Personalfinance

Some crooks get creative over time, but they have the same ploy: Deceive people into thinking they are getting rich overnight. That’s generally how it works with tax scams, only a old tool is employed: Selling investments that promise outlandish tax breaks. Here are three swindles based on that kind of pitch, according to the… More

You’ve’ probably seen the pitch: “Do you owe the IRS? We can help you settle for pennies on the dollar.” Such claims are often fraudulent. An untold number of “offer-in-compromise” (OIC) companies are out there deceiving taxpayers, according to the IRS. “We’re increasingly concerned that people having trouble paying their taxes are being duped into… More

Colorfully printed leggings.Samantha Hall of Cumru Township works a full-time job but also runs a … [+] LulaRoe clothing sales business out of her Flying Hills apartment. Photo by Jeremy Drey 10/3/2017 (Photo By Jeremy Drey/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images) MediaNews Group via Getty Images You’ve probably heard of LuLaRoe, the multilevel marketing clothing… More

Successful laughing female student showing thumb up with friends in background in front of … [+] university building outdoor in summer in city getty Do you have a minor child? If so, are you worried about how they’ll be able to go to college without the burden of too much debt? Here are some ways… More

John F. WasikContributorOpinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.I am an author, speaker and journalist specializing in investor and consumer protection. I always loved the idea of getting nearly everything I need in one place. Like a lot of guys, I hate shopping around. One recent discovery is the Social Security Administration’s “mySocialSecurity” portal.… More

When women leave the workforce to raise children, they often suffer a hit: They lose earnings and benefits if they don’t have a paid maternal leave. Down the road, the “motherhood penalty” impacts women at retirement, since Social Security benefits are based on lifetime earnings. “When women become mothers, their earnings often take a substantial,… More

Did you know Social Security is more than a retirement program? It offers disability and spousal benefits and there are lots of rule governing who gets benefits and how much. Surprisingly, few Americans understand the basic details of how the nation’s most essential — and successful — social insurance program works. According to a recent… More

Let’s say you’re married and your spouse is younger than you are. When’s the best time to file for and receive the highest-possible benefits? The quick answer: It depends. One easy way to max out benefits is for the higher-earning spouse to wait as long as possible to claim. You can file as early as… More