Millions of American families are due to get an advance on their child tax credit payments starting in mid-July. Thanks to the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, the payments are up to $1,600 larger than they were last year, and the monthly payments may assist families who struggle with day-to-day expenses all year. Spacing out the payments may also help families during certain high-cost times of the year, such as PCS moves, back-to-school purchases, military transitions, or holiday shopping.  ..read more

Before your first paycheck from your very first job hit your bank account, you may have heard the good advice to “pay yourself first.” Of course, that didn’t mean you should go out and buy whatever what-have-you was on your wish list. Instead, it meant you needed to set aside money for someone else—someone who may as well have been a perfect stranger at the time—your future self ..read more

You probably do routine maintenance on your car – get the oil changed, filters checked, and have the tires rotated. And you probably make sure you go to the doctor and have a physical every year or so. But do you ever take the time to do a financial well-check ..read more

Is it really that time of year again? I admit it: I dread tax season. I hate gathering my paperwork, tracking down my W2, making sure I have all my interest and dividend statements. Taxes will never be something I enjoy, but at least I can be prepared. Here are five things to help get you ready for this year’s tax season.  ..read more

Last fall, we talked about the payroll tax deferral that affected most military members and many federal employees. The deferral equated to a four-month, 6.2% increase in pay. But the catch was that it was just a temporary boost and needed to be repaid in 2021. Well, the time to repay those taxes has arrived, and here is what you need to know before the first pay period of the year ..read more

The federal government has started sending out the second round of stimulus checks (more formally called Economic Impact Payments). These may be the final round of payments to go out, so having a plan in place is key. Previously, we’ve told you about things to ask yourself before you spend your stimulus check, and we’ve given you a decision tree to help you make spending choices that are right for your situation. Now we’re giving you ten ideas for this next – and possibly last – payment ..read more

The leaves have fallen, the air is crisp, and the flavors have shifted from pumpkin spice to peppermint mocha. Yes, it’s winter and time for the television programming lineup to be filled with movies that have improbable plot twists and lots of foreign princes. Yet aside from the epically decorated houses, the fake snow, and the cheesy love stories, you can actually learn some money lessons from these holiday flicks ..read more

Later this month, the United States government will be implementing a payroll tax deferral for about 1.3 million federal employees. The White House order specifically targets a 6.2% tax that employers deduct from wages to help fund Social Security. The details have not been completely fleshed out, but if you are a federal employee, including a military service member, here’s what you need to know about this deferral ..read more

Maintaining an emergency savings account may be the most important difference between those who manage to stay afloat and those who sink in debt. An emergency fund consists of a small amount of money, usually in a savings or share account, that you do not have easy access to. Keeping $500 to $1,000 of savings for emergencies can allow you to easily meet unexpected financial challenges such as ..read more