A divorce can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars per person if the couple have an amicable split, to tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars for a contested divorce. A survey by the legal site Nolo that found the median cost of attorney’s fees for a divorce with a lawyer in 2019 was $7,000, and the average was $11,300. Lawyers in metropolitan areas and major cities tend to charge more than those in rural areas due to cost-of-living factors, and a contentious divorce will cost much more than one where you and your spouse have reached an agreement before you even knock on a lawyer’s door....

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the risk of a car crash is higher among 16- to 19-year-olds than among any other age group. Per mile driven, teen drivers in this age group are about three times more likely to be in a fatal crash than individuals 20 years or older. Because of the increased risk, the cost of your car insurance policy can skyrocket with a teenager involved....

The 10 Percent Rule The standard that many experts set is to save at least 10% of your income. This is a good starting point, and easy to manage because it is a set amount of money each month. It might be a challenge to stick with it, but it’s one many people can manage and increase over time. Eventually, you can work up to 20% or even 30% to increase your savings and plan for your future....

As more U.S. consumers open credit cards each year, it’s important to remember that in order to keep your credit score healthy (in the range of 670—739) you need to keep your credit cards open and active. This ensures that your credit card issuer continues reporting your activity to the credit bureaus. Maintaining a low credit card balance and paying your bill on time each month will also contribute to a healthy credit score....

However, as a younger member of the association, you won’t be eligible for every benefit or service the AARP offers. Learn what the AARP provides and which features are only available for older members. When Can You Join AARP? While the AARP provides discounts and services for people ages 50 and older, membership isn’t limited to those who’ve reached that age milestone. This means that no matter how old you are, you can join....

Most traders have a market bias—they initiate a trade when expecting that the overall stock market (or at least the price of the individual stock being traded) will move higher or lower. Such traders adopt a bullish or bearish strategy. Other traders have no specific bias. They look at the market in one of two ways: They have no opinion on market direction and by default, adopt market-neutral strategies.They expect a non-volatile, non-directional market and elect to adopt market-neutral strategies....

What the Interviewer Really Wants to Know Interviewers typically ask this question to see if a candidate is used to working the sort of schedule they require of their personnel. Perhaps the job they offer is strictly “nine to five.” However, if their operations are dependent upon filling changeable shifts or assigning overtime or weekend tasks, they may be seeking candidates with the flexibility to accommodate these needs. How to Prepare for the Question Consider the position you are applying for and how your current or past positions relate to it....

This kind of question will also help the interviewer see if you plan to stay at the company long-term or hope to move on quickly. The employer is looking for candidates who will be a match for the role and the company, and it’s important to be as strong a match as possible. What the Interviewer Wants to Know The interviewer’s primary goal in wanting to know your career aspirations is to determine if you’re a good fit for the job....

You may have already addressed the gap in your resume or cover letter. If you have, use what you stated as a starting point for a discussion. If not, take the time to frame a response before you go for an interview. That way, you won’t be caught off guard without a response. Why Interviewers Ask About Employment Gaps Interviewers will usually be interested in learning about when, why, and how you left your previous positions, along with any resulting periods of time on your resume not covered by paid employment....

SolStock / Getty Images While it’s not impossible to book a hotel without a credit card, it’s also not a simple process. In this article, we’ll explore why it’s difficult, which hotels still allow booking in this way, and give you a few tips for finding hotels that will allow you to book without a credit card. Why Booking a Hotel Without a Card Is Difficult Before credit cards became commonplace, the world revolved around cash....

Even the beginning investor can notice how interest rates were incredibly high in the 1980s, before falling to all-time lows in the years following the Great Recession of 2007 and 2008. Since bond prices move in the opposite direction of bond yields (and prevailing interest rates), it is easy to see how bonds have consistently delivered returns for investors over the past three decades. That makes them worth learning about for any investor interested in building their portfolio....

Sale forecasting is an integral part of business management. Without a solid idea of what your future sales are going to be, you can’t manage your inventory or your cash flow or plan for growth. The purpose of sales forecasting is to provide information that you can use to make intelligent business decisions. For example, if your forecast indicates a 30% increase in sales of products or services, you may wish to begin searching for larger business premises and hire additional staff to meet the demand....

What’s the best way to end a letter or email message? Your closing needs to leave the reader with positive feelings about you and the letter you have written. Most formal letter closing options are reserved but note that there are degrees of warmth and familiarity among the options. Your relationship with the person to whom you’re writing will shape which closing you choose: If you don’t know the individual to whom you’re writing, stick with a professional formal closing....

How Form 1040X Works When you file Form 1040X, it becomes your new tax return for that year. The entries you make on Form 1040X change your original return to include new information. You must have filed your original tax return before you can file Form 1040X. If you haven’t filed, Form 1040X isn’t necessary. You can just make the corrections on your original form. Make sure you’ve received confirmation from the IRS that they’ve received your Form 1040 before you submit an amended form....

While this can seem daunting, learning how to file your taxes is important because you’ll need to do it every year (for the most part). In this guide, learn why and how you have to file a tax return, as well as other important aspects of the filing process you need to know. Why You Have To File a Tax Return When you begin a new job, you’ll be asked to complete Form W-4 for your employer....

But there’s one area in which it pays to be a woman, and that’s when it comes to car insurance premiums. A 2015 study conducted by NerdWallet found that men pay, on average, 3 percent more in car insurance premiums than women do—and in their 20s, up to 27 percent more! While this statistic may seem overwhelming, especially if you are a male in their 20s, do not despair. Thankfully, your car insurance quote has very little to do with your gender by itself....

Health care is an essential consideration no matter who you are but may be overlooked if you’re self-employed, especially if you’re used to getting coverage through an employer. Fortunately, you have options. And you may even qualify for a better plan or lower premium than you could with an employer. How Much Does Health Insurance Cost for Freelancers? Each person’s health insurance costs can vary. As of 2022, the average lowest-cost bronze tier monthly premium is $329, and the average lowest-cost gold tier premium is $462, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation....

You can benefit from understanding the benefits, risks, and most effective ways to invest in foreign currency. Benefits and Risks of Investing in Foreign Currency There are many factors to consider before deciding to invest in foreign currency. It’s the largest and most liquid market in the world, so you should know the many risks that set it apart from normal equity and bond markets. Notably, the high leverage (high debt level) used when investing in foreign currency can result in high volatility (price changes) and greater risk of loss....

As far as your future employers are concerned, quitting will reflect greater initiative and guts than being fired, and is less of a blemish on your resume. If you’re torn over the decision, it’s helpful to document the benefits of staying versus leaving, and to give special deliberation to any of the following red flags that exist in your current role. The Job Is Making You Sick If your job is stressful enough to give you chronic physical discomfort, insomnia, or anxiety—and assuming your employer can’t (or won’t) help its employees manage these insidious problems—it’s in your best interest to quit....

What to Do If You Can’t Afford Monthly Payments Taking measured steps can help consumers manage their finances during times of financial hardship. Start with an assessment of your bills and income so you know what you can handle. “For those struggling to make payments during COVID-19, prioritizing your expenses is a must,” Madison Block, Marketing Communications & Programs Associate at American Consumer Credit Counseling, told The Balance via email. “Housing, food, and medications are the most important expenses right now....