Defrauded students face new process for debt relief

A new rule finalized Friday by the Obama administration will cost student debtors who say their colleges defrauded them of some longstanding rights to get their federal loans canceled, while colleges on shaky financial footing dodged a government crackdown.Those regulations, proposed in June, mark the administration's response to the spate of closures of for-profit colleges, following state and federal investigations and lawsuits that have so far led more than 80,000 Americans to seek [...]

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Canadian company teaches robots to be more like people

You've ordered a robot online and are booting it up at home. At first the bot doesn't do much of anything; it simply follows you around and observes your daily routine: walking the dog, making lasagna, washing the dishes. But before long the bot has learned to be your surrogate, shouldering quotidian tasks so you can focus on more interesting ones.That's the world envisioned by Suzanne Gildert and Geordie Rose. They run Kindred, an ultra-secretive artificial intelligence company based [...]

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Road Outrage: Low-Income Drivers Are Charged More for Car Insurance, Even With a Clean Record

There’s an unfortunate reality when it comes to auto insurance that many drivers may not be fully aware of: Low-income drivers who have a perfect driving record are charged more for auto insurance than high-income drivers with a spotty driving record.

That’s according to a new study from the Consumer Federation of America (CFA). Released at the end of September, the study found that auto insurance prices across the country are often more closely tied to a person’s economic characteristics than to their accident or ticket history.

“With the exception of the state of California, people who have a perfect driving record, but have social or economic characteristics that are more indicative of lower wealth, will pay more for auto insurance then someone with a higher income, even if that higher income person has driving violations such as speeding, DUI, or an accident,” says CFA’s Doug Heller. “It’s a really surprising and disturbing result, because most people believe that if you drive safely and follow the rules of the road, you’ll pay less for auto insurance than someone who has points on their record.”

The study used two drivers with different socioeconomic characteristics (such as home ownership, education level, and job title), and different driving records, to test premiums offered by the nation’s five largest insurers in 10 U.S. cities. In all, CFA made 600 requests for coverage and was provided 464 premium quotes.

Some of the takeaways of the CFA study include:

Upper-income drivers with DUIs often pay less than good drivers of modest means with no accidents or tickets on their record. In 21 of 30 tests (70%) in which a comparison was possible, a moderate-income driver with a perfect driving record was charged more for basic liability insurance than a high-income applicant who had a recent DUI conviction.

In Atlanta, for instance, Progressive’s premium quote for a moderate-income driver with a perfect record was $1,688, but for an upper-income driver with a DUI it was $958.

Moderate-income drivers with perfect records often pay more than upper-income drivers who caused an accident in which someone was injured. In 20 of 38 tests (53%), moderate-income drivers with clean records were charged more than high-income customers who recently caused an accident resulting in bodily injury.

In Baltimore, Geico’s quote for a moderate-income individual with a clean driving record was $2,612, but for the upper-income applicant with a record of causing an accident in which someone was injured, the cost was $1,886.

Progressive and GEICO consistently offer lower premiums to upper-income bad drivers than to moderate-income good drivers. About 78% of the time, the premium for a basic auto insurance policy from these two companies cost more for a good driver with a moderate income than for a higher-income driver with a recent accident and/or violation.

Of the 100 quotes CFA obtained from the two companies for higher-income drivers who had caused accidents or were convicted of moving violations, in only 22 instances was the driver with the worse record asked to pay more for car insurance than the good driver of modest economic means, states the report.

“Insurance premiums should be based on how we drive, not who we are,” says Heller.

So what can low-income drivers do to combat such practices when it comes to obtaining affordable car insurance? Here are some tips from Heller and also from the New York-based Insurance Information Institute, which was created to improve public understanding of insurance.

Shop Around

One of the biggest mistakes a consumer can make is to select an insurance company simply because you like their advertising.

“Don’t believe the advertising, you have to do some homework. Some companies that promise savings won’t necessarily deliver them,” says Heller. “Shopping around will save just about everybody money. It’s worth it for any consumer who cares about their pocketbook to spend an hour comparing premiums.”

And when making inquiries (and you should obtain quotes from at least three companies), pay attention to the questions insurance companies are asking, Heller adds.

“One thing is for sure – if an insurance company asks you about your occupation or education level or whether you own a home, they’re asking to use that information against you,” says Heller. “They’re generally asking that question because they include that data in their pricing.”

Take a Defensive Driving Course

The common misconception is that defensive driving courses are just for new drivers or people with blemishes on their driving record. But that’s not the case, says Michael Barry, of the Insurance Information Institute.

“I don’t think there’s wide public awareness of the savings you get when you complete a defensive driving course,” says Barry. “Taking a defensive driving course is one way to reduce your insurance cost.”

The amount of savings the course will earn you depends on the insurance company, says Barry, but you’ll definitely see a difference in your premiums.

Ask for Low-Mileage Discounts

For those who may not drive to work or only drive a limited number of miles, insurance companies typically offer low-mileage discounts. Make sure to ask about this option.

“Generally the auto insurer is working on the assumption that you’re driving about 12,000 miles a year,” says Barry. “So if you’re only going 7,000 or 7,500 miles a year, you may be able to save money.”

Bundle Policies

Insuring both your home and car with the same company will often earn you a discount on both policies.

“Some people have their auto and home insurance with different companies, and there may be good reason for that, but at a minimum you should explore what kind of discount you would get by insuring both with the same company,” says Barry.

However, for those who rent, as opposed to own a home, this is approach doesn’t typically translate into as much savings (because a renter’s insurance policy is far less expensive then a homeowners policy.)

• Related: Best Homeowners Insurance in 2016

Don’t Ignore State-Run, Low-Income Car Insurance Programs

Some of the most substantial savings for low-income drivers can be found via state-run, low-income car insurance programs. The downside here, however, is that only a handful of states offer them.

Both Barry and Heller point to California as a good example of one such program. Established in 1999, California’s Low-Cost Auto Insurance Program is designed specifically to provide income eligible individuals with affordable liability insurance. (The current income eligibility standards include an annual income of $29,700 for an individual, $50,400 for a family of three, and $60,750 for a family of four.)

Barry says only about 12,000 California state residents were taking advantage of the program the last time he looked into it. Some other states with insurance programs for low-income residents include New Jersey and Hawaii.

A Final Word

The cost of auto insurance is continually on the rise. The average auto insurance expenditure in the U.S. rose 3.3% in 2012, from $815 to $841, according to a 2016 report from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. In 2013 (the latest data available), the average cost was highest in New Jersey ($1,254), followed by the District of Columbia ($1,187), and New York ($1,182). Among the least expensive states, meanwhile, are North Carolina, Nebraska, and Wyoming, with average policies costing around $630.

Short of moving, Heller says your best bet is to shop wisely.

“It’s tough. Shopping around will get us a little bit of the way. But we need regulators and lawmakers to take this seriously,” says Heller. “Insurance is one of the very few products that you’re required by the government to buy, and yet in most states, the government isn’t protecting us from bad pricing practices.”

Related Articles:

• Best Cheap Car Insurance Companies
• Four Companies That Offer Discounted Car Insurance for Students
• Three Big Reasons It Costs More to Be Poor

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This Teacher Ditched the Classroom — Now She Makes $75/Hr Tutoring Online

Deeds Done, Sunday, Oct. 30, 2016

Coolbaugh TownshipDE&S Properties Inc. (T/A) Classic Quality Homes to Curtis and Claudia Dick, Lot 7530, Section L, Pocono Farms, $290,000Hamilton TownshipRichard J. and Kerri L. Hendershot to Five Stars Friends & Family LLC, parcel Tax ID 7/113971, $268,000Donald A. Turek and Carol A. Scarsella to Gloria Johnson, Lot 3, Hiwood Acres, $237,000Middle Smithfield TownshipDE&S Properties Inc. [...]

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Stroudsburg Borough budget on display

Stroudsburg borough will propose a budget for 2017 that projects an increase in both revenue and expenses — mostly due to an expected hike in parking fines and a cut of borough salaries.The proposed budget for 2017 — made available through the borough website this week — accumulated expenses for over $6.26 million, a raise from the 2016 budget’s approximate $6.18 million. The proposal compensates for the raised expenses with revenues over $6.68 million. [...]

