In this article, we’ll focus on whether life insurance is worth owning and when it makes the most sense. What Is Term Life Insurance? Life insurance provides a death benefit (or a lump-sum payment) to beneficiaries when an insured person dies. Policies that can last a lifetime are referred to as permanent or cash-value life insurance. Policies that last for a specific number of years—20 or 30 years, for example—are called term life insurance policies....

Vet and Other Expenses - Can Pet Insurance Help? Many pet owners (or “pet parents”) struggle when they first adopt or buy a family pet, because the costs of getting the vaccinations up to date and the medical requirements in the first year can be costly. Add to that all the toys and additional items you need to buy to make your new family member feel at home, and things start to become expensive....

However, there are some occasions when you need to resign without giving notice, or giving less than two weeks notice. In those situations, it’s important to be sure that quitting immediately is in your best interests – and to be as professional as possible when leaving your job. Should You Quit Without Notice? Most U.S. employees not covered by an employment contract are employed at will. This means that neither you nor your company is required to provide a notice period prior to terminating employment....

Jess’s digital media experience includes practicing storytelling, content creation, and editing in all its forms, covering a variety of subjects. She began her career in the traditional magazine industry, writing and editing for city-regional publications before pivoting and taking on roles in the marketing and social media space. Upon graduating from one of the top-10 journalism schools in the country, Jess joined Northern Virginia Magazine where she wrote and edited for both print and digital mediums, ran social media campaigns, and served as the resident lifestyle writer for a year and a half....

Director of Public Relations for Sachs PropertiesDirector of Development for The Girl Scout Council of Greater St. LouisAssociate Director of Programs at Elderhostel’s Southwest Regional OfficeDirector of University Relations at St. Louis University and the University of Iowa At Sachs Properties in St. Louis, Joanne oversaw marketing and public relations for a planned residential and business community. She edited newsletters, supervised the creation of marketing materials, and planned special events. During her time with the Girls Scouts, she was the head fundraiser and also directed marketing, public relations, and community relations....

The employer may ask you to submit a job application even if you have applied for a position with a resume and cover letter. This way the employer will have consistent data on file for all applicants. Employers want to be sure they are adhering to employment laws and avoiding discrimination. Especially at larger organizations, company policy may require having a job application on file for each candidate and maintaining a copy of the application in the employee’s personnel file....

Learn more about how the Kansas Earned Income Tax Credit works and whether you can qualify. What Is the Kansas Earned Income Tax Credit? A tax credit lowers the amount of tax you owe dollar-for-dollar. The Kansas Earned Income Tax Credit is a credit for low or mid-income Kansas residents. If you claimed the Earned Income Tax Credit on your federal income tax return, you can claim the Kansas EITC on your state return as well....

The duties of a personal representative can be wide-ranging, from settling the decedent’s final bills and taxes to gathering and distributing assets to beneficiaries. Not everyone is up to the task. The personal executor has a fiduciary duty to act in the best interest of the decedent. Personal Representatives in Testate Estates A “testate” estate is one that includes a valid last will and testament. A will should—and usually does—name the individual the decedent would like to serve as their personal representative or executor....

Even though the highest risk period for an accident comes right after a teen starts driving on their own, that doesn’t mean the permit period is risk-free. This means it’s not only important to teach a young driver the laws of the road but also to make certain they are properly insured. What Is a Learner’s Permit? In every U.S. state, a young driver learning to drive must first get a learner’s permit in order to begin the learner stage....

For example, you may work remotely, or you might have a sudden family emergency that means telling your employer that you are leaving as soon as possible. When that happens, you need to notify your manager that you’ll be leaving, and do so professionally and courteously, so as not to burn any bridges. A well-crafted resignation email can help you resign professionally and gracefully as you move on from your job....

Commodity ETPs enable you to hold positions (go long) in commodities—in this case, oil and/or natural gas—by buying a single product that’s easily traded on an exchange. These ETPs aim to mimic the return of an index of commodities futures contracts before management fees and other expenses. Other ETPs let you buy a basket of oil and/or gas company stocks by buying a single product. They seek to match the return of a petroleum industry stock index before expenses....

