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Have you been personally targeted by ads offering to help you find “unclaimed” money? If you immediately wrote them off as scams, you were wise — but that doesn’t mean unclaimed money itself is a scam. The US government estimates that billions of dollars each year go unclaimed, just as the advertisements say — and your name could be on some of it.
No one says no to money that belongs to them. This is the reason unclaimed money scams are so widespread. Even if there’s only a slim chance you’ve inherited a fortune, you may be entitled to anything from a few dollars to a few hundred dollars — money that could go toward a savings goal, paying off debt, or just enjoying a nice dinner out.
If you’re interested in reconnecting with your long-lost dollars, it’s important to know how to recognize the scams and find legitimate sources. But, first, let’s discuss where all this unclaimed money comes from. [ continue reading… ]
I was walking around a street market in Beijing, China. I was completely mesmerized by the colors, sounds and scents surrounding me. Everything was so vibrant and loud and packed with stuff, stuff that was different than anything I’d ever seen in the West.
And the prices! For someone who comes from the West, prices were dirt cheap. Of course, quality was low too, and I didn’t really need any of the items I was buying. But I didn’t care. I couldn’t shop fast enough, filling bag after bag with exotic purchases.
That was about ten years ago, when I still liked stuff. Now, I hate stuff. It took me years to realize that things, objects, stuff, whatever you choose to call them, are not making me happy. That having lots of objects around me is not comforting, but in fact weighs me down and creates not just unnecessary clutter, but also the need to maintain those things, to clean them and care for them.
Of course, buying stuff also costs you money. The less you buy, the more you will save.
Last month, my family and I traveled to Destin, Florida for spring break. We decided to drive across the country — from Minnesota to Florida and back — because we thought it would be cheaper than flying. But to be honest with you, we only assumed that was true.
Love can sometimes be blind, especially in the midst of an engagement and wedding planning. While I don’t think that love suddenly disappears after the honeymoon, like many would suggest, I do think the reality of finances can hit couples hard after they settle down.
Here are three smart financial moves every couple should consider before tying the knot:
If you feel you need to have a lot of money to really enjoy life, I am afraid you are sadly mistaken.
The greatest things in life are those worthwhile experiences and subtle occurrences that sometimes most individuals simply take for granted. While Madison avenue may think that having expensive “stuff” and the like are what lead to happiness, below are some ways you can still enjoy yourself without spending a fortune. [ continue reading… ]
One of the pitfalls of being self-employed is what happens if you lose your business through no fault of your own. If you worked in a traditional job, you’d know what to do next: apply for benefits at the local unemployment office. But things are trickier when the job you lost was your own business. However, it is still possible for you to qualify for assistance as you move on to the next chapter in your life:
1. Be careful if you incorporate. If you collect a salary from your incorporated business, then you have been paying self-employment tax. Ditto for sole proprietors and partnerships. This means you made contributions to your state unemployment insurance fund, and you are eligible for benefits if you lose your business. On the other hand, some small business owners have been trying to avoid the self employment taxes by not paying themselves a salary. If this is the case, then don’t be surprised that you are denied if you apply for unemployment relief.
Incorporating your company has other benefits like separating your personal tax liability from that of your business. It also protects the owner of a business from any personal financial liability if the corporation needs to declare bankruptcy. Incorporation is one way to protect yourself from the ups and downs of self-employment, but avoiding taxes isn’t one of them. [ continue reading… ]
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