Category: Career and Relationships

Undoubtedly, the most complicated part of going to college is paying for it. But, the benefits of going through life with a degree make the troubles of college funding worth it. Unfortunately, the cost of attending college is determined to touch the sky and doesn’t seem to let up anytime…

Today, with the crappy economy and tough job market many employees are stuck in a job that they detest but need to keep to pay their bills. This makes them unmotivated to do more than the bare minimum and sometimes even display unethical behaviors. Here are 21 signs, in no…

A lot of people say "richer" Americans are an eccentric lot. But the fact is that, your co-worker or neighbor down the road is probably more likely to better fit the "well-to-do" or upper class profile than someone like Donald Trump. Based on information from the Census and IRS data,…

I moved to the states over five years ago to pursue my graduate degree and for better career opportunities. Before this I was in Australia. Looks like I probably should have stayed where I was according to the latest OECD survey, which ranks Australia as the happiest industrialized nation based…

In every field, certain individuals excel and demonstrate outstanding performance. Many aspire to emulate these leaders, but are unsure how to attain their goal. In The Business of Being the Best, Molly Fletcher suggests that the top performers in all professions have a common set of traits. She believes that…

Despite the skyrocketing costs of a college education, a bachelor’s degree, at the very minimum, is an essential requirement to get ahead in this world. With few, notable exceptions, gone are the days when you could make a healthy, livable income right out of high school. But for parents, the…

According to preliminary results from their annual survey of 1,600 employers, Mercer expects employee health care benefit costs to increase by 5.4% next year. You will likely see these costs via higher monthly premiums during your organization's open enrollment period. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to to…

Starting a family is a big step to take, this goes without question. This step manifests in many ways and one that is particularly noticeable is how having children can impact your finances. Children are a lot of things: lovable, inspiring, purpose-giving, and expensive. Some people think that  buying a home…

Is $68,000 considered a good income that you and your family can comfortably live on? Probably not in most places, but this is roughly the median income of the average American household in 2019 (before the pandemic!). Or stated another way - 50% of households make less than this amount, while…

The AOTC allows parents and students to receive a tax credit of up to $2,500 for qualified undergraduate college expenses, based on certain income limits. The AOTC replaced the smaller Hope credit a few years ago as part of bills passed under the Obama administration (see section below for origin).…

[Updated- 2012 Payroll Tax Credit Holiday, Unemployment Benefits and Medicare Doctor Payments Extended to Dec 31st] With House Republican support Congress has passed legislation extending the federal payroll tax holiday through the end of the year without demanding spending cuts to pay for it. This was a concession aimed at…

See this updated article for the latest GS Adjustments and Locality Pay Scale Tables. ______________________ [2013 Locality Pay Rates Update] The president has signed an executive order that freezes GS pay rises in 2013. Unfortunately the executive order and existing continuing resolution also stated that, "........ locality payments in 2013 for…

There is little more on the minds of college students or those considering getting a higher education degree than what occupation will offer decent career opportunities after graduation. Some look at income, and others look toward landing that first job and paycheck. Others look longer term to find a job…