Once you decide the best way to utilize China ETFs in your investment strategy, it’s only a matter of picking the right funds. To help you get started with your ETF research, here is a list of China ETFs and ETNs. Broad and Sector China ETFs ASHS - Xtrackers Harvest CSI 500 China A-Shares ETF ASHR - Xtrackers Harvest CSI 300 China A-Shares ETF AFTY - Pacer CSOP FTSE China A50 ETF CBON - VanEck Vectors ChinaAMC China Bond ETF CHAD - Direxion Daily CSI 300 China A Share Bear 1X Shares ETF CHAU - Direxion Daily CSI 300 China A Share Bull 2X Shares ETF CHIE - Global X MSCI China Energy ETF CHII - Global X MSCI China Industrials ETF CHIK - Global X MSCI China Information Technology ETF CHIM - Global X MSCI China Materials ETF CHIQ - Global X MSCI China Consumer Discretionary ETF CHIX - Global X MSCI China Financials ETF CN - Xtrackers MSCI All China Equity ETF CNXT - VanEck Vectors ChinaAMC SME-ChiNext ETF CQQQ - Invesco China Technology ETF CXSE - WisdomTree China ex-State-Owned Enterprises Fund ECNS - iShares MSCI China Small-Cap ETF EWH - iShares MSCI Hong Kong ETF FAS - Dixerion Daily Financial Bull 3x Shares ETF FAZ - Dixerion Daily Financial Bear 3x Shares ETF FCA - First Trust China AlphaDex Fund FXI - iShares China Large-Cap ETF FXP - Proshares UltraShort FTSE China 50 ETF GLCN - VanEck Vectors China Growth Leaders ETF GXC - SPDR S&P China ETF HAO - Invesco China Small Cap ETF KBA - KraneShares Bosera MSCI China A Share ETF KCNY - Krane Shares E Fund China Commercial Paper ETF KFYP - KraneShares CICC China Leaders 100 Index ETF KWEB - KraneShares CSI China Internet ETF MCHI - iShares MSCI China ETF PGJ - Invesco Golden Dragon China ETF TAO - Invesco China Real Estate ETF YAO - Invesco China All-Cap ETF XCEM - Columbia EM Core ex-China ETF YXI - Proshares Short FTSE China 50 ETF...

Here’s what you need to know about finding affordable auto insurance on a low income. How Income Affects Car Insurance Rates According to a 2016 report by the Consumer Federation of America (CFA), many insurers charge moderate-income drivers with spotless records more than they charge higher-income drivers who have recently caused accidents. “Insurers will never ask you about your income, but they do look at proxies for income, such as your ZIP code, job title, education, marital status, and home ownership,” Douglas Heller, an insurance expert with the CFA, told The Balance in a phone interview....

Factors That Impact Income Thresholds for Taxes Four factors generally determine whether you must file a tax return, and each circumstance may influence your gross income threshold. The four factors are: Whether someone else claims you as a dependent Whether you’re married or single Your age Whether you’re blind Minimum Gross Income Thresholds for Taxes The thresholds begin with your gross income—anything you receive in the form of payment that’s not tax-exempt....

Inflation is the rising price of goods and services over time. It’s a measurement of misery because it increases the cost of living. Unless your wages rise along with inflation, you won’t be able to buy as much as prices rise. That’s why President Ronald Reagan said, “Inflation is as violent as a mugger, as frightening as an armed robber, and as deadly as a hitman.” The misery index indicates the rate that people without work cannot afford the items they need or want....

What complicates the situation even more is that many home sellers will select a listing agent based on the agent who suggests the highest list price, as though somehow the agent has magical powers to sell the home for more money than the agent who suggests a reasonable list price. Sellers often don’t realize that list price, when everything else is stripped away, is fairly immaterial and unimportant. The list price is important only to the extent that it could draw or repel a potential home buyer....

While it is more private than other cryptocurrencies, it uses similar underlying blockchain technology with open-source code and community-driven development. Keep reading to learn more about Monero and if it could make sense for your crypto strategy. What Is Monero? Monero is a privacy-focused cryptocurrency. Like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other popular currencies, Monero is an open-source project with a large community of contributors. Monero is unique in that it’s designed to keep wallets and transactions completely anonymous, including to network members, developers, and miners....

Money Secret #1: Decide what you want and how money will fuel the life you want to live Money Secret #2: Figure out how much you need to retire Money Secret #3: Pay off your mortgage…fast! Money Secret #4: Develop multiple streams of income The last money secret is an extension of money secret #4 and the importance of developing multiple streams of income when you are in your retirement years....

Multiple mortgage lenders have announced an increased “conforming loan limit” this month in anticipation of an expected November 30 announcement of new 2023 limits by the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the body that sets the rules for government-backed mortgages. The new limit, which has already kicked in at lenders like Rocket Mortgage, is a 10% bump from the official 2022 conforming loan limit of $647,200. (The limit is based on FHFA’s house price index, which has shot up since the pandemic began as home prices have ballooned....

What Are Oil Reserves? Oil reserves are an estimate of how much oil can ultimately be recovered, which includes undiscovered or “yet to find” reserves. This broad definition is also called “ultimately recoverable resources.” Reserve estimates are based on the probability of finding reserves in certain geological areas. It also assumes new types of technology will make it economically feasible to extract the oil. Discovered oil reserves is the estimate of future production from known fields....