Online Features
Money & Finance
'Til death do us part, but how do you handle 'in sickness and in health'?
(BPT) - Apparently “in sickness and in health” can mean different things to men and women. As the population ages and the need for extended health care increases, a recent nationwide omnibus survey of 1,005 American adults shows that men and women approach the issue of long-term care planning and insurance from differen...
by
ARA
Site 1
full story
Boomerang kids: When your empty nest fills up again
(BPT) - With a slowly growing economy and a still sluggish job market, there has been a continued increase in children moving back home after having lived independently on their own. These so called “boomerang kids” are popping up more frequently and when this situation is managed improperly, it can cause serious tensio...
by
ARA
Site 1
full story
Smart credit card use for holiday shoppers
(BPT) - What would holiday shopping be without credit cards? Using credit cards wisely can help you score some good deals, and offers a layer of consumer protection that cash and debit cards can’t. Still, if you get carried away with holiday spending, the season’s “Ho, ho, ho!” can turn into “Oh, oh, oh!” come January w...
by
ARA
Site 1
full story
How to save time and money this holiday season
(BPT) - In the rush of holiday shopping, it’s easy to lose focus and spend too much or to make decisions you later regret. Before you go shopping this year for gifts, decor and your entertaining needs, take the time to sit down and make a plan. With a plan, you’ll save time (and avoid panic attacks) because you’ll kno...
by
ARA
Site 1
full story
Tax-time savings tips to help you keep more of your hard-earned money
(BPT) - It’s tax time and Americans are thinking about how they’re going to spend their tax refunds. According to the Internal Revenue Service, the average tax refund was close to $3,000 last tax season, so who wouldn’t want to get that money back in their pocket? On the way to claiming your tax refund, here are some s...
by
ARA
Site 1
full story
Six must-follow tips to avoid identity theft during the holidays
(BPT) - While you’re celebrating the season shopping for gifts, decorating your home and hosting festive parties, are thieves having their own celebration with your credit card and identity without you knowing it? The spirit of the holiday season can quickly be dampened if you become a victim of identity theft, but a fe...
by
ARA
Site 1
full story
Attention caregivers: Federal benefit checks are going all-electronic
(BPT) - More than 65 million people provide care for a chronically ill, disabled or elderly family member or friend, according to the National Alliance for Caregiving. In addition to providing emotion and physical support, caregivers are often entrusted to help their loved ones carry out financial decisions. If you car...
by
ARA
Site 1
full story
Saving money during the holiday season can be easier than you think
(BPT) - If you are like most Americans, you will likely spend an average of $764 on gifts alone this holiday season, according to a Gallup survey. When totaling up the cost of gifts with extra trips to the grocery store, dinners out to toast the season and travel costs to visit loved ones, you’re looking at quite a holi...
by
ARA
Site 1
full story
Beyond cash back: holiday credit card perks pay off
(BPT) - Hunting for deals and door buster sales this holiday? There are several little-known credit card perks to keep in mind before you reach into your wallet. In addition to cash rewards and extra airline or travel credits, many credit card issuers also offer some valuable benefits which can help you stretch your do...
by
ARA
Site 1
full story
Easy money for your holiday shopping lists
(BPT) - How many people do you have on your holiday shopping list? And how much are you planning – or able – to spend on gifts? The average American will spend slightly more than $700 on holiday gifts this year, ABC World News with Diane Sawyer reports. Some people plan ahead and save up during the year for holiday gifts, but for many others, the holiday shopping season can be a huge drain on savings. If you’re ready to start your holiday shopping, you may be surprised to learn that you ha...
by
ARA
Site 1
full story
Older drivers and new cars: What you should know
(BPT) - You’ve spent a lifetime carefully saving your dollars and cents for important life moments – college tuition, a new house and retirement. But as you age, it’s more important than ever to make smart spending and lifestyle decisions. This doesn’t mean that you have to resign yourself to driving a vehicle that was ...
by
ARA
Site 1
full story
By David Schwartz PHOENIX (Reuters) - The foreman of an Arizona jury that deadlocked over whether Jodi Arias should be put to death for murdering her ex-boyfriend believes she was mentally abused, but said on Friday that had not been enough to excuse her crime. Arias, a former waitress from California, was found guilty this month of murdering Travis Alexander, whose body was found slumped in the shower of his Phoenix-area home in June 2008. He had been stabbed 27 times, had his throat slashed and been shot in the face. ...
By Victoria Cavaliere SEASIDE HEIGHTS, New Jersey (Reuters) - The New Jersey shore ushered in the unofficial start of summer on Friday, with businesses making last-minute preparations and officials declaring the resort towns ready for visitors seven months after Superstorm Sandy. Governor Chris Christie oversaw a ribbon-cutting ceremony to open a freshly re-constructed boardwalk in Seaside Heights and declared it "a great day for New Jersey." "We're here with the whole country welcoming the Jersey shore back," he said. ...
(Reuters) - President Barack Obama signed a bill into law on Friday granting the United States' highest civilian honor to four black girls killed in a civil rights-era church bombing that shocked the nation in 1963. Congress awarded the Congressional Gold Medal to 14-year-olds Addie Mae Collins, Carole Robertson and Cynthia Wesley, and 11-year-old Denise McNair, who were killed in the bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. ...