Online Features
Money & Finance
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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...
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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...
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Savvy tips to save for the holiday season
The average American will spend nearly $764 on gifts alone this holiday season. Here are a few tips on how you can save and earn some added value from your purchases.
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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What you need to know about tax deductions
(BPT) - You probably know tax deductions are an important part of your income tax return and that you want as many as possible. But do you understand how deductions actually save you money or how to determine which ones you can claim on your tax return? “Simply put, deductions lower the amount of your taxable income,” ...
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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 ...
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Expert tips for doing your own taxes online
(BPT) - Thanks to the convenience of online tax return preparation websites, more Americans are doing their own taxes. Do-it-yourself tax preparation solutions give taxpayers a fast, convenient and affordable way to file income tax returns. “Doing your own taxes really isn’t as daunting as it may seem,” says Jessi Dolm...
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Boomers connect at rapid pace
(BPT) - Even though they’re still common, jokes about clueless baby boomers calling their kids to figure out how to use technology are starting to feel outdated. While today’s youngest generations are practically born with tablets, smartphones and laptops in their hands, grandparents are also adopting technology at a st...
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national news
Rescuers search Oklahoma tornado town ruins as recovery starts
By Carey Gillam and Ian Simpson MOORE, Oklahoma (Reuters) - Rescue workers with sniffer dogs picked through the ruins of an Oklahoma town on Wednesday to ensure no survivors remained buried after a deadly tornado left thousands homeless and trying to salvage what was left of their belongings. "Yesterday I was numb. Today I cried a lot. Now I'm on the victory side of it," said Beth Vrooman, who hid in a shelter in her garage during Monday's storm in Moore, Oklahoma. When the winds died down, she realized a car was blocking her exit. ...
Wed May 22 10:31:09 UTC 2013
FBI says man shot dead while being questioned about Boston bombings

FBI Agent Kills Man After Questioning Him About the Boston Marathon BombingBy Barbara Liston and Mark Hosenball ORLANDO, Fla./WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An FBI agent shot and killed a Florida man who turned violent while being questioned about the Boston Marathon bombings early on Wednesday, the bureau said. A friend of the dead man identified him as 27-year-old Ibragim Todashev of Orlando, a Chechen who had previously lived in Boston, the Orlando Sentinel and Orlando television stations reported. Two brothers named by the FBI as suspects in the April 15 bombings were also ethnic Chechens with roots in Russia's volatile North Caucasus region. ...


Wed May 22 10:48:37 UTC 2013
Chicago school board to vote on mass school closing

File photo of demonstrators marching during a Chicago Teachers Union protest in ChicagoBy Mary Wisniewski CHICAGO (Reuters) - The Chicago Board of Education is due to vote on Wednesday on a controversial proposal to close 54 schools in the country's third-largest public school district in what would be the largest mass school closing in the nation. The district's plans to close 53 elementary schools and a high school this year, mainly in Hispanic and African-American neighborhoods, has been met with protests by parents and union leaders who say the closings will disrupt communities and put children in danger with longer walks through troubled areas. ...


Wed May 22 06:01:05 UTC 2013
Found after tornado: Web attention might reconnect dog with owner
Rescuers scouring the devastation after a huge tornado tore through Moore, Okla., on Monday tweeted a photo of one furry find that has since gone around the Web, receiving more than 52,000 likes on Facebook. The Oklahoma County Sheriff's office posted the photo of the mud-spattered pup with the description, “Scared, but this little pup [...]
Wed May 22 09:25:04 UTC 2013