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10 Smart Ways to Spend Your Tax Refund 03/04/2015 07:00pm • P is for practical.Hotly anticipating your tax refund? Us too. But before you splurge on that Jacuzzi you've always wanted or pile items into your virtual shopping cart, do yourself a favor: Hit pause, experts suggest, and consider finding a practical use for your money. What's practical, of course, Understand the Consequences of Student Loan Default 03/03/2015 07:00pm • Recently, the New York Federal Reserve released some alarming information on student loan defaults that indicated up to a quarter of all borrowers from the last nine years have defaulted on their loans. The report also showed that up to 37 percent have missed at least one payment. These numbers are Must-Do Money Tips for Millennials in the Military 03/02/2015 07:00pm • Millennials tend to be more advanced financially than their non-military peers, according to a survey released last week by Navy Federal Credit Union. They're more likely to have established long-term money goals and feel more preparedto achieve them. The survey, which sampled 300 millennials in t How Sudden Windfalls Can Impact Your Taxes 03/02/2015 07:00pm • For many Americans, every penny counts, and the idea of a sudden influx of cash -- an inheritance, gambling win or game show prize -- conjures images of new cars and sunny beaches. But, experts warn, don't take that luxury vacation before understanding the tax implications of your windfall. It's N 10 National Universities Where Students Usually Live on Campus 03/02/2015 07:00pm • The U.S. News Short List, separate from our overall rankings, is a regular series that magnifies individual data points in hopes of providing students and parents a way to find which undergraduate or graduate programs excel or have room to grow in specific areas. Be sure to explore The Short List: 6 Steps to Get the Best Mortgage Rates This Spring 03/02/2015 07:00pm • If you've got the itch to ditch your landlord and take the leap to homeownership, mortgage rates are still low by historical standards. But beware because they are expected to begin creeping higher throughout the year. "The cost of renting is really high right now. Rents have been rising and risin 5 Signs You're About to Make a Bad Financial Decision 03/01/2015 07:00pm • Nobody knows the future, but you can often predict what's coming next. Meteorologists, pathologists, pollsters and other professionals do it all the time by sifting through evidence and determining what the coming days or years will look like. That's helpful to remember the next time you're facing Real Estate Notes: A Smart Investment Alternative 03/01/2015 07:00pm • After three decades of working in different areas of the real estate business, including owning a number of rental properties, the three T's of landlording, tenants, toilets and trash, were wearing thin on Don DeMarco. The Silver Spring, Maryland-based real estate entrepreneur has seen a lot, makin 5 Things to Consider Doing When Your Credit Score Hits 740 03/01/2015 07:00pm • It's true: Improving your credit can be a long, difficult process. But if your FICO score has finally hit 740, there's good reason to celebrate. Although every bank sets its own lending standards, 740 is generally considered the crossover point between good and excellent credit. Bravo!Wondering what Do 4 Things If Your FAFSA Is Selected for Verification 03/01/2015 07:00pm • As families file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid -- making sure to get it in before state and institutional deadlines in February and March -- they shouldn't forget about one important, final step. About one-third of FAFSAs are selected for verification, says Nancy Coolidge, associate 5 Alternative Sources for College Financial Aid 03/01/2015 07:00pm • The average cost for a year of in-state public college tuition and fees for 2014-2015 is $22,410, according to the College Board. For students attending a private school, the cost more than doubles, with expenses averaging $46,272. When you see those numbers, it's not surprising the national student 4 Questions to Help Parents, Students Compare College Admissions Offers 03/01/2015 07:00pm • After years of planning, months of research and weeks of travel to and from college campuses, your high school senior has finally begun to receive college acceptance letters. Chances are you reached this point as a team, and chances are that not all of your student's admissions offers are equally a Virginia General Assembly passes new "gift" laws in response to McDonnell scandal 02/28/2015 01:10pm • WASHINGTON --��Virginia���s General Assembly adjourned late Friday night after passing an ethics reform bill that one delegate describes as an attempt to resolve the ���Jonnie Williams problem���. Williams is the supplement company boss who gave then-Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and first lady 4 Questions to Ask Before Enrolling in a For-Profit Online Program 02/26/2015 07:00pm • Prospective students can be forgiven for wondering whether they should enroll in an online, for-profit degree program. The industry went through a rough patch, enduring criticism for high student loan default rates, low graduation rates and dubious recruitment practices. Yet despite the bad press 3 Reasons You Should Freeze Your Credit 02/25/2015 07:00pm • Doesn't it seem like there's a new data breach in the news each week? The reality is sadly much worse. According to the Identity Theft Resource Center, there was a record-high 783 breaches tracked in 2014, a whopping increase of 27.5 percent from 2013. That's an average of 15 breaches per week. If