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6 tax breaks for homeowners 01/15/2019 07:00pm • Whether you're gearing up to file your taxes this year, researching what's ahead for next year or simply contemplating the benefits to buying a house in the future, there's a lot to consider. Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which takes effect for tax filings for the 2018 calendar year, standard How to Pay Off Multiple Student Loans 01/15/2019 07:00pm • The Student Loan Ranger receives many questions from readers. On occasion, we like to share some queries that other borrowers are likely to relate to. Here's a sample of one we've addressed recently. The question has been edited for clarity and to protect the reader's privacy. Q: I graduated gradu Hogan plan to ease road congestion struggles to win support 01/15/2019 09:28am • This content was republished with permission from WTOP’s news partners at Maryland Matters. Sign up for Maryland Matters’ free email subscription today. In theory, elected officials in Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties have 9 billion reasons to get behind the Hogan administration Love and Money: 8 Signs You're Financially Compatible  01/14/2019 07:00pm • Determine if your partner shares your financial values. While kindness, intelligence, humor and shared interests are crucial attributes single people often look for in a partner, taking stock of whether you're financially compatible can help you build the foundation of a healthy relationship. With s What to expect from the real estate market in 2019 01/14/2019 12:13am • WASHINGTON — The new year is just heating up, but experts say the housing market may finally start to cool down in 2019. “For the last several years, we’ve seen really frenzied home buying and prices tracking skyward, and I think in 2019 we’re starting to see a little bit of a shift,” s 4 Credit Card Trends for 2019 01/13/2019 07:00pm • I've been spending some time gazing into my credit card crystal ball, and I've noticed a few trends on the horizon. This past year, it seemed like the economy was either riding high or scaring us half to death. Stock prices would go up and then they'd go down. And what about interest rates? They've Considerations Before Maxing Out Your 401(k) 01/13/2019 07:00pm • You probably already know that contributing to your 401(k) plan will improve your retirement finances. But shoveling as much money as possible into a 401(k) account shouldn't always be your top priority. There are some circumstances when it makes sense to pay down debt and build up some savings outs Loudoun offers food, utilities, transit boost during shutdown 01/11/2019 12:50pm • LEESBURG, Va. — Life goes on for federal workers affected by the partial government shutdown, and the Loudoun County government is trying to lighten the load. Local leaders announced steps the county has taken Friday to assist the estimated 15,000 to 20,000 federal workers who live in Loudoun C Feds with student loans don't get a break during the shutdown 01/11/2019 11:09am • WASHINGTON — Federal employees who are not getting paid during the partial government shutdown might run into more financial trouble if they have student loans they need to deal with in the meantime. Student loan payments are still being collected because funding for the Department of Education Prince George’s schools start fund to pay for meals throughout the shutdown 01/11/2019 10:15am • LARGO, Md. — Prince George's County Public Schools is going a step further to help families that may be having trouble paying for school meals during the government shutdown. Interim public schools CEO Monica Goldson had already said that any student impacted by the shutdown would receive a sta 6 Economic Indicators to Understand 01/10/2019 07:00pm • If you want to understand the overall health of the economy, pay attention to key financial market indicators, including the unemployment rate, national debt and the consumer price index. These data points paint a picture of the country's financial well-being. "There are a number of common economic Can You Settle Student Loan Debt? 01/10/2019 07:00pm • When you took out a student loan to pay for school, you probably didn't expect it to go into default. But more than 1 million federal student loan borrowers default each year, according to the Urban Institute, a think tank focused on economic and social policy research. If you're in over your head, How to Recover After a Period of Unemployment 01/10/2019 07:00pm • For 800,000 federal workers, the beginning of 2019 didn't start on a high note. With an ongoing partial government shutdown, these federal employees are either working without pay or waiting at home until a budget deal allows them to return to their jobs. If previous government shutdowns are any ind FBI agents warn about impact of shutdown investigations, national security 01/10/2019 12:25pm • WASHINGTON — As the ongoing partial government shutdown approaches record territory, members of the nation's law enforcement arm are putting out a warning about the impact it's having on public safety and national security. The FBI Agents Association, which represents nearly 13,000 active-duty, Why You Should Reevaluate Fixed Income Investments 01/09/2019 07:00pm • For many years, fixed income investors reached for higher yields using risky investments, such as high-yield bonds, certain types of bond-like investments and high-dividend paying stocks. Fixed income investments are vehicles with predictable return and the money is paid at certain times, such as m