This article looks at the definitions of employee and independent contractor, explains the benefits and disadvantages of employee and independent contractor status for employers, and discusses how the IRS, the Dept. of Labor, and states evaluate individual cases, Independent Contractors vs. Employees First, look at the two categories – employee and independent contractor – to get an overall picture of each. What is an Employee? An employee (sometimes called a common-law employee) is a worker who performs services at the direction of an employer; the employer controls the work of the employee....

The employment history verification is crucial, because the employer wants to know that you can do what you say you can do. The employer will confirm that the career information included on your resume or job application and list of references is accurate. What Is Included in Your Employment History? Your employment history includes all the companies you have worked for, your job titles, the dates of employment, and the salary earned at each of your jobs....

The Centers for Disease Control’s eviction ban got a new lease on life when D.C. District Court Judge Dabney L. Friedrich rejected a plea by the Alabama Association of Realtors and other property groups to stop the moratorium from being enforced. In her ruling, Friedrich said she would have halted the moratorium, but that her “hands were tied” due to a technicality. The CDC’s latest eviction ban was imposed Aug....

According to a 2021 survey conducted by Realtor.com and the LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance, 17% of LGBTQ+ respondents said they had been discriminated against. Of those who identify as transgender, 44% of people looking for a place to live said they have experienced discrimination. The homeownership rate for those who identify as LGBTQ+ is 49% compared to the national average of 65%, according to data from Freddie Mac and the U....

The account number is located at the bottom of your check. There should be three sets of numbers in a special computer-readable font at the bottom: For example, see the image on the top of this page. This layout applies to most personal checks, but business checks (and online bill payment checks) may be different. Other Numbers on Your Check If you need to provide an account number, there’s a good chance you’ll need to provide other details from the check as well....

Understanding each agency’s scope is important for investors. But the interplay between the two agencies can get confusing. Keep reading to learn the fundamental differences between FINRA vs. the SEC. What’s the Difference Between FINRA vs. SEC? The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, or FINRA, and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC are both regulatory agencies that oversee U.S. financial markets. But they have different missions, scopes, and enforcement powers....

G7 Member Countries and Other Attendees The G7 member countries are the United States, the U.K., France, Japan, Germany, Italy, and Canada. The first six countries were the original members of the G6. Its first summit was held at Rambouillet, France, in 1975. Canada joined in 1976, making it the G7. In 1997, Russia joined, making it the G8. Other important global leaders are invited, including representatives of the European Union, China, India, Mexico, and Brazil....

ISO Rating System Many commercial insurers calculate general liability premiums using a classification and rating system developed by the Insurance Services Office (ISO). According to the ISO system, premiums are largely based on three elements: Classifications ISO’s classification system is based on the premise that businesses with similar operations have similar risks and generate similar types of claims. The system includes hundreds of classifications, each identified by a written description and a five-digit number called a class code....

Here’s what you need to know about the differences between being fired and being laid off, and how to know where you stand when you lose your job. Getting Fired vs. Getting Laid Off Being fired and getting laid off are two distinct ways of losing your position, and the difference can impact your eligibility for unemployment, as well as your hiring prospects for the future. It’s a good idea to be very clear about the precise nature of your termination, should you lose your job....

If you need accessibility updates to your home but don’t have the money, there are several home improvement grants that can help. Federal Disability Grants for Home Improvements Several federal grants can help you cover the costs of home upgrades if you have a disabling condition. These grants are money you don’t have to pay back. Grants for Veterans Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) Grants: In fiscal year 2021, qualifying veterans who own their homes and have a service-related disability can get up to three grants worth a total of $100,896....

“Shoppers were eager to secure their gifts ahead of the retail rush, with conversations surrounding supply chain and labor supply issues sending consumers online and to stores in droves,” said Steve Sadove, a senior advisor for Mastercard and a former CEO and chairman of Saks Inc., in a statement. “Consumers splurged throughout the season, with apparel and department stores experiencing strong growth as shoppers sought to put their best dressed foot forward....

The expected surge in travelers suggests neither the new omicron variant of COVID-19 nor travel costs will be a major deterrent for people planning long-distance trips to friends and family, particularly because vaccines against the virus are now widely available, AAA said. Indeed, since omicron first became widely known in late November, a daily Morning Consult survey of 6,000 U.S. consumers shows their view of financial conditions—their own and within the economy—has barely changed....

You should know your score and know what factors can impact it before you set out to buy a house. What Is a Credit Score? A credit score is a number that lenders use to gauge the risk of lending money to someone. Borrowers with high credit scores are less likely to default on loans. The higher your score, the more it shows that you’ll be a responsible borrower....

The two aren’t the same, though. While both rely on the equity you’ve built in your home, the similarities between these financial products stop there. From how they’re used and when to use them to what they cost, home equity loans and refinances are starkly different options, each with its own pros, cons, and best uses. What’s the Difference Between a Home Equity Loan and a Refinance? For example, let’s say your home is worth $250,000....

The median sale price was $362,750 in the four-week period ending Aug. 1, real estate firm Redfin said in a report Friday. That’s up 18% from the same period a year earlier, but essentially unchanged—down 0.2%—from the previous week, ending a five-month streak of record prices. Other data also pointed to a slowdown: Asking prices fell 1% to $358,475, down from the peak reached in the four weeks ended June 27....

Prices could fall as much as 20% by next summer, Ian Shepherdson, chief economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, estimated in a research note Thursday. Economists at Wells Fargo Securities predict a 5.5% drop, while Goldman Sachs forecasts prices will fall between 5% and 10% from their peak. Sam Hall, a property economist at Capital Economics, anticipates prices falling 8%. If Shepherdson’s prediction of 20% holds true, the drop would be slightly less severe than the housing crash of the early 2000s, when the market collapsed and prices fell 26% from the peak they hit in early 2007....

The chart below illustrates the percentage of single-family houses on the market that are newly built, according to data from real estate firm Redfin. New construction made up 25.7% of all such homes for sale in the first quarter of 2021, compared with 20.4% in the first quarter of 2020 and 13.3% back in 1999. Buyers in recent months, frustrated by a lack of existing homes for sale, have been turning to homebuilders to meet their needs, as low mortgage rates have made borrowing money to buy a house an enticing proposition....

This article discusses how to start an SMLLC, how it’s taxed, and the advantages for solo business owners. How a Single-Member LLC Works The term “single member” is a recognition that the LLC has one owner, and that the owners of an LLC are termed “members.” As a limited liability company, the single-member LLC has all the advantages of other LLCs. How To Form a Single-Member LLC To form a single-member LLC, you must file articles of organization (or a certificate of organization in a few states) with the state where you want to do business and pay a filing fee....

China’s economy has slowed from a 10.6% growth rate in 2010 to a 2.3% growth rate in 2020, largely due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Although this is a dramatic slowdown for China, it’s still outperforming other developed economies. For example, the U.S. economy grew around 2% to 3% during that time. Causes of China’s Slowdown There have been two main causes of China’s economic slowdown: an intentional shift by Chinese leaders and the U....

Some of the TCJA’s provisions significantly affected one of America’s largest demographics: single parents. Tax Brackets Have Changed There were seven federal tax brackets in 2017, ranging from 10% for head-of-household filers earning less than $13,350, up to 39.6% for those with incomes in excess of $444,550 in that year. Your top tax bracket is the percentage of the last dollar of your income earned. The first $13,350 earned by a head of household filer was taxed at 10% in 2017, but earnings of $13,351 would result in $1 being taxed at the next bracket of 15%....