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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 How to Score End-of-Winter Bargains 03/01/2015 07:00pm • The winter winds are still blowing strong, the average temperature for the 48 contiguous states has dropped below freezing and snow now officially covers nearly 1.5 million miles of our country, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Though spring is only a few weeks away Spring clean your way into cash 02/27/2015 09:00am • Depending where you live, it may or may not look like warmer months lie ahead, but the calendar doesn't lie. If you're like a lot of people, you're already thinking about spring cleaning. And, if you're like a lot of people, you're dreading it. But keep in mind that spring cleaning doesn't hav 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 3 Reasons You Should Consider a 2-Year Apartment Lease 02/24/2015 07:00pm • One-year leases reign supreme in the world of renting; it's a long enough time period to provide stability to the landlord and short enough to offer flexibility for the renter. Unlike purchasing a home, when you rent a new apartment, you get to take it for a 12-month test drive. Don't like the neig Top 5 reasons to hire a tax pro 02/20/2015 11:59am • WASHINGTON -- There’s a lot of really good tax help out there, but choosing the right solution for your situation can be as difficult as deciphering the tax code. If you have relied on the IRS for help in the past, you’ll want to make alternate arrangements: The IRS said it won’t be able to Sharing Is Declaring: How the Peer-to-Peer Economy Affects Your Taxes 02/18/2015 07:00pm • For the past several years, the sharing economy has gained traction as more and more individuals rent out spare rooms to travelers, use their vehicles to earn extra income or opt to rent, rather than own, ball gowns they'll only wear once. While the concept of shared consumerism can have environmen Treat Yourself: Budget-Friendly Ways to Spend Valentine's Day Alone 02/11/2015 07:00pm • Who says you need a special someone for Valentine's Day? If you find yourself celebrating alone on February 14, rally your friends and make it a day (or evening) to remember. Here are some fun, budget-friendly ideas to make this Valentine's Day one you will really love. Round up a group. If you ha A Retirement Residence That Pays for Itself in Chile 02/10/2015 07:00pm • The potential to rent out your second or retirement residence overseas when you're not using it yourself can be a big advantage. Cash flow from rental income can help offset carrying costs or even cover them entirely with positive income to spare. One potential retirement haven that's interesting i A Retirement Beach Home in Brazil 02/02/2015 07:00pm • The U.S. dollar is at a 10-year high against the Brazilian real. Brazil's long coastline boasts some of the world's most beautiful beaches. These two facts combine to make Brazil a top choice for a dollar-holder interested in a beachfront retirement. Consider the Brazilian island of Itamaracá, whe 6 Tips for Finding an Apartment in Chicago 01/27/2015 07:00pm • Finding an apartment you love anywhere can be a difficult process, but in Chicago, it can be a serious uphill battle. Among the hundreds of apartments that may be on the market at any one time, there will only be a few that meet all your needs, and even those could have their own set of problems. Investors See Benefit in Using IRAs for Real Estate 01/27/2015 07:00pm • After the nation's financial crisis, Leslye Schiff decided she had had enough of the highs and lows of the stock market and pulled her money out. Instead, she rolled the money she had in her traditional individual retirement account into a Roth IRA and changed her investment strategy. When her hus Marriott targets millennials with tiny, affordable hotel chain 01/22/2015 05:52pm • WASHINGTON -- Hotel giant Marriott is hoping its new concept for teeny-tiny, trendy hotel rooms proves to budget-conscious millennials that the smaller the room, the bigger the perks. Marriott, which is based in Bethesda, is rolling out a line of modern microhotels aimed at appealing to millenni A Guide to Saving Money for Empty Nesters 01/21/2015 07:00pm • For empty nesters who have recently retired or sent their last child off to college, figuring out the best way to manage money is one of the most important things to tackle when entering into this new life stage. Surprisingly, a 2010 study by Boston College's Center for Retirement Research found th Does Everyone Need a Credit Card? 01/15/2015 07:00pm • Americans' reliance on credit cards has been declining steadily since the Great Recession, according to an April 2014 Gallup poll. In fact, respondents reported that they are carrying less credit card debt overall and are more likely than to pay their balance in full and on time compared to the earl