US Olympians Pay Tax on Winning Medals and Links

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There’s been a bit of an uproar in the financial media about US Olympians being taxed for winning medals in their competitions.

The tax kicks in because the US Olympic Committee pays $25,000 for a gold medal, $15,000 for silver, and $10,000 for bronze.  This money is considered income and is then taxed by the US government regardless of where the income is earned.  Other countries do not tax their medalists and in some cases pay them even more.

Do you think it is fair to charge tax on Olympic earnings?

If you know an Olympian that needs some financial advice, here are some tips:

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What is FDIC and How it Makes Our Lives Better

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The FDIC has been in the news a lot in recent years, but during quieter times the agency and what it does are invisible to most Americans.

The closest we get to it is the sign in the bank window that says, “Member FDIC”.

The FDIC is sort of like a giant insurance company for the entire US banking industry (in fact it stands for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation).  The fact that we usually don’t know what it does is an indication that it’s doing the job it was meant to do.

The History of the FDIC

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5 Keys to a Frugal Retirement

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When we think about frugality, many of us consider the here and now.

However, it doesn’t hurt to consider that you might need to be frugal during retirement as well.

While many of us hope to be able to forget about frugality during our golden years, the truth is that you never know what will happen in the future to create uncertainty in your finances.

It makes sense to be prepared to live frugally in retirement, if the need should arise.

Here are 5 things to keep in mind as you prepare your retirement finances:

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How to Improve Your Credit Score Fast

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Having a good credit score impacts many areas of your life: the interest rates you pay on debt, your car insurance rates, and what types of credit card offers you get in the mail.

If you find yourself with a poor credit score, but have a need to improve it quickly, there are a few tips you can try.

However, the only true way to drastically improve your score is to use debt responsibly for a long period of time.

What Goes Into a Credit Score?

Before you can improve your credit score you need to know what exactly goes into your credit score in the first place.  Once you know what goes into the credit score you can work to make changes in those specific areas.

credit score factorsWe have a full post that dissects what goes into your credit score, but here’s a brief breakdown:

  • 35% – Payment History
  • 30% – Amounts Owed
  • 15% – Length of Credit History
  • 10% – New Credit
  • 10% – Types of credit used

How to Improve in Each Credit Score Area

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Will Divorce Make You Happier? The Emotional and Financial Implications of Divorce

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It happens to the best of couples. 

You start out deeply in love, and then, with the stresses of life, child rearing and career growth, you don’t spend enough time together.

You grow apart.

You start to get upset with one another and find flaws.  (Ironically, often the traits that most endeared your spouse to you in the beginning are now the very traits you find most irritating).

It is at this point that many couples consider getting divorced.

According to Dr. Heller, a licensed psychologist in Massachusetts, “about 10% of all marriages end in divorce during the first five years and another 10% by the tenth year.”

Divorce can seem like the easy way out.
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London Summer 2012 Olympics Have Begun and Links

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The Olympics kicked off on Friday night with great fanfare.

Thousands of spectators, teams, and athletes have flown across the pond to compete and witness the games at great financial cost.  London has spent billions of dollars to host the games in hopes of reclaiming that money in the future from tourism, use of the created venues, and tax revenues from development around the new complexes.

Here are some great financial tips this week that you might find useful even if you didn’t go to the Olympics:

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The Best Credit Card Offers

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When used in the right way, a credit card can be a powerful tool.

The best credit cards provide you with free stuff, and even cash back.

While we often we think of credit cards as debt traps, the truth is that, used responsibly, credit cards actually provide a number of benefits.  Savvy credit card use can lead to the earning of valuable rewards, as well as cash back.  You can actually make money simply by making purchases that you would normally.

The goal, of course, is to get the best credit card possible.

This includes a credit card with generous rewards, as well as easy redemption.  Many of the best credit cards also come with a signing bonus.  When you sign up, and then spend a certain amount of money within a set period of time, you receive bonuses worth $100, or even $200.
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The Pros and Cons to Refinancing Your Mortgage

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Interest rates on mortgages are at all time lows; does that mean you should refinance as soon as possible?

Maybe–and maybe not.

Interest rates may be lower than they’ve ever been, but never has the issue of refinancing been more complicated.  For one thing, it’s harder than ever to qualify for a loan at the best rates, and for another, today we have to consider falling property values which is something that hasn’t existed since the Great Depression.

What are the pros and cons to refinancing your mortgage?

The reasons you SHOULD refinance – Pro

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Steps to Take if You Lose Your Job and You’re Now Unemployed

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Many of us live in fear of possibly losing a job.

After all, the job is what provides income stability in the household, and is often the source of benefits, like health insurance, for your family.  Without a job, you are on the hook for a number of these costs, and may find it difficult to make ends meet.

Losing your job doesn’t have to be the end of the line, however.

There are steps you can take to alleviate the situation, as well as ways to make unemployment an opportunity.

Before you panic into doing something unwise, take a deep breath, step back, and consider the following actions if you lost your job:

Apply for Unemployment Benefits

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Grow Your Own Garden This Summer to Save at the Grocery Store

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If you are like most Americans, you have probably felt the pain at the grocery store cash register when buying your family’s groceries.

While the increase in the price of gas most often makes the nightly news, the increase in the price of groceries hits consumers’ wallets even more so, especially if you have a family.

If you don’t want to resort to being an extreme couponer buying processed foods for pennies on the dollar, there is another way to save—grow your own garden.

Can’t Grow a Garden Because You Live in the City?  Think Again

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