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Pa. Game Commission urges drivers to stay alert for deer

With deer becoming increasingly active, and daylight saving time soon to put more vehicles on the road during the hours when deer move most, the Pennsylvania Game Commission is advising motorists to slow down and stay alert.“White-tailed deer are entering a period of increased activity and are crossing roads more frequently as a result,” said Game Commission Executive Director R. Matthew Hough. “While drivers should always remain alert and on the lookout for [...]

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New SARPD chief wants greater bond with community

The floor of John Ward’s office is littered with boxes of medals, plaques, framed certificates and memorabilia. Ward is nearly one full month into his tenure as Stroud Area Regional Police, and he’s still not sure what from his 36 years of work should hang on the walls of his corner office.The hope for the former police chief of Ridgewood, New Jersey, is that he could cover the walls with his work in the Poconos.Ward was announced as the new SARPD chief in late [...]

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Why Podcasts Are the Best Entertainment Bargain on the Internet – And 30 Great Ones to Enjoy

Whenever I’m sitting at my desk working, I’m almost always listening to a podcast. Whenever I’m in the car, I’m almost always listening to a podcast. Whenever I’m falling asleep when I happen to be alone (like when I occasionally travel), I’m listening to a podcast.

Podcasts are easily my main source of entertainment and information. They make me laugh, they make me think, they even occasionally make me cry. A string of carefully selected podcasts is a lot like having your own radio station, programmed exactly the way you want it and, if you have a smartphone, accessible pretty much anywhere you happen to be – in your car, on the bus, at home, in bed, anywhere.

Let’s start off with the basics.

What’s a Podcast?

A podcast is simply an audio recording that you can download from the internet. Typically, these audio recordings are of people discussing some topic or another in a manner akin to a talk radio station. Usually, podcasts are released in series, with a new episode coming out every week or two. Podcasts are absolutely free. Many podcasters do it for the love of doing it, or support the podcast a little with an ad or two.

There are podcasts out there on virtually any topic you can imagine and there are usually dozens of podcasts on that topic. Current events. Board games. Music. Fantasy football. Knitting. Prayer. If you can think of a topic, there’s probably someone out there recording and releasing a podcast on that topic.

Most podcasts are done by amateurs or by small-scale entrepreneurs, not by big media companies. While you might occasionally hear an ad or two on podcasts, they’re rarely ad-laden and they’re usually done by people who are just purely passionate about the topic.

How Can I Listen?

There are many programs out there that allow you to listen to podcasts at your convenience. They let you “subscribe” to those podcasts, so that new episodes are automatically downloaded, they help you to discover new podcasts, and they also let you search for podcasts by name so that you can easily find one and subscribe to it to see if you like it.

On the desktop, I have yet to find a better free program than iTunes. iTunes simply does a great job of helping you find podcasts, automatically downloads new episodes, and makes listening easy to boot. It’s just my default recommendation for a desktop podcast organizer and player.

If you have an Android device, I recommend Stitcher as the absolute best free option for podcast subscribing and listening. It’s solidly designed, makes it easy to add and find new podcasts, and plays them perfectly.

For iOS, the default Podcast app works perfectly well, but I’ve fallen in love with another app: Overcast. It does several little things that I love, namely how it balances out the volume between podcasts so that you don’t move from a quiet podcast to a loud one. My only minor quibble is that I can’t sync my played podcasts with my desktop program, so I actually have a few “road” podcasts that are different than my “home” ones so I don’t have to worry about it.

So, let’s hear about some good podcasts!

18 Great Personal Finance, Growth, and Productivity Podcasts

Most of the podcasts I listen to are related to personal finance, personal growth, or productivity topics. Here are eighteen that I highly recommend because I’m a long-time subscriber to all of them.

Money Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips is a short podcast that focuses on practical financial strategies. This one gets right to the point, so I actually find it’s pretty good for binge listening as you can listen to a bunch of episodes in just an hour or two. The delivery is light in tone, but sticks to the facts; there’s not a lot of “character” here, but that’s a good thing for what they’re bringing to the plate. (subscribe in iTunes)

The 5 AM Miracle is a podcast focused on various aspects of productivity. Unsurprisingly, one major aspect of this is morning routines: what do people do right when they get up in the morning? The host has a great radio voice; the episodes often alternate between interviews and surprisingly good monologue episodes. In most podcasts, I tend to prefer the banter between people, but Jeff Sanders (the host) does a really good job with his solo shows. (subscribe in iTunes)

The Productive Woman is a personal productivity podcast that does have a mild focus on women’s issues and how they intersect with productivity, but I actually find that almost everything discussed on the podcast is applicable to me as an involved spouse and father. This one has actually spawned some great discussions with my wife when we’ve both listened while on the road together. (subscribe in iTunes)

Listen, Money Matters is an “uncensored” personal finance podcast where two guys talk frankly and humorously about financial matters. While the tone is definitely light and funny, they do get down to some great financial advice along with the entertainment. (subscribe in iTunes)

Cortex is a show where two creative professionals (Myke Hurley and CGP Grey) discuss the tools and strategies they use to enhance creativity and productivity. The focus is really on the particular issues that creative workers – particularly those who are self-employed or entrepreneurial – face when needing to be productive. (subscribe in iTunes)

This Is Your Life with Michael Hyatt is a podcast focused on intentional leadership. The idea of “intentional leadership” actually covers a lot of ground, including things like work-life balance, good communication with coworkers, accountability, character, and many other such things. The show manages to maintain a very practical feel when talking about these things, which is something I really like. (subscribe in iTunes)

Radical Personal Finance is probably the best all around personal finance podcast that isn’t a rebroadcast of a syndicated radio show. The host, Joshua Sheats, manages to achieve that tricky balance of talking about personal finance in a way that’s useful without being preachy and brings lots of facts without falling into a boring litany of details. (subscribe in iTunes)

The Tim Ferriss Show covers lifestyle experimentation in a lot of different dimensions. This means that the podcast goes in a ton of different directions, hitting everything from workout routines to trying different foods to life extension practices to speed learning. It’s all covered here in a fast-paced and entertaining show. (subscribe in iTunes)

Your Money Matters is a podcast produced by the Wall Street Journal that focuses on tying personal finance issues to larger global affairs. The show really succeeds when they go deep into potential law changes and how they’ll affect your finances. The hosts are factual but manage to avoid ever making it boring. (subscribe in iTunes)

Entrepreneur on Fire is a great podcast focused on entrepreneurship. The host, John Lee Dumas, usually interviews an entrepreneur about how they launched their business, what tools they use, what mindset they have, and so on. The show comes out daily (!) and features all kinds of guests, ideas, and angles. (subscribe in iTunes)

The Dave Ramsey Show is a rebroadcast of much of Dave’s syndicated talk radio show where he discusses personal finance issues with his “tough coach” attitude that’s threaded with Christian inspiration. Ramsey’s simply good at bringing the advice, taking a tough tone and a matter-of-fact tone where it’s warranted while always being entertaining. (subscribe in iTunes)

You Are Not So Smart is a wonderful podcast dedicated to cognitive biases both good and bad (but mostly bad). The show really explores the various ways that our mind fools itself and the passion for this topic brought by the host, David McRaney, is infectious. (subscribe in iTunes)

Achieve Your Goals with Hal Elrod is a wonderful personal development podcast with a heavy focus on personal goal-setting. Most episodes feature an interview with someone who offers thoughtful insight on goal setting or steps for achieving common goals, and Elrod’s tone and quick pace make the whole package enjoyable. (subscribe in iTunes)

Couple Money Podcast is a wonderful personal finance podcast that focuses on many of the issues that couples have to deal with when it comes to finances. This is a great one to listen to at the same time as your significant other as not only will you be entertained, you’ll often be left with some food for thought and for deep conversation. (subscribe in iTunes)

Planet Money is a podcast produced by NPR that looks at finance from a bunch of different angles with a bunch of different contributors. Many episodes have a personal finance angle, while some will look at broader economic issues. Regardless of the exact angle, it’s always insightful and thought provoking. (subscribe in iTunes)

Beyond the To-Do List is a personal productivity podcast that succeeds because it brings so many different perspectives to the table. Every single episode is centered around an in-depth interview with someone who has a different angle on personal productivity that stands out from the many other perspectives presented on the show. The sheer variety keeps me listening. (subscribe in iTunes)

The Clark Howard Show, much like Dave Ramsey’s show, is a rebroadcast of a nationally syndicated radio program. Howard tends to focus on a mix of financial and consumer issues, often bringing up current issues like product recalls and how to buy certain items. (subscribe in iTunes)

Marketplace is a rebroadcast of a show that often appears on NPR stations that offers a great weekday mix of financial news and current events. The light touch of the show and the occasional links to personal finance make this my “high finance” show of choice. (subscribe in iTunes)

12 Great Additional Podcasts on Other Topics

I listen to a lot of different podcasts on a rotating basis. What I often do is listen to dozens of episodes of a podcast – perhaps the last year’s worth of archives – and then move on to another one. The best ones see me coming back time and time again.

