Search

Is Perfect Credit Possible? Inside the Quest for 850 03/06/2016 07:00pm • With roughly 31 percent of people sporting "bad" credit and the average American carrying a "fair" score of just 668, according to WalletHub data, simply reaching the land of "good" credit standing would represent an excellent achievement. Relative to bad credit, it would also unleash a savings wind 10 Ways to Reduce Your Housing Costs in Retirement 03/06/2016 07:00pm • Affordable housingHousing is often your biggest retirement expense. But there are a variety of ways to cut your housing costs in retirement. Here are some ways to pay less for housing after you retire.Pay off your mortgage.When you pay off your mortgage, you eliminate one of your most significant mo How to handle money issues and maintain relationships 03/03/2016 04:55pm • WASHINGTON — Your friend asks if they can borrow some money. You feel a little uncomfortable, but say yes to appease that person. But as time goes on, you still haven't been paid back. How do you approach your friend without ruining the relationship? Janet Bodnar, editor of Kiplinger Perso D.C. United 2016 MLS season preview 03/03/2016 02:11am • WASHINGTON — D.C. United enter the 2016 MLS season aiming to secure a playoff spot for the third consecutive year, but will look to make a deeper postseason push after facing early elimination two years in a row at the hands of New York Red Bulls in the conference semifinals. New reinforcements Financial Sector Is Struggling, But Some Bargains Are Available 03/02/2016 07:00pm • The financial sector was expected to perform well this year, amid hopes that a strengthening housing market and the Federal Reserve's interest rate hike would help the bottom line of banking stocks. It hasn't quite worked out that way. Instead, the financial sector is the worst performer this year, 3 Times a Student Loan Could Be Discharged 03/01/2016 07:00pm • The Student Loan Ranger receives quite a few emails from student loan borrowers who want to know if they will be required to pay back their loans even if they aren't working in their field. Others aren't happy with the quality of the education they received or just don't think it was worth the debt Why Seniors Have the Greatest Financial Security 02/25/2016 07:00pm • A recent study from the Stanford Center on Longevity unearthed an interesting anomaly. While the financial security of Millennials and Gen Xers had dropped significantly from 2000 to 2014, it has risen slightly for baby boomers ages 65 to 74, according to The Sightlines Project. "No change is probab 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 11 D.C.-area coffeehouses every coffee lover should visit 02/24/2016 02:45am • WASHINGTON — While the D.C. area may not be known for its coffee joints, it does have some notable coffeehouses worth visiting. Depending on what you’re looking for, these local coffeehouses have it all, from coziness and comfort to history and character. Culture in a cup Sidamo Coffee 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 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 Retirement Plan Options for 1099 Employees 02/21/2016 07:00pm • If you're a freelancer, contractor or 1099 employee, you may not have the structure of a steady paycheck, health insurance or corporate matching retirement program that your staffer friends have. You may also be going through work dry spells and windfalls, which can make it very difficult to plan a 6 Ways to Reduce Your Taxable Income in 2016 02/18/2016 07:00pm • As the new year kicks into gear, it's time to get a jump start on maximizing your savings by taking advantage of ways to reduce your taxable income in months ahead.By implementing the money-saving tips below where applicable, it's possible to shave tens of thousands of dollars off of your taxable in 4 top spring break spots for teens 02/17/2016 07:00pm • Spring break travel with teens and tweens can be tricky. After all, to appease the whole group, a family vacation has to offer a unique blend of downtime and age-appropriate activities to keep younger travelers engaged and happy. For this reason, we pinpointed standout vacation spots that are packed 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