Online Features
Money & Finance
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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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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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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By Ian Simpson and Alice Mannette MOORE, Oklahoma (Reuters) - Rescue efforts in the tornado-ravaged Oklahoma City suburb of Moore continued through the night into Wednesday morning, with officials increasingly confident that everyone caught in the disaster had been accounted for. The massive tornado that tore through the area on Monday wiped out blocks of houses, killed at least 24 people and injured about 240. ...
By Steve Gorman and Sharon Bernstein LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Los Angeles City Councilman Eric Garcetti opened a convincing election-night lead in his bid to become mayor of America's second-largest city as it faces an increasingly gloomy financial outlook, returns showed late on Tuesday. Garcetti drew 53 percent of the vote, compared with 47 percent for his opponent, city Controller Wendy Greuel, after tabulation of more than a third of ballots cast at polling stations on Tuesday and all mail-in ballots received as of last Friday. ...
By Michael Sadowski (Reuters) - The embattled mayor of Pennsylvania's financially crippled capital of Harrisburg was ousted on Tuesday when she lost the Democratic primary to the owner of an independent bookstore. Mayor Linda Thompson's loss to Eric Papenfuse comes after a tumultuous term in which her outbursts and statements caused a loss of confidence in her administration. Papenfuse is likely to win the general election in this heavily Democratic city in November, but he must still face off against independent candidate Nevin Mindlin. ...