What gets me to come back? Passion is probably the biggest thing. Passion means that the person is obviously passionate about the subject, no matter how esoteric or strange. I love passion, and passion can often engage me in a topic that I might not otherwise enjoy all that much. Some podcasts are hosted by people with great radio voices, but their heart isn’t in it; I’d far rather listen to an amateurish recording by someone who is really passionate.

These twelve podcasts are ones that I come back to time and time again. Although the subjects are … all over the place … it’s the passion of the people on those podcasts that keeps me coming back.

Serial, in my eyes, is the best demonstration of how great a podcast can be. The show is released in seasons, and each season (so far) has focused on a single story. The first season investigated a strange murder case in Baltimore, and the second season looked more closely at the story of Private Bowe Bergdahl who was a POW in Afghanistan under unusual circumstances. The host of the podcast, Sarah Koenig, is absolutely amazing in terms of her tone and approach to both seasons. Listen to all of this, from the beginning. (subscribe in iTunes)

The Moth is a series of live recordings of people telling stories about their lives. The windows into different lives provided by these stories is what makes the show so addictive. Some stories are merely okay, but then you’ll hear one that drives you to peals of laughter or brings a flood of tears to your eyes. (subscribe in iTunes)

The Pen Addict is a podcast about pens and paper, seriously. It’s basically a stationery, notebook, and pens podcast. It’s the sheer passion and enthusiasm brought to the table by the hosts, particularly Brad Dowdy, that make this one such an enjoyable listen (and has pulled me more into appreciating pens and paper than I would have ever expected). (subscribe in iTunes)

The Dice Tower is a podcast about board games “and the people who play them,” as goes the show’s slogan. While the hosts definitely dig into the nuance of modern board games, it’s the accessibility and enthusiasm of the show that really keeps me coming back for more. (subscribe in iTunes)

The Sword and Laser is a podcast about science fiction and fantasy books. The episodes release weekly and there’s an ongoing “book club” where the hosts read a novel each month and then discuss it throughout the month (saving the spoilers for the last episode of the month). Many episodes include interviews with fantasy and science fiction authors. (subscribe in iTunes)

D&D Is for Nerds is basically a recording of some very inventive and skilled improvisational roleplayers playing a tabletop role playing game. They get deeply into their characters and keep the action moving and lively, making it an unpredictable and sometimes humorous ongoing fantasy story. (subscribe in iTunes)

Science Fiction Film Podcast is pretty much exactly what you would expect. It’s a group of science fiction film buffs reviewing films in detail – mostly sci-fi films but sometimes treading into films in other categories. Their insights and attitude keep me coming back for more (and keep me going to the library to rent more DVDs). (subscribe in iTunes)

The Fantasy Footballers is an incredibly well done podcast on fantasy football, mixing analysis, humor, and conversation in an almost perfect blend. I am far from an avid fantasty football player, but this podcast is so enjoyable to listen to and so well executed that I can’t help but enjoy every listen. (subscribe in iTunes)

This American Life is a long-running public radio program that can best be described as a journalistic variety show. Each episode has a theme and there are several segments on the theme, most of which can be described as some form of journalism. In most episodes, you’ll laugh, you’ll learn something, and something will tug hard on your heartstrings. (subscribe in iTunes)

Lore investigates the reality behind folklore. The host, Aaron Mahnke, has a deep love for folklore and for figuring out what it’s really based on, and often it’s based on something utterly fascinating. Each episode is incredibly fun to listen to, coming across as a mix of a campfire story and investigative journalism. (subscribe in iTunes)

The Partially Examined Life is a wonderful podcast about philosophy and how it can be used to reflect on one’s life and, ideally, improve it. This podcast will leave you thinking about the world and about yourself, each and every time, and that’s why it’s such an essential listen for me. (subscribe in iTunes)

99% Invisible is a podcast about design, but more than that, it’s about the “invisible” things in life – things that we rely on or take for granted but are actually the result of a lot of careful thought and analysis. For me, this show is almost meditative at times in how it takes things that scarcely merit a second thought most of the time and show how thoughtful that thing actually is, like the arrangement of windows on the front of a house, for example. Every episode is surprising and enjoyable. (subscribe in iTunes)

Now get out there and listen to some podcasts!

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Four Ways to Get a Faster Tax Refund in 2017

When it comes to getting your tax return as quickly as possible, there are two or three key pieces of advice that professionals typically offer year after year.

And then there’s the new ins and outs for the 2017 tax season.

For instance, few taxpayers realize that this year for the first time, no matter what you do or how you file, the IRS will be holding refunds that include the Earned Income Tax Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit until Feb 15.

The delay is tied to a 2015 law known as the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act, which made several changes to the tax law and mandates that no credit or refund be made before Feb. 15 if the taxpayer claimed Earned Income Tax Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit on the return.

Yes, that’s a mouthful. But boiled down the takeaway here is that the change is aimed at giving the IRS additional time to review returns in order to prevent revenue loss tied to identity theft and refund fraud (which is often based on fabricated wages and withholdings).

While Feb. 15 may be long before some of us even think about filing, for others, who routinely get their returns in early, this may come as a bit of a surprise.

“People claiming the Earned Income Tax credit or Advanced Child Tax Credit are typically the population that files first and they tend to look for that refund within three to five days,” says Nina Tross, executive director of the National Society of Tax Professionals. “They would fully expect to have their refund by the end of January, but that’s not going to happen this year.”

One other development taxpayers should keep in mind this year is that the IRS is on heightened alert across the board for refund fraud, says Tross, which means there will be increased security protocols tied to filing and accessing previous returns.

“Refund fraud is the number one priority,” continues Tross. “It’s getting a lot of attention, so they are going to be looking at returns more closely.”

For the general public, the heightened security will involve such things as being required to provide a cell phone number in order to access tax returns from prior years, ensuring that you’re able to receive a text message and answer security questions.

“Fraud has become global, coming from Russia, Bulgaria, Romania… places where we have no presence,” Tross explains. “All we can do is stop it here and that effort involves having to provide additional identity verification.”

The takeaway for this one is to be prepared when filing and have all your key information available.

Here’s a handful of additional advice for streamlining the tax return process and getting your refund as quickly as possible.

File Early

This may seem like a no-brainer, but the professionals say many people still don’t realize the impact early filing can have.

“The reason behind this is that there are less returns being processed, so the earlier you get the return in, the quicker you get it back,” says Tracie Miller-Nobles, a CPA and member of the AICPA Financial Literacy Commission.

Make Sure All Information is Correct

Yes, this is another seemingly basic step, but it too can be cause for countless delayed refunds.

Take the time to review such things as your name, Social Security number, and bank routing number carefully. If you got married or divorced in the last year, double check that your name is updated, particularly if you’re e-filing.

“If you’re using tax preparation software, the software defaults to whatever the taxpayer’s last name is. So for people who have recently changed or blended names and are not paying attention that can cause an error. Make sure to correct for that,” says Tross. “In terms of the bank routing information, people seem to have the feeling that the bank verifies this stuff and that’s not the case.”

File Electronically

There are numerous ways available to file electronically these days. Those whose adjusted gross income is $62,000 or less annually may want to use the Free File software options provided by the IRS. There are many well known companies and software options available through this program, including TaxSlayer, Jackson Hewitt, and H&R Block’s Free File.

In addition, for a fee, there are countless commercial online tax preparation services and software.

Why is filing electronically a key part of getting that tax refund quick? The answer is it expedites the entire process.

