Search

How to Balance Funding an IRA With Other Financial Goals 02/24/2016 07:00pm • Many workers are saving for retirement in individual retirement accounts. At the end of 2014, $7.4 trillion was invested in IRAs, up from 2.6 trillion in 2000, according to the Investment Company Institute. IRAs may prove even more essential for younger generations of workers who change jobs often a Bottoming MLPs Offer a Bright Spot for Energy Investors 02/24/2016 07:00pm • As the rout in oil prices has pressured the stocks of both large integrated oil companies and smaller explorers, it has also weighed heavily on a related group of publicly traded investment vehicles known as master limited partnerships. That may be creating bargains for patient, savvy investors in Your Student Loan Questions: Spousal Debt, Default, Co-Signers 02/23/2016 07:00pm • Here at the Student Loan Ranger, we want to inform student loan borrowers about important topics affecting them -- from the potential effects of the president's proposed budget to the latest updates on the federal Perkins loan program . Of course, there's one surefire way to know what borrowers ar 5 Big Mistakes Millennials Make With Credit Cards 02/23/2016 07:00pm • For new cardholders and those just beginning their journeys into the complicated world of credit ratings and credit cards, managing and understanding the many types of credit cards and their terms can become confusing. While several areas of life allow wiggle room for trial and error, credit scores Can Your Spouse's Defaulted Student Loans Impact Your Tax Return? 02/22/2016 07:00pm • Love may allow a spouse to turn a blind eye towards his or her partner's defaulted federal student loans, but the IRS won't be so forgiving. It's likely the offending spouse will get his or her tax return garnished by the federal government to repay the debt, but there's more. Uncle Sam may swoop in 5 Clever Ways to Take Advantage of Low Gas Prices 02/22/2016 07:00pm • The nationwide average for a gallon of gas is around $1.80. That's incredibly inexpensive compared to gas prices over the last decade. With the exception of one brief period in early 2009, gas prices have been much closer to $4 per gallon.These low prices are a relief for many families. In families 3 Rewards Credit Cards You Can Get With Fair to Bad Credit 02/21/2016 07:00pm • If you think your crummy credit score means you won't be approved for a rewards credit card, think again. You should temper your expectations, of course. No issuer is going to give you a 50,000-mile sign-up bonus if your credit is bad. However, the days of rewards being available only to those with 4 Ways to Live on a Budget When You Don't Know Where to Start 02/21/2016 07:00pm • Most Americans don't live by a budget -- in fact, a 2013 Gallup poll reported only one third of Americans create a household budget. There are a number of reasons for that, from viewing it as restrictive to simply not knowing how to set limits. A true frugal person knows a plan for your spending can Dear Yeezus: The sad creative decline of the once-great Kanye 02/19/2016 02:15am • Dear Kanye, Marcus here. I hope all is well with you and yours. Judging from what I’ve heard recently, things aren’t going so good. I mean, that’s cool, we all go through occasional hardships, but your issues seem totally self-inflicted. And instead of taking responsibility and adjust Clear Skies Ahead? The Long-Term Prospects of 3 Airline Stocks 02/18/2016 07:00pm • The skies have been friendly for airline companies. Low oil prices, combined with a strong U.S. dollar and falling unemployment, have led customers to spend more on travel. That's a promising mix of economic tailwinds. In fact, many U.S. airlines have enjoyed record profits. With Brent crude oil pri Should a Financial Guru be Dictating Your Money Matters? 02/17/2016 07:00pm • Dave Ramsey, Mary Hunt and Suze Orman are a few of the finance superstars who offer tips on everything from how to save for retirement to when you should pay off your house. They may have bestselling books behind them, but is it really smart to follow advice doled out by a TV or radio personality? A 6 Financial Aid Implications of Obama's Proposed 2017 Budget 02/16/2016 07:00pm • Every year around this time, the president of the U.S. submits a budget proposal to Congress for consideration for the next fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1. This request, first required under the Budget and Accounting Act of 1921 , lays out the spending and revenue plans for all federal agencies a 5 Cardinal Rules of Lending Money to Friends and Family 02/16/2016 07:00pm • It's a touchy subject, and discussing money matters with friends and family is usually in poor taste. However, there may come a time when somebody close to you needs financial assistance and asks for your help. Whether that someone needs to take care of this month's bills or pay off a creditor quick Gas at $1 Per Gallon? Don't Be Surprised 02/15/2016 07:00pm • Gas prices are continuing their free fall as global oil prices decline, reaching an average $1.70 per gallon nationally this month. Some industry experts say regions of the U.S. could even see gas for less than a dollar a gallon this year, as oil refiners look to offload winter-grade gasoline suppli The Meteoric Rise and Fall of Proprietary Gas Cards 02/15/2016 07:00pm • Gone are the days when the only credit cards gas stations would take were their own private-label cards. Nowadays, most people buying gas on credit are using general-purpose credit cards. And it's no wonder: Proprietary gas cards, which can only be used at certain gas stations such as Shell, Chevron