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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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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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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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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 Alex Dobuzinskis LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - City Councilman Eric Garcetti leads City Controller Wendy Greuel by 7 percentage points in a tightening race for mayor of Los Angeles, according to the latest opinion poll, but the survey's director said Greuel could still stage an upset in Tuesday's election. The poll released late on Friday by the University of Southern California's Price School of Public Policy and the Los Angeles Times showed Garcetti favored by 48 percent of likely voters, compared with 41 percent for Greuel. Eleven percent of respondents said they were undecided. ...
By Susan Cornwell WASHINGTON (Reuters) - When the Yemen-based branch of al Qaeda placed a bounty on her husband's head, Mary Feierstein learned of it from a friend who called and said, "You must be a mess!" U.S. Ambassador Gerald Feierstein was thousands of miles (km) away at the U.S. Embassy in Sanaa, without his wife and family on what is called an "unaccompanied" posting. He is one of more than a thousand U.S. diplomats on such tours of duty in danger spots around the world, part of a trend that is changing the definition of being a diplomat. ...