“Electronic filing really helps in processing the returns,” continues Miller-Nobles. “Most certified public accountants are now required to e-file returns for clients. It speeds up the process of getting the return faster.”

• Related: Best Free Tax Software

Opt for Direct Deposit of Your Refund

This option may not be for everyone, particularly those who don’t have a bank account, but it’s one of the best ways to speed things up and get a fast tax refund.

“There’s a lot of reasons why this is beneficial,” says Miller-Nobles. “It gets the money into your account faster and you don’t have to worry about the post office losing the check.”

Taxpayers without a bank account may want to look into establishing an Individual Development Account. A valuable tool for low-income families, IDAs are savings accounts that in many cases are able receive a direct deposit.

If none of those options are available, Miller-Nobles has one last piece of advice.

“If the taxpayer doesn’t have a bank account and direct deposit isn’t available, then we really urge them to file early in that situation, and make sure that the refund checks are sent to a secure location,” she says.

Related Articles

• The Best Tax Software
• Loan Money to Family? Sure, If It’s Uncle Sam
• Don’t Waste Your Tax Refund: Four Better Ways to Use It

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Here’s How No Spend November Will Save Me Money During the Holidays

Contrary to popular belief, Florida does have seasons. We just catch up a little late.

Now that the air’s finally dropped a few degrees, pumpkin spice lattes have been spotted or sipped and leggings have fully regained their status as pants, we’re finally closing in on our admittedly-laughable version of winter.

For someone who lives in scathing summer heat almost year-round, that’s exciting for a lot of reasons. But it’s also worrisome.

Winter’s arrival means lots of holidays — which can mean lots and lots of spending.

Christmas presents, big family meals, dresses for holiday parties and winter weddings (yes, it’s a Florida thing)… as excited as my heart is for all the celebration coming up, my wallet is cowering in the corner.

So to get ahead of what could easily become a financial mess, and to improve my budgeting skills in general, I’ve decided to take the plunge.

This year, I’m participating in the month-long spending freeze called No Spend November.

What? Why? How? Yeah, I’m reeling, too — but here’s my plan, and how you can jump on board if you’re facing the same set of winter worries.

What is No Spend November?

The idea behind this month-long challenge is pretty simple: Stop spending money on anything that’s not essential.  

By doing so, you’ll find leaks in your budget: Those little, one-off ways you nickle and dime your bank account that don’t seem so bad, but keep you from saving for the financial future you really want.

For example, one of my favorite weekend pastimes is to hit the cinema. That movie ticket’s only eight bucks, right? But then there’s the popcorn (whose clarion call I can never seem to resist), and the cool new film coming out next weekend.

Before I know it, I’ve blown $50 over the course of a month on this “cheap” activity — all while I’m still struggling to pay down my auto loan.

And that’s just a budget leak I know about.

By forcing me to step away from all non-essential spending, No Spend November will reveal other places I don’t realize my money is going. And since it’s only for a distinct, limited time, none of the sacrifices I have to make will feel too overbearing.

As far as a specific strategy goes, when it comes to No Spend November, you make your own rules. You decide what’s essential and which caveats you’ll include.

My own rules are simple: With the obvious, unavoidable exceptions of regular bills, gas and groceries, I will not spend any money in November.

No meals out, no cocktails with friends, no last-minute drop-in yoga classes — and, most harrowingly of all, no coffee shop coffee. For a month.

Why, oh why, did I pitch this idea, again?

Why I’m Participating in No Spend November

To be perfectly honest, I know my budgeting problems go a lot deeper than blowing some money at the movie theater.

Penny Hoarder confession time: I sometimes use that “It’s on sale!” mentality to spend money I might otherwise have saved.

For instance, a $600 round-trip fare sale to Dublin looked too good to be true. It was only available for a limited time, so I jumped on it.

Let me be clear: The trip was incredible.

But after car rental, accommodations, food and everything else, my actual expenditures were close to $3,000 — a price I probably could have paid for an all-inclusive trip planned much better than my own.

Or we could talk about the (gorgeous!) bike I just bought. It was on sale for only $120 on Amazon, down from about $300! How could I pass it up?

But after I bought a cute basket to go with it — I mean, come on, I had to — and paid the neighborhood bike shop to give my shoddy assembly a safety-ensuring once-over, I wasn’t far off from doubling the sale price.

Deals can very quickly become financial duds if you don’t actually need the item, or if it causes you to spend money you weren’t initially planning to spend.

So I’m using the month of November — prime time for big, often-impulsive spending — to get a handle on my budget once and for all.

Along with the rules I’ve described above, I’m limiting my grocery budget to $100 per week. That’s to include everything — paper towels, toiletries, dog food, all of it.

If anything’s left over, I’ll allow myself to use that little bit as fun money… but considering I average more than $100 per week on this line item as we speak, that seems unlikely.

Final rule: The money I spend on laundry doesn’t count, because I already have a stash of quarters reserved specifically for that purpose.

Needless to say, this is gonna be a challenge.

Things I’m very happy about:

• Six bottles of wine are currently headed my way courtesy of an awesome Groupon I nabbed, so at least I’m covered there.

• I already purchased my favorite holiday tchotchke: cinnamon brooms (yes, plural; I have a big one for my house and a teeny one for my car).

• GUYS I AM GOING TO SAVE SO MUCH MONEY

Things I’m not so happy/a little worried about:

• … OK, this is embarrassing to admit, but I somehow got into the habit of getting professional manicures and pedicures every two weeks and I’m really not looking forward to ditching them.

• I have a wedding to attend in Miami this month. While I’m allowing myself a caveat here — I mean, I’m going to have to eat a meal or two out since there’s a road trip involved, and I refuse to not have a mojito and a Cuban sandwich — I’m concerned that the trip’s expenses might offset some of my no-spend savings.

• I was also just invited to a friend’s November birthday party, and it involves going out for dinner and drinks. Do I skip dinner, just come later for drinks and clutch a glass of water? Do I bring a flask instead of buying her a shot?

My life just got a little more complicated. Good thing it’s only for a month!

Need Help on Your Budget? Join Me in the Challenge!

There are lots of reasons you might want to give your own finances a pre-holiday makeover.

It could help you save money for Christmas presents, set the tone for a financially fit new year or even just reassure you that your budget’s on point.

But no matter your personal reasons, if you choose to participate in No Spend November, we’ll be here to support you!

I’ll be keeping track of my challenges and triumphs this month to write a post summarizing what I learned come December, but I’d love the opportunity to share those struggles and takeaways with you real-time.

So if you plan on participating, post your own rules, progress, complaints and discoveries in our community Facebook group.

Here’s to an interesting November — and a healthier budget for December and beyond.

Your Turn: Will you participate in No Spend November? Keep in touch in our community Facebook group!

Jamie Cattanach is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder who might just be in waaaaay over her head with this no-spend November thing. Find @JamieCattanach on Twitter to wave hello.

The post Here’s How No Spend November Will Save Me Money During the Holidays appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.

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If You Bought Marlboro Lights in the ‘90s, You Could Get Up to $225

If you bought cigarettes in New England in the mid-1990s, you might be due for some cash back.

Marlboro has reached a settlement in a class-action lawsuit that was first brought against its parent company, Philip Morris USA, in 1998. The suit accused the company of “falsely representing that Marlboro Lights were less harmful and delivered lower tar and nicotine than Regular Marlboros, when that was not the case,” the settlement website explains.

At that time, Massachusetts consumer protection law forbade cigarette manufacturers from claiming light cigarettes were less harmful than regular ones.

Who’s Eligible to File a Claim Against Philip Morris?

If you lived in Massachusetts and bought Marlboro lights there between Nov. 25, 1994, and Nov. 25, 1998, you can file a claim. If you lived in Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island or Vermont and regularly purchased Marlboro Lights in Massachusetts, you’re eligible, too.

Philip Morris owes customers more than $15 million. Depending on the number of people who file claims, you’ll get a check for between $75 and $225.

You must file your claim online or by mail by Nov. 28, 2016. You must provide the name of the city and state where you lived between 1994 and 1998, along with your date of birth.

Your Turn: Will you file a claim against Philip Morris?

Lisa Rowan is a writer and producer at The Penny Hoarder.

The post If You Bought Marlboro Lights in the ‘90s, You Could Get Up to $225 appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.

