Top Three Benefits to Look for in Your Job Search
I interviewed Carrie Theisen, VP of Total Rewards at Fannie Mae, and ghostwrote this Fairygodboss piece on essential benefits for today's job seekers.
I have a passion for helping people lead more comfortable financial lives
Betterment vs. Wealthfront: Here’s the Best Robo-Advisor
Betterment and Wealthfront are two of the biggest names in automated, web-based, investment portfolio management. Both aim to simplify options, offering a broad selection of exchange-traded funds, and streamline investing decisions via sophisticated algorithms that allocate and optimize portfolios. This human-less process translates into lower costs for customers, making robo-advisors a popular option for beginner investors and experienced investors alike.
2 Things You Can Finance, but Never Should
Household debt is currently 80% of the GDP -- and rising. One of the biggest contributors to this continued trend of indebtedness is the unnecessary use of consumer credit. That's not to say that the ability to borrow funds isn't useful, but there are certain purchases that you absolutely should not go into debt for.
What Stocks to Have When Stocks Are Doing Badly?
Certain stocks, often referred to as "defensive" ones, can maintain their performance during good and bad times. Some even increase in value during economic slumps. A good bit of overlap exists between types of stock, and many companies' stocks can fit into numerous categories. Those that do can also be a smart buy when other stocks are doing poorly.
5 Things You Didn't Realize Can Tank Your Credit Score
Most people think responsible credit use means paying your bills on time and never taking out more than you can afford to pay back, but credit reporting agencies and the businesses they serve don't quite see it that way. While those basic best practices can certainly help you build and keep a decent credit history, there are a myriad of other factors that go into your credit score, some of which may not work how you think.
Can Last Year’s Tax Cuts Rescue the Flagging Retail Sector?
CDs Vs. U.S. Bonds
Marketing material for Discover Financial
Regulatory Changes That Have Affected Student Loans
Discover Financial Marketing Material
7 Bizarre Ways to Stay on Budget (That Actually Work)
Budgets fail for a number of reasons, but the most common one is that we simply do not follow through. Everyone's optimistic and driven during the initial planning stages, but actually putting the plan into action often decreases enthusiasm and motivation. If the traditional ways of staying on budget aren't working, you may have to resort to more drastic measures. Here are a few tips that are so crazy, they just might work.
Get the Job You Want With the Right Professional Image
Your professional image — your "personal brand" — combines all of your knowledge, talent, and experience into the public face of your professional persona. The most effective personal brand not only reflects the proper image, it also works across a variety of online forms as well as in person. But even the most carefully crafted personal brand can benefit from a little tweaking. Here ten ways to improve your professional image by improving your personal brand.
10 Secrets of Long-Distance Job Hunting
Conducting job searches from afar complicates an already taxing process. Whether you're a recent grad, relocating for your spouse's job, or escaping a sluggish job market in your current locale, you can benefit from a few pointers to help your hunt go smoother and increase your chances of landing a job.
5 Things to Avoid Before You File Bankruptcy
Filing for bankruptcy is already a formidable task, so you’ll want to do everything you can to avoid shooting yourself in the foot and making the process that much harder. Unfortunately, some actions that seem perfectly reasonable, and even prudent, can actually land you in even more trouble. In worst-case scenarios, the court can dismiss your case, leaving you responsible for paying your debts.
5 Things to Say to Your Boss to Get a Promotion or Raise
The squeaky wheel gets the grease, and that goes double when it comes to asking for a promotion or a raise.
A 2014 study performed by management consulting firm Accenture found that nearly 80% of employees who ask for a raise, and 70% of employees who ask for a promotion, get one.
A 2014 study performed by management consulting firm Accenture found that nearly 80% of employees who ask for a raise, and 70% of employees who ask for a promotion, get one.
5 Things You Can Do in 15 Minutes That Could Save You $1,500 This Year
There are 101 things you can do to improve your life if you have 15 minutes to spare, and saving yourself some serious cash is one of them. In fact, you can reduce some of your most costly expenses and put almost $1,500 in your pocket in the same time it takes to check your Facebook feed.
6 Tax Deductions Job-Hunters Can’t Afford to Overlook
When you’re out of work, any help you can get with expenses is more than welcome. Sometimes these gifts come from unexpected sources, such as the Internal Revenue Service. The IRS provides tax deductions for job-hunting expenses that reduce your taxable income and decrease your tax bill. As an added bonus, you can claim them even if you didn’t land a job that tax year.
How to Effectively Complain to the Manager
One of the basic tenets of business is that it’s cheaper to retain an existing customer than to acquire a new one. Many companies view customer complaints as a way to gauge what works and what changes they need to make to keep customers happy. Good managers take this to heart and strive to provide the most favorable solution to a customer’s problem. However, an ineffective complaint can actually hurt your chances of getting the issue resolved.
How to Do a One-Day, Do-It-Yourself Bankruptcy
If your debts have become overwhelming and you’re facing a significant financial blow, such as wage garnishment, vehicle repossession, foreclosure, eviction, or utility service disconnection, and you don’t have the money for a lawyer, don't panic. While bankruptcy should be a last resort, you do have options.
How to Sell Yourself to Potential Employers
You customize your resume and cover letter to fit each application and provide thorough explanations of how your unique set of qualifications make you the ideal candidate for the job. But could you be doing more to sell yourself to potential employers? Even if you're an experienced job-seeker, you can benefit from learning a few new ways to convince a company that you're the one they're looking for.
Job Hunting Tips for the Recently Fired (and Some for the Rest of Us, Too)
Job hunting after you've been fired can be an intimidating task, especially in a tight job market. It may not be a cakewalk, but there are ways to make getting your first post-termination job a bit easier. And once you've cleared that hurdle, the impact a firing has on future job searches decreases.
Pay Bills Early? Only If You Want to Save Money
It's no surprise that being prompt with your bill payments saves you from late charges and frees up your income early in the month. But there are other benefits that may not be so apparent. Whether it's debt or utilities, getting your bills out of the way early can pay off even more than you think.
What Are the Benefits of an Accelerated Mortgage?
An accelerated mortgage is usually achieved by splitting the usual monthly mortgage amount in half and sending payment to the lender every other week, although some people choose to break the monthly payment into fourths and send a weekly payment.
ChexSystems: What It Is, and How It Can Make It Difficult for You to Open a Bank Account
ChexSystems provides financial institutions with information about how responsible you are with your bank account, and derogatory entries on your report can cause denial of applications for bank accounts and other banking products and services.
Load More
