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6 Scams and Frauds to Avoid This Tax Season 03/16/2016 08:00pm • During tax season, scammers, rip-off artists and other unscrupulous people are looking to get their hands on your tax refund. According to a 2015 Government Accountability Office report, the IRS prevented or recovered a total of $24.2 billion in fraudulent refunds stemming from identity theft in 20 Everything You Need to Know About Paying Taxes on Social Security 03/15/2016 08:00pm • Social Security checks are a federal government benefit, but that doesn't mean this income is tax free. Some people need to pay taxes on their Social Security benefit.If you're living off of Social Security retirement benefits and not much else, you probably won't have to pay taxes on this income. H Tax Breaks for People Over 50 03/13/2016 08:00pm • After age 50, and especially at age 65, you can qualify for extra tax breaks. Older people get a bigger standard deduction, and they can earn more before they have to file a tax return at all. Workers over 50 can also defer or avoid taxes on more money using retirement and health savings accounts. H 5 New Realities of Retirement 03/13/2016 08:00pm • Our parents were able to retire and collect full Social Security at age 65. Most baby boomers have to wait until 66. People born after 1959 have to wait even longer -- until age 67 -- before reaching what Social Security defines as "full retirement age." And while the younger generations can still s Obama takes Austin by storm – and surprise – in first-ever presidential appearance at SXSW 03/12/2016 10:18am • by Kenny Fried and Steve Winter, WTOP contributors AUSTIN, Texas — President Obama was about 30 minutes late for his landmark keynote speech Friday afternoon at the SXSW Music, Film and Interactive Conference and Festivals but the truth is, he had a very good excuse. On their way from the Obama takes Austin by storm – and surprise – in first-ever presidential appearance at SXSW 03/11/2016 11:37pm • By Steve Winter, special to wtop.com AUSTIN, Texas--President Barack Obama was about 30 minutes late for his landmark speech on Friday afternoon at the South By Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, but he had a very good excuse. On their way from the airport to the Long Center for the Performi The Best Social Services Jobs of 2016 03/08/2016 07:00pm • These jobs involve working with people and helping others.Workers in these professions dedicate their careers to helping others, whether it's serving food at the local diner or coaching drug addicts through their recovery process. For professionals interested in pursuing a job in the social services 9 Common Pieces of Travel Advice You Should Never Follow 03/06/2016 07:00pm • Anyone who has ever received misguided travel recommendations knows that many popular but questionable travel "truths" simply shouldn't be put into practice. While some claims hold merit, seemingly well-founded pieces of wisdom passed along from globetrotters, guidebooks and websites are flimsy ass Financial Pitfalls of Growing Older and How to Deal With Them 03/06/2016 07:00pm • There are lots of things that could go wrong in retirement. You might develop a health problem, spend down your savings too quickly or experience considerable investment losses. Here's how to cope with some of the major challenges you might encounter in retirement. Not enough savings to retire. If 8 Things to Know if Your Job Search Skills Are Rusty 03/06/2016 07:00pm • If you're gearing up for a job search but haven't pulled out your resume much in the last decade, brace yourself for some changes. Job searching has changed in some significant ways in the last 10 years, both in terms of what the experience is like for candidates and which strategies are effective a What to Do If You're Retired and Broke 03/06/2016 07:00pm • Planning for retirement is something we should all do. But in recent years it has proved harder and harder. Employers have cut back on pensions and thrown more responsibility for retirement onto individual employees. And most employees have faced negligible wage growth, making it harder than ever to Navigating Red Tape When Switching Financial Advisors 03/06/2016 07:00pm • The process for switching financial advisors is fairly simple -- usually, it's just signing an electronic form at your new firm. But be warned: You might be setting yourself up for increased tax liability, transfer fees and a roll of red tape. It helps to understand your real reasons for switching s Metro GM announces management overhaul, potential for longer shutdowns 03/06/2016 06:21am • WASHINGTON – Metro needs rapid changes to address major issues, its chief administrator said, as he announced the first major management overhaul under his tenure Sunday. Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld acknowledged in a letter Sunday that track work and major delays have frustrated riders 7 Ways Your Expenses Will Change in Retirement 03/03/2016 07:00pm • Most retirees spend less than they did while working. A new Government Accountability Office analysis of 2013 Bureau of Labor Statistics data found that people in the pre-retirement phase of life between ages 50 and 64 spend an average of $54,400 per year, but annual expenditures drop by $12,500 amo 10 Dietitians You Need to Follow on Social Media 03/03/2016 07:00pm • All the nutrition information swirling on the Internet can make your head spin. One so-called expert may claim one food is bad, while the next claims the same food is a nutritional powerhouse. There are many self-proclaimed "nutritionists" who have pretty loud voices online, but there are also many