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Now Hiring: 7 Work-From-Home Customer Service Jobs for Any Experience Level

Customer service is one industry where you’re always guaranteed to find work-from-home jobs.

And rightfully so. What’s the point of sitting in a freezing cold, factory-like call center (what I picture, at least) when you could be cozied up in your home or co-working space?

Another customer service perk? It’s fairly easy to snag your first, entry-level gig and work your way up.

But for this round-up, we’ve found seven work-from-home customer service jobs suited for a variety of experience levels, schedules and personalities.

7 Work-From-Home Customer Service Jobs For (Almost) Everyone

Some of these jobs are part-time, some require tech skills and others are perfect for the stay-at-home parent.

See if you can find the perfect fit.

1. Customer Success Manager with AgoraPulse

If you know a little somethin’ about social media marketing…

AgoraPulse boasts “simple and affordable social media management.” It lets clients manage social media in one easy place — without being totally overloaded with 1 million tweets, Facebook messages and trolls’ comments.

Customers include Volkswagen, Pepsi, Yahoo, McDonald’s and Nivea, which automatically gives it some credibility in my book.

Right now, the Portland-based venture needs a work-from-home customer support manager to manage the “VIP” customers (see above) and their portfolios.

To snag this job, you need to have some customer experience, boast social media “ecosystem” knowledge, care about customers, possess some zen and have a bachelor’s degree — or the equivalent in experience.

The company currently has people working from eight countries, so international folks can apply, too. (Also see #4.) Want to know more? Visit the job posting.

2. Customer Operators and Moderators with BeaconLive

If you’re a PC person looking for a part-time gig…

BeaconLive is a neat company I’d honestly never heard of. It offers webinars, podcasts, videos and on-demand programs to clients looking for virtual communication help.

So it makes sense that BeaconLive is hiring moderators and operators to help execute these products for online events. As a moderator or operator, you’ll work with customers to answer questions and troubleshoot.

As with most customer-centric jobs, you need to be able to multitask and effectively communicate with clients via phone.

The listing notes you’ll start out working 4-6 hours a week, but those hours will likely pick up. At a minimum, you need to commit to Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. EST.

And like I said, you need a PC.  You also must live in one of these 10 states: Colorado, Florida, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah and Virginia.

Pay is $11.60 an hour for operators and $13 an hour for moderators. Interested? Check out the Indeed listing and apply online.

3. Customer Success Manager with Dapluse

If you’d rather work for a solid salary…

Dapluse has a special productivity app which it describes as, “It’s like Excel and Facebook had a baby who’s beautiful, really helpful, and super addictive.”

And now it’s hiring another customer success manager (or “superhero”) who can talk to anyone, engage via phone calls and email messages and is overall just stoked to help clients.

Your hours will be on Pacific time, Monday and Tuesday noon to 9 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday off, Fridays 3 p.m. to midnight, Saturday and Sunday noon to 9 p.m. However, you can reside in any U.S. time zones, and hours are slightly flexible.

Annual salary will range from $35,000-$50,000. For more information, visit the We Work Remotely listing.

4. Customer Support Specialist with DealDash

If you desperately search TPH’s job pages for an international opportunity…

Well, we found a good one.

Recently, we’ve received inquiries from you worldly folks who don’t live in the U.S. “Will you ever write about jobs for us?” you’ve pleaded.

Well, you’ve been heard, my friends. DealDash, a penny auction site we’ve previously written about, is hiring a work-from-home customer support specialist.

The platform hosts more than 10 million U.S. shoppers, but the Finland-based company’s employees come from six different countries.

Right now, it’s hiring someone to contribute to the company’s 24/7 customer service team. You’ll be taking questions via email, chat and phone five days a week (sometimes on the weekend, and in the evenings).

If you live in Minnesota (random, right?), Canada, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Spain, or the UK, think about applying. The company’s known for treating its employees well. For complete details, including the requirements, visit the job listing.

Also: I reached out about the pay. I’ve been in contact with a team member and will update this as soon as possible.

5. Customer Service Manager with Doctor on Demand

If you always wanted to be a doctor but couldn’t pass that darn organic chem class…

Heads up: This one requires a bit of experience, including at least three years of management experience, two years in a tech environment or health care industry and a bachelor’s degree.

Do you pass? Doctor On Demand is a nifty startup connecting patients with real doctors 24/7, 365 days a year. Backers include big names. Think: Google Ventures and Sir Richard Branson.

It’s looking for a customer service manager who will help grow the operation. You’ll communicate with physicians and patients, ensuring they’re all happy.

The gig is full-time, and you’ll be assigned a regular schedule, but will sometimes need to be flexible and understand you’re working for a 24/7 operation (not the medical kind).

Interested in helping others and taking part in this exciting startup? Find the complete job listing online. You can apply there, too.

I reached out about pay, so stay tuned.

6. Morning Customer Support Associate with Museum Hack

If you’re a stay-at-home parent and need a gig for when the kids are in school…

Apparently, The Penny Hoarder loves Museum Hack because we keep writing about the startup. But it really is pretty neat.

Your job as a morning customer support associate will be to monitor and respond to customers via email and phone. You’ll occasionally have to return a customer call, but never cold-call.

The hours should mesh perfectly with your kids’ schedules. You’ll start off working 10 hours a week, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. (EST). Weekend availability is required, too.

This part-time, contract role starts at $12 an hour. The position is completely entry level, so there’s no mention of required experience. You just need solid communication skills, strong attention to detail, a reliable internet connection and the willingness to work hard.

For more info, visit the job listing online. Be sure to apply on the website, as well, since you’ll probably get negative points for calling or emailing about the position.

7. Phone Support Associate with Talent Inc.

If you’re just a complete ray of sunshine and value sweet, sweet perks…

Talent Inc. is in the business of helping people find jobs. It hosts skilled writers who churn out effective resumes and CVs.

It sounds like a tricky industry — like there might be some real frustration from clients — so it needs a phone support associate to handle that. The job listing poses the challenge:

We are looking for an enthusiastic individual who is willing and able to help customers and exercise patience – even when dealing with people who may be angry or frustrated. A good attitude, a sense of humor, and a passion for helping people is a must!

Are you that ray of sunshine Talent Inc. is looking for? Maybe.

You should have some background in customer support. If you meet its criteria, though, Talent Inc. says it’ll take care of you with competitive pay and “options” and a computer set-up — “Whatever helps you work better, it’s yours.”

Polish up that resume (you know they’ll be looking at it closely…), and read more about how to become a part of this startup.

Oh, and I reached out to PR about pay. The rep has been in touch and is expected to get back to me soon.

For more work-from-home jobs, visit our Facebook Jobs page.

Your Turn: Which of these jobs look most appealing to you?

Carson Kohler (@CarsonKohler) is a junior writer at The Penny Hoarder. After recently completing graduate school, she focuses on saving money — and surviving the move back in with her parents.

The post Now Hiring: 7 Work-From-Home Customer Service Jobs for Any Experience Level appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.

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It Takes a Village: One Woman's Decision to Crowdfund her Maternity Leave

It Takes a Village: One Woman's Decision to Crowdfund her Maternity Leave

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Does VW Owe You as Part of Its $14.7B Settlement? Here’s How to Find Out

Waiting for Volkswagen to buy back or repair your car affected by its emissions-cheating scandal? Some VW owners don’t have to wait much longer.

A judge has formally approved the company’s settlement in the amount of $14.7 billion for its 2-liter Turbocharged Direct Injection (TDI, or diesel) engine — the largest auto-industry settlement in U.S. history, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The Environmental Protection Agency busted Volkswagen in September 2015 for cheating emission tests on its TDI engines. VW rigged the engine’s electronics to improve performance during emissions testing.

Since then, VW has worked with the EPA and the Department of Justice to develop a settlement. Now that it’s been approved, customers can choose between the two settlement options.

Affected Volkswagen owners can choose to have their diesel car bought back by the company at the pre-September 2015 “trade-in” value or, if regulators approve a repair, they can have it modified. (Models from 2015 will be bought back at a percentage of the manufacturer’s suggested retail price.)

If you leased one of the impacted model years, you can opt for the repair or terminate your lease.

About 475,000 owners of Volkswagen Jetta, Touareg, Golf, Beetle and Passat TDI models are eligible, along with Audi A3 TDI owners, with model years ranging from 2009 to 2015.

