As college students and their parents begin planning for the new academic year, “check insurance” should be on their “to do” lists. For students who live in an on-campus dormitory, most of their personal possessions are covered under either their parents’ homeowners or renters insurance policy, although the issue gets more complicated if the student [...]

Notebooks, Post-it notes, pens, pads - it’s that time of year again. Good thing it’s also the season for sales, as stores compete to fill your family’s totes, briefcases, and backpacks. Waiting for those crazy, last- minute, 10-notebooks-for-a-dime specials could slash your spending, but there are lots of other things you can do to save [...]

Don’t tell the kids, but it’s time to start thinking about back-to-school shopping, particularly if you want to take advantage of state sales-tax holidays. According to CCH Wolters Kluwer, a publisher of financial information, three states - Florida, Illinois and Maryland - have added school-related sales-tax holidays this year. That brings to 16 the number [...]

On July 1st new rules went into effect concerning overdrafts on your debit or ATM cards. You now get to choose in advance what happens when you make a charge on your debit or ATM card and don’t have enough money in your account to pay for it. Read more…

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ATMs are under siege more than ever from skimming. Skimming, where ATM thieves steal your PIN and account number using remote devices, is increasing dramatically. Often done by sophisticated crime rings from the Eastern bloc countries, ATM skimming is becoming a high-tech art that’s hard to detect. Read more…

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To help people in the Gulf Coast area dealing with tax issues, the IRS announced a special assistance day on July 17 in seven cities. Taxpayers and tax preparers will be able to work directly with IRS employees to resolve tax issues, including specific topics related to the oil spill. The IRS will hold the [...]

The Federal Reserve Board approved a final rule to protect credit card users from unreasonable late payment and other penalty fees and to require credit card issuers to reconsider interest rate increases imposed since the beginning of last year. The new rules require that late payment and other penalty fees be assessed in a way [...]

Do you like to be one of the first people to board a plane, avoiding crowded aisles and getting your pick of overhead bin space? There’s a fee for that. Read more…

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For most teens, the surge of cash they receive to commemorate their graduation achievement will be the largest amount of money they’ve ever had to manage. But that diploma doesn’t necessarily mean they have the answers to pass this financial test. Read more…

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During the Atlantic hurricane season, which lasts from June to November, every coastal state from Florida to Maine could potentially be hit by a storm. Increasing development along the coastal areas of these states has put more and more homes at risk of severe windstorm damage. To limit their exposure to catastrophic losses from natural [...]