the potential for some great deals on the biggest shopping days of the year. Here are some shopping tips that can help [...]

If you’re self employed, you’re responsible for keeping track of your own taxes, as well as making payments on time. This also involves being on top of your paperwork, filing your tax return on time and keeping hold of receipts and invoices in case you’re asked to prove certain aspects of your tax return. This [...]

It’s a great feeling to be your own boss and make money at it. At least, until you discover that you are now responsible for paying self-employment tax and may be required to make estimated tax payments. I have been paying self-employment tax over the last few years; however, I have not made an estimated [...]

Welcome to the 76th edition of Money Hacks Carnival. In this edition, I’ll be presenting some interesting and fun facts about money along with the submissions. For editor’s picks, please look for entries noted with (EP).

Money Fact #1: $1 bills wear out in about 17 months. Bills of larger denomination last longer because they are [...]

The following article contains information about the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)’s officially released 2009 federal income tax brackets. You’ll need this information to prepare and file your 2009 tax return in early 2010. To the extent that the information in this article helps summarize the changes in Federal Income Tax, you should consult the official [...]

I recently came across a video by FTC that advertise AnnualCreditReport.com in a manner that mocks the more familiar commercials by FreeCreditReport.com. I had mentioned in the past that credit report from FreeCreditReport.com is not free because you have to sign up for one of their paid services to get it.
FTC AnnualCreditReport.com Restaurant Video
If you [...]