The settlement over the 3-liter TDI engine hasn’t been negotiated yet.

Volkswagen Diesel Owners, Get Ready for a Big Payout

Whether owners have their cars bought back or choose to have their vehicles updated with an Environmental Protection Agency-approved repair, they’ll also receive a cash payout of between $5,000 and $10,000, depending on car’s value and other factors. Lessees are also eligible for this payout.

If you own a VW or Audi model with the affected 2-liter TDI engine, you can visit the company’s settlement website for eligibility information and to file a claim.

But you may have already heard from Volkswagen. TPH junior writer Carson Kohler drives a 2014 Touareg 3.0 TDI, and she received a letter prompting her to register for a “goodwill package” that included a $500 Visa gift card, $500 Volkswagen gift card, and a three-year 24-hour roadside assistance package. She used the Volkswagen gift card to get her car’s alignment adjusted.

“Now we’re just waiting for more information after this approval,” she said.

She shouldn’t have to wait too long. Now that the 2-liter TDI engine is settled, VW can turn its attention to righting its wronged 3-liter TDI owners.

Your Turn: Is Your Volkswagen TDI eligible for this huge settlement? Will you take the buyback or the repair?

Lisa Rowan is a writer and producer at The Penny Hoarder.

The post Does VW Owe You as Part of Its $14.7B Settlement? Here’s How to Find Out appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.

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Deal of the week: 4.2% interest overnight – but only for Asda shoppers

Tom Wilson

Asda CSC.jpg

As savings rates slump to sub-1%, any way to make your money go further is welcome. So today’s deal of the week shows you how to get savings for Christmas shopping boosted by a whopping 4.2% overnight!

As savings rates slump to sub-1%, any way to make your money go further is welcome. So today’s deal of the week shows you how to get savings for Christmas shopping boosted by a whopping 4.2% overnight!

read more

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Here’s Exactly How This Woman Saved Over $18K on Her Student Loans

Ashley Williams is a 28-year-old financial analyst with a degree in accounting — a background that keeps her acutely aware of her own financial situation… and debt.

“I crunch my own debt numbers quite often, and the lack of progress on student loans is disheartening,” Williams says.

She graduated six years ago from Canisius College in Buffalo, New York, with $46,000 in student loan debt. But, “thanks to capitalized interest and a year in forbearance,” she says, last year she still owed $51,500.

When a small raise in her salary threatened to increase her monthly payment by $100, she’d had enough.

“I already felt like I was paying too much per month because I had private loans that ranged from 8.5-9.5% that I felt like I was getting nowhere with,” she explains.

Like many students, Williams took out loans when she was 18 years old. Without a co-signer, she was bound by her underdeveloped credit score. She says it was decent for her age, but it still wasn’t good enough to secure a great interest rate.

In addition to the private loans, she was paying 6% interest on a consolidated federal loan.

With a few years of paying down debts and building credit under her belt, she was sure she could do better.

Taking Action

Williams finally decided to look into refinancing.

She was discouraged at first. Despite a credit score she says is over 800, one refinancing company denied her.

“It made me think that getting a refinanced loan was just a mirage that the banks claimed they were offering … I am happy to say I was proven wrong, and that is thanks to Credible,” Williams explains.

Credible is an independent student loan refinancing marketplace. Unlike a bank, which will give you just one offer — or none — the site shows you a range of personalized offers from a variety of lenders.

Depending on your situation, those offers could mean a lower monthly payment, a reduced interest rate and saving a ton of money over the life of your loan.

Through Credible, Williams was able to qualify for a refinanced loan that’s going to save her about $18,000 in interest.

“Refinancing knocked off at least five years in payments,” she reports.

Plus, “Credible helped me secure a 5.02% interest rate through [lender] Citizens Bank,” Williams adds — “drastically lower” than the 6%-9.5% she was previously paying on her loans!

And her monthly payment also has gone down, so it’s easier for her to make progress paying down her debt.

Williams’ case isn’t too unusual.

The average 2016 graduate with student loans will leave school with more than $37,000 in student loan debt, the Wall Street Journal reports.

As time goes by — and life happens — interest can turn that debt into a virtually unmanageable burden none of us prepared for.

Is Refinancing Student Loans Right for You?

Like Williams, you might be chained to an unwieldy interest rate you secured at a young age. But with time and responsible financial management, you could now qualify for a much better deal.

How do you know whether it’s the right move?

Refinancing will replace some — or all — of your existing debt with a new private loan. That means a new interest rate and repayment plan, so you have to decide whether it will be better than what you’re working with now.

Keep in mind that refinancing government loans with a private lender means giving up some borrower benefits, including access to income-driven repayment plans and the potential for loan forgiveness after 10, 20 or 25 years of payments.

But many borrowers decide that the savings they can realize through refinancing outweigh the value of those benefits.

The biggest questions to consider are:

1. Can you get a better interest rate?

Maybe your credit is stronger than it was when you were 18 years old. Maybe interest rates on student loans have gone down since you started school. Or maybe a new lender is simply able to offer you a better plan.

Whatever the reason, a reduced interest rate can mean saving thousands of dollars over the life of your loan.

2. Will it reduce your monthly payment?

Many of us are paralyzed by outrageous monthly loan payments that compete with rent, groceries and other basic living expenses.

When you can’t afford everything, student loan payments often fall by the wayside, racking up interest as they go unpaid. Reducing what you owe each month can help you get out from under your debt by making steady payments.

Refinancing into a loan with a longer term could reduce your monthly payment, though you may increase your overall repayment total.

3. Will you save money over time?

Your unpaid loan balance racks up interest, so the longer you take to pay it off, the more you’ll pay in the end.

Refinancing could help you repay your loans faster by increasing your monthly payment and potentially reducing your interest rate. Every month shaved off the life of your loan is money saved!

In fact, Credible reports that the average user saves $13,928 over the life of their loans.

And it’s more than just numbers. It’s about what you can do with the money you’ll save over the next 10 or 20 years.

With such steep savings, Williams says she’ll be able to throw more money into retirement and “take a few more vacations” over the years.

Plus, she says she’ll, “enjoy the feeling of not being tied to an anchor [of debt].”

Click here to take Credible’s two-minute quiz and find a new rate to decide whether refinancing is right for you.

Your Turn: Would you consider refinancing your student loans?

Sponsorship Disclosure: A huge thanks to Credible for working with us to bring you this content. It’s rare that we have the opportunity to share something so awesome and get paid for it!

Dana Sitar (@danasitar) is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. She’s written for Huffington Post, Entrepreneur.com, Writer’s Digest and more, attempting humor wherever it’s allowed (and sometimes where it’s not).

The post Here’s Exactly How This Woman Saved Over $18K on Her Student Loans appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.

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Betterment Investing Review: Make it Automatic with Betterment Investing

I love making things automatic.  Whether is is bill-paying, direct deposit, prescription renewals, or investing, making things automatic makes life easier and that is where our Betterment investing review comes in.

When it comes to retirement planning, an overwhelming number of online tools and websites promise to help you create a dynamic and profitable portfolio while minimizing fees.

This growing list of services includes robo-advisors, a class of financial websites that offer to manage your portfolio with minimal in-person interaction and a heavy reliance on the latest investing tools and software.

One of the most popular robo-advisors by far is Betterment. Conceptualized by its founders in 2010, Betterment has since grown to help its customers invest billions of dollars of their hard-earned dollars.

It hasn’t been easy. With other competitors like Wealthfront and Personal Capital always a few steps behind them, Betterment has struggled to find a way to stand out.  Even with the competition, Betterment has emerged as one of the top online brokerage accounts and continues to grow its market share.

What is Betterment?

Let’s first start off with, what exactly Betterment is – along with what you can actually expect from the service.

Betterment is an online financial advisor that uses advanced algorithms and software to find the perfect investment strategy for your portfolio and individual needs. The main difference between investing your money with a traditional financial advisor and Betterment is that there is minimal human interaction. Unless you email or call in, your communication with an individual advisor will be very minimal.

But, there is some good news to counteract the lack of individual service. Because of lower operating costs, Betterment is able to charge lower fees than traditional financial advisors. This can be huge for individuals who want to take a hands-off approach to their retirement accounts, yet don’t want to pay top dollar for access to a top tier financial advisor in their area.

