Learn what reasons for firing are illegal and what to do if you have been wrongfully terminated from employment. What Is Wrongful Termination? Wrongful termination takes place when an employee is let go from their job for illegal reasons or if firing the employee violates company policy or an employment contract. Wrongful termination laws vary from state to state. In most states, unless there is a contract or bargaining agreement, at-will employment is the norm, meaning that neither the employer nor the employee needs a reason if they wish to terminate the relationship....

Hospitals, colleges, banks, insurance companies, and even the criminal justice system all increasingly score people in various ways that are often unknown to the people being scored as well as unregulated by federal consumer laws, according to a report released Thursday by the Government Accountability Office. The watchdog agency, which said it couldn’t even determine how many such scores are being used or entirely what they were being used for, said consumers would benefit if the government made some rules for other scores the same way it does for credit scores....

What Is an IRS Payment Plan? An IRS payment plan is an agreement that gives you an extended period of time to pay off the taxes you owe. You’ll avoid collection actions such as tax liens and tax levies by setting up a plan. The IRS failure-to-pay penalty is 0.5% per month for each month you’re late, up to 25% of the amount you owe, plus interest. The IRS adjusts its interest charges quarterly....

Not Creating a Business Plan Many people believe in their business idea. The problem is unless they write a business plan, there’s no clear sense of whether or not their idea is actually feasible. That’s the main purpose of a business plan. It may be time-consuming and demand a lot of research, but investing time now will save you endless amounts of time and money in the future. Doing What You Love “Do what you love” is a piece of business advice that’s been doled out ad nauseam....

Causes of the Crisis In 2006, housing prices started to fall for the first time in decades. At first, realtors applauded. They thought the overheated real estate market would return to a more sustainable level. They didn’t factor in a number of factors, such as too many homeowners with questionable credit being approved for mortgage loans, even some for 100% or more of the home’s value. Some blamed the Community Reinvestment Act, which pushed banks to make investments in subprime areas....

You might even start thinking of your expenses in terms of how much work you had to do to come up with the cash. Look at a bill, and your brain will automatically translate the total amount due into the number of hours you worked to pay the balance. For this reason, time management is obviously very important for freelancers. Waste your precious working hours, and you might as well throw money right out the window....

Simply setting goals and resolutions isn’t enough, however. You also need to accomplish them. There are steps you can take to boost your chances of success, such as writing down your goals or sharing your progress with a friend. According to a Dominican University of California study, 43% of participants achieved their goals when they didn’t write them down, whereas 76% of participants achieved their goals when they wrote them down, set up action steps, and involved their friends....

How an 80-10-10 Loan Works Homebuyers should ideally make a down payment of at least 20% and obtain a mortgage for no more than 80% of the home’s purchase price. If you get a conventional loan and don’t make a down payment of that amount, you’ll ordinarily need to pay private mortgage insurance (PMI). If, say, you make a down payment of only 10%, you’ll need to get a mortgage with PMI for 90% of the home’s purchase price....

After more than a decade with avertua, Alyssa streamlined her business model to provide marketing consulting services to small and micro businesses. She now partners with business owners to create and execute customized marketing strategies that build strong, memorable and successful brands. In 2011, Alyssa leveraged her passion for supporting small businesses and founded the Small Business Bonfire, a social, educational, and collaborative community for entrepreneurs that provides actionable tips and tools through a daily small business blog, a weekly newsletter and a free online community....

What Is the American Express Membership Rewards Program? American Express Membership Rewards is the card issuer’s flagship rewards program. It offers flexible rewards points that you can use for a variety of different redemptions. You’ll automatically join when you open a card that’s part of the program. Credit Cards That Offer Amex Membership Rewards Blue from American ExpressAmex EveryDay Credit CardAmex EveryDay Preferred Credit CardAmerican Express Green CardAmerican Express Gold CardPlatinum Card from American ExpressBlue Business Plus Credit Card from American ExpressBusiness Green Rewards Card from American ExpressAmerican Express Business Gold CardBusiness Platinum Card from American Express...

Benefits of AARP Medicare Plans There are many features and perks of AARP plans. Coverage is offered nationwide. You can use any doctor who accepts Medicare. This includes your current doctor. You don’t have to be referred to other doctors you may need to see. Your policy can’t be canceled or your premium increased because of health problems. A supplement plan can be joined with Medicare Part D to help lower your prescription drug costs....

He then worked as a banker for Nord/LB as a sales and proprietary trader in interest rate and foreign exchange markets, then at Bank of New York Mellon’s Pershing subsidiary as a product manager for separately managed account platforms generating model portfolios from client risk profiles. After formal positions in banking and finance, Andrew worked as a fundraiser in higher education and medicine for University of Rochester, the Alzheimer’s Association, and The Strong National Museum of Play....

But construction jobs for women are on the rise. Between 2012 and 2021, the number of women working in construction rose by over 54%. Learn about the benefits of working in construction, the best construction jobs for women, how much you can earn, and the credentials you need to get hired. Why Work in Construction? If you’re a woman who’s interested in working in construction, you have a unique opportunity to break new ground....

Investing in Vanguard Dividend Funds Vanguard Investments is a mutual fund company that offers some of the best low-cost, no-load mutual funds available to investors today. Their dividend funds are among Vanguard’s best funds. Dividends can be received as a source of income, or they can be used to buy more shares of the mutual fund. Most investors who buy dividend mutual funds are usually looking for a source of income, which is to say that the investor would like steady and reliable payments from their mutual fund investment....

Teach Your Teen How To Make a Budget Discuss saving for a car and savings goals in general with your teenager as soon as they begin high school. Saving for a larger, more expensive item like a car might take them months or even years. Help your teen create a budget if they have a steady job. Help them and make sure they put their earnings into a savings account at a federally insured bank or credit union....

Does GDP Indicate a Recession? A decline in gross domestic product (GDP) growth is often listed as a cause of a recession, but it’s more of a warning signal that a recession is already underway. The GDP is only reported after a quarter is over, so the recession would have probably already been underway for a couple months by the time the GDP turned negative. Loss of Consumer Confidence Loss of confidence in the economy prompts consumers to stop buying, which can lead to a vicious cycle....

That’s what economists at Wells Fargo Securities calculated when they crunched the numbers on how much extra cash U.S. households had put away during the pandemic, and how fast we’re spending it down because of inflation. The pandemic’s odd financial circumstances allowed many households to sock away money for a rainy day. No one is sure exactly how much, but Wells Fargo economists figure that as of September 2022, we had $1....

What Is Depreciation For Rental Property The expense you incur on maintenance and improvements on your rental property is classified as a capital expense. You can recover some of that cost by claiming depreciation over the life of the property. It’s the logical result of the fact that buildings wear out over time, or they become obsolete due to older features that are no longer in demand. It also provides a great way to pare down the rental income that you must pay taxes on....

Commuting Expenses are Typically Non-Deductible Let’s start with the basics: The cost of commuting back and forth between home and work is not deductible, whether you are an employee or the owner of a business. What this article looks at are exceptions to this IRS restriction, for two purposes: To allow businesses to deduct the cost of reimbursing employees for these costs as an employee benefit To allow employers not to include these reimbursements as taxable income to employees....

Hiring employees can be more expensive than hiring contractors due to the cost of training, benefit packages, and expectation of raises and bonuses. But employees are better equipped to take on additional responsibilities and have more flexibility to help your business succeed. Contractors are typically paid by the hour or project and do not require these other costs. However, they do require more independence. Depending on your business needs and other factors like taxes, benefits, and worker supervision, one option may make more sense than the other....