Using complex tax software, Betterment allocates your investment portfolio based on your individual circumstances, investment timeline, and thirst for risk. In the meantime, they keep fees at a minimum by using ETFs (exchanged-traded funds) that let you diversify like mutual funds, but are tradeable much like stocks. Since ETFs come with very low expense ratios, Betterment is able to pass those savings along to the consumer.

Although the program already manages over $3 billion dollars for their clients, they are still growing at a rapid pace. Because the service is able and willing to deal with investors at all stages of wealth accumulation, it has become a go-to for both experienced and novice investors with various investing goals.

Further, Betterment’s portfolio strategy isn’t geared just for retirement savings; the service can also improve your returns on dollars you invest for short-term and medium-term goals like saving for college, taking an annual vacation, or building up a cash reserve.

Features

When you invest with Betterment, you’re hiring a robo-advisor who will balance your portfolio, help you invest in a smart and efficient way, and maximize your returns for minimal cost. This kind of scenario is perfect for investors who want to maximize their earnings, yet don’t want to deal with the day-to-day hassle of managing their own accounts.

With that in mind, here are some of the basic features that Betterment currently offers:

• Automated portfolio rebalancing – Automatically rebalances your portfolio for you based on your specifications.
• Fractional share investing – Fractional share investing ensures that every penny you have invested is working for you.
• Goal setting – With a handy online interface to figure out what you need to meet your goals – or create new ones.
• Portfolio customization – Advanced software will create a portfolio that has been customized just for you.
• Tax loss harvesting – Automatic tax loss harvesting will help reduce your tax burden and improve your returns over time.
• Tools and calculators – The online tools can help you learn advanced investing strategies and truly understand how your money is being invested and why.
• RetireGuide – Input your financial information into Betterment’s RetireGuide to get a glimpse at what you need you achieve your retirement goals, and potential investment strategies that could get you there.

Signing Up with Betterment

Going through the Betterment sign up process is one of the most user friendly I have seen for any brokerage.  If you can type at any sort of reasonable rate, the whole process should take about five minutes.  The questionnaire helps them determine your risk preference and the overall goals you are trying to reach with your investing.

Once you get through the questions, you link your bank account and you are in business.  Moving money into your Betterment account works just like any other bank transfer between accounts.  So if you are used to moving money electronically from checking to your savings account, then you are going to have no problems with the interface.

A Model Portfolio

With most brokerage accounts you could put together a simple model portfolio to give people an example of what to expect.  The problem in trying to do this with Betterment is that how each person answers the questions is going to change how the portfolio will be structured.

What we do know is that to avoid fees and lower costs to you, Betterment uses a mix of Bond and Stock ETFs.  If you are young, looking to retire 40 years from now, and have a high tolerance for risk, you are probably looking at a mix of 90% stock ETFs and 10% bond ETFs.  Someone who is getting closer to retirement and needs to protect their nest egg will see a much higher mix of bonds in their Betterment portfolio.

No matter how the mix comes out, you know that the algorithm is going to focus your investing based off of the choices you made in the questionnaire.  You can always go back and make adjustments to your answers and risk tolerance as your circumstances change.

Types of Accounts Betterment Supports

• IRAs
• Roth IRAs –  We have a posts to help you learn more about Roth IRA contribution limits for your reference
• Taxable Investment Accounts
• Trusts

When you invest with Betterment, your individual portfolio will be individualized for your needs. When you open an account, the service asks you a series of questions to determine your investment timeline, your appetite for risk, and what you hope to achieve throughout the process.

The information they collect during this interview helps them create a perfect blend of ETFs that can help you reach your goals. If you’re fairly young, that will likely mean your portfolio will hold a stronger allocation of stocks than bonds. As you age, however, your portfolio will automatically rebalance to reflect your changing needs and desired level of risk.

The main benefit that Betterment offers is that they take care of all of these details for you. Once you set your account up and enter all of the information they ask for, Betterment will take it from there.

What is the Cost?

Because Betterment leverages the use of technology instead of relying heavily in individual financial advisors, it is able to cut down on the costs associated with managing these accounts. However, there is a tiered approach to pricing. Simply put, the more money you have to invest, the less you’ll pay each year.

If you have less than $10,000 to invest, Betterment charges 0.35% annually. However, that percentage drops steadily from there. Having between $10,000 and $100,000 to invest, for example, results in an annual fee of 0.25%, whereas investing more than $100,000 allows you to pay just 0.15%.

Betterment Fees:

• $0 – $10,000: 0.35%
• $10,000 – $100,000: 0.25%
• $100,000+: 0.15%

While Betterment’s investment services are far from free, they are extremely affordable when you compare what it would cost to hire a top tier personal financial advisor. Further, the fact that they have no trade fees, no transaction fees, and no rebalancing fees lets you rest assured that you won’t be gouged by “extras” while your money is stashed away in your  account.

You will, however, have to pay fees associated with the ETFs your portfolio picks up. This is an unfortunate fact, but the truth is, these fees are charged on all ETFs and Betterment does not receive a percentage. Generally speaking, the fees you’ll pay for the ETFs in your portfolio will cost around 0.10%.

But remember, these fees are in addition to the underlying percentage you’re paying Betterment to manage your portfolio. That doesn’t change the value of this service, and it certainly doesn’t cut down on the affordability factor, but I wanted to mention that for full disclosure.

It’s also important to note that, for accounts that hold less than $10,000, you’ll need to set up a monthly deposit of at least $100 to avoid paying a $3/month account fee.

Who Should Use Betterment?

While nearly anyone who invests could benefit from the online portfolio management and advising, this service is definitely geared to certain types of investors. In most cases, Betterment will work best for:

• Hands-off investors who have some investing knowledge – Since it takes care of the heavy lifting for you, it works best for investors who want to take a hands-off approach to their investment portfolio. Passive investors can let Betterment handle the logistics while using online account management to keep a close eye on their accounts.
• Investors with more than $100,000 in their portfolio – Betterment charges some of the lowest fees in the business to investors with more than $100,000 in their accounts. Because of this, high net worth investors should seriously consider investing to take advantage of this fee structure.
• Novice investors who need help – Beginning investors who are just learning the ropes can turn to Betterment for online portfolio management with low fees. The many online tools and user-friendly interface make it easy to beginners to get a grasp on basic financial concepts and investing strategies.

Who Shouldn’t Use?

While Betterment is perfect for certain types of investors, robo-advisors in general may turn out to be a raw deal for other types. In most cases, it will not work well for:

• Investors who want to speak to a financial advisor regularly – Since all business is conducted online, you won’t have continuous access to a financial advisor. If you want to speak with someone frequently, you might be better off paying more for a top financial advisor in your area.
• Investors who cannot afford $100 per month – The only real downside that I see when doing my Betterment review is that if you don’t have a lump sum of  $10,000 or $100 a month to invest you get hit with the high fees.  This isn’t a big obstacle for most, but it would be nice to have some exceptions.
• Investors who love to trade stocks frequently – If you’re not a buy-and-hold investor, Betterment will be more of a drag than a benefit. The company’s focus on ETFs hamper the process of individual trading. If short-term stock trades are your game, you’ll be much better off with a service like Scottrade.

If you determine that you would be better served by a more hands on approach check out the other top brokerage account options before you make your final investing decision. Being a certified financial planner I have had a great chance to work with several of these platforms and have done the following reviews:

• Motif Investing Review
• Lending Club Review
• TradeKing Review
• OptionsHouse Review
• E*Trade Review

I want everyone to feel comfortable with any investment before they dive in, whether it be a short term investment or long term.

Final Thoughts

While robo-advisors are much more popular than they were just a few years ago, they could easily replace in-person advisors in the near future. With lower fees and advanced software that can maximize results, online investing certainly is gaining an edge.

Whether Betterment is right for you depends on your individual needs and investing goals. If you’re a hands-off investor who wants to grow your retirement funds without paying a lot of fees, then Betterment might be ideal. Conversely, beginning investors can benefit handsomely from the online tools and investing education offered through the Betterment website.

If you think Betterment investing might be exactly that your portfolio needs, sign up for a new account today.

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The Anatomy of Virality: How to Engineer the Perfect Viral Blog Article

You hear the term viral all the time.

I’m regularly reading Internet content that has “gone viral” or watching the latest viral video post. I research virality, and I read articles about content virality.

Virality is a big deal. If you think about it, viral content is what shapes our culture.

The idea of viral content has become rooted in Internet culture. It’s obviously something that most bloggers and marketers strive to achieve with their content.

Viral content can come in many forms and mean different things to different people.

For example, by some standards, I’ve written several “viral” articles—articles that were viewed by millions and shared by thousands. But when I compare my little blog article to other viral pieces of content, I see that its reach is tiny.

The underlying quality of a viral piece of content is that it circulates rapidly across the Internet and reaches a widespread audience in a short period of time.

It can go from obscurity to mass exposure overnight.

Whether it’s a meme, video, blog post, or commercial, viral content has a way of capturing the attention of people from all walks of life.

There’s something exceptional about it even if you can’t necessarily put your finger on it.

Although there’s no magical recipe that instantly makes a blog article epic and uber-sharable, there is certainly a formula you can follow to achieve virality. After all, virality is a scientific phenomenon, even if achieving insane levels, like 2.5 billion views, isn’t predictable.

You can engineer virality to a certain degree. You start by understanding a few factors and elements that unite viral content.

Here’s a sequence you can follow to engineer the perfect viral blog article.

Content type

First things first. Which types of content receive the most shares?

I think you’ll agree that it’s easier to watch a four-minute music video, for example, than to read a 2,000-word article.

I’m interested in written content for the purposes of our discussion, so I’ll stick to long-form articles.

OkDork and Buzzsumo analyzed over 100 million articles to uncover underlying patterns that contribute to virality.

Here’s what they found in terms of what content was shared the most:

When it comes to blog content, you’ll notice that list articles performed the best overall by a fairly large margin.

This is followed by “why posts,” “what posts,” and “how-to articles.”

So, in theory, you’d have the best odds of your article going viral if you created a list—more specifically, a 10-item list because it increases your odds even more.

According to OkDork, “10 item lists on average received the most social shares—on average 10,621 social shares. In fact, they had four times as many social shares on average than the 2nd most popular list number: 23.” The next best performing articles were lists of 16 and 24 items.

The exact number isn’t as important as the fact that it’s a list. BuzzFeed, the king of listicles, regularly produces viral listicles. When I checked on Buzzsumo the most popular articles in the past year, two of the top five were listicles.

The number seems a bit arbitrary. But the fact that it’s a list? That’s the appeal.

Keep this in mind when deciding on the number of items to include on a list.

Content length

The word count of an article is another huge factor in determining the potential for virality.

There’s a common misconception about long content.

It goes like this:

• If the content is long…
• …then nobody will read it.

Guess what? That’s totally false.

Obviously read is a slippery term, so I won’t get into the mechanics of what reading means to people.

Here’s what I do know: longer content gets more shares, backlinks, views, and all the good things that great content deserves.

Here’s what the study mentioned above revealed:

By analyzing this graph, it’s clear that the higher the word count, the better the likelihood of a blog article going viral: 3,000-10,000 words generated the highest overall number of shares.

And this totally makes sense if you think about it.

I’ve definitely noticed a pattern where long, well-researched, in-depth content kills it, while your average, run-of-the-mill 500-word articles achieve only marginal results.

Although people may not read a long article in its entirety, they’re still likely to scan it. To me, that’s important. I try to create articles so people can get value from them even if they don’t read every word.

Aiming for at least 2,000 words per post is ideal if you want your content to get shared across a wide audience.

Evoking the right emotions

Next, there’s the issue of getting readers to feel certain emotions.

The same study from OkDork and Buzzsumo revealed which content received the most number of shares based on the emotions it evoked:

According to these findings, the top four emotions to target are:

1. Awe
2. Laughter
3. Amusement
4. Joy

What’s the underlying pattern of these emotions?

They’re primarily positive emotions.

Although awe could be positive or negative, laughter, amusement, and joy are all emotions that make people smile and bring about good feelings.

You’ll also notice that negative emotions, like anger and sadness, don’t perform as well. What’s the takeaway? Positive content has a far better chance of going viral than negative content.

Capitalizing on trends

Striking while the iron is hot is also important.

If you can create blog content based on something that’s wildly popular at the moment, the potential for virality increases exponentially.

Although this approach is likely to have a fairly short shelf life and probably won’t be evergreen, you can still generate some massive exposure for a little while.

And if your content is epic, there’s a good chance that many readers will return to your site to see what else you’ve been up to.

Buzzsumo offers a great example.

They mention an article on Fox News Travel from 2015 that talks about a zombie-themed “Walking Dead” cruise.

This article managed to generate a whopping 1.5 million shares and over 400,000 comments. Not bad for a piece about undead brain eaters.

The lesson here is that writing content based on current trends can definitely work in your favor.

Visuals

People love visuals. They make even the most mundane content come to life and bring the points of a blog article into a cohesive whole.

So as you might imagine, images play a considerable role in virality.

To put it simply, including images in your content increases your odds of getting shares.

Skipping images reduces those odds.

Here’s a graph that shows the impact images can have:

As you can see, articles with at least one image greatly outperform articles without any images.

In fact, having just one image will theoretically double your number of shares.

However, I wouldn’t stop at just one. The more visual appeal, the better.

That’s why I always make sure I include at least a handful of images in every blog article I write.

Author byline

There’s also the issue of a byline, which briefly tells the reader who the author of an article is.

In this case, that’s you.

OkDork and Buzzsumo found that this is also a factor in virality:

Overall, content with a byline/bio receives more shares than content without one.

While there’s virtually no difference in terms of shares on Facebook, it definitely makes a difference on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+.

But why?

It’s simple. Having a byline lets readers know who the author is, which adds to the article’s credibility.

More trustworthiness = more shares.

Do yourself a favor and make sure to include your byline with each article, ideally with a professional-looking headshot.

Posting at the right time

One factor that’s commonly overlooked is the day of the week a blog article is posted.

Research has found that the odds of content going viral are increased considerably when the article is posted during the weekdays. More specifically, Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays are your best bets.

There’s a very clear drop off on the weekends, which makes sense, considering many people are out and about and less likely to be glued to the Internet.

For the best possible chances of your article going viral, it would be smart to post on a Tuesday.

The power of influencers

One last thing. If you can get influencers to share your content with their audiences, the potential for virality goes through the roof.

Here’s what I mean:

Even if you can get just one influencer to share your content, the results can be significant.

But if you can somehow get five influencers to do this, it can have a monumental, earth-shattering impact.

Of course, this is easier said than done.

But one strategy for getting an influencer on board is to first see which types of content they’ve shared in the past.

You can then base your article around a similar topic and reach out to the influencer once it’s completed.

Putting it all together

Here’s the deal.

You can never tell for sure whether or not any given piece of content will go viral.

There is a nearly infinite number of factors involved, and you can never fully predict how people will react.

However, you can follow a formula to give yourself the best possible chance.

Let’s recap.

• Create a “list article,” ideally with 10 items. Otherwise, lists with 23, 16, and 24 items work best.
• Make sure it’s a fairly long article with at least 2,000 words. However, the more words, the better. Pieces with 3,000-10,000 words receive the most shares on average.
• Try to stick with positive themes that evoke awe, laughter, amusement, and joy. Don’t kill the vibe of your audience with overly negative themes.
• Base your article around a popular trend that’s sweeping the world at the moment.
• Include visuals. One image is a must, but don’t be afraid to go a little crazy with your images. Your audience should respond favorably.
• Insert your byline/bio at the end of the article to boost your credibility.
• Post during the weekdays. Tuesday is ideal.
• Reach out to relevant influencers, and try to get them to share your article with their followers. If you can manage to get five influencers to share, your exposure will quadruple.

Conclusion

Just think of all the benefits a viral blog article can have.

You can create instant exposure for your brand, grow your social media following, generate a massive volume of leads, and increase your brand equity.

Along with this, it’s reasonable to expect that your sales numbers will increase significantly as well.

By understanding the key elements contributing to content going viral, you can devise a more effective strategy.

And once you “crack the virality code,” you can simply rinse and repeat.

What do you think the most important element of a blog article is in order for it to go viral?

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