Should You Have Your Tax Prep Fees Taken Out Of Your Tax Refund?

Being placed on a college admissions waitlist can create a mixed bag of emotions for applicants. On one hand, it isn’t an outright rejection, but on the other, it can feel as though you're being left on the sidelines.After all the effort you’ve put into essays, interviews, and extracurriculars, being placed on a waitlist can be discouraging and frustrating. But understanding how a waitlist actually functions—and more importantly, what your odds of getting in might be—can help ease some of that uncertainty and inform your next steps.We’ll dig into how the college waitlist process works, factors that influence acceptance from a waitlist, and what you can do to improve your chances. We’ll also look at real data from UC Berkeley's 2022 admissions cycle to give you a sense of how waitlist odds play out in reality.

Many people wonder just how much money they actually need to retire. In fact, it’s actually one of the most common questions people ask in regard to retirement. However, it may not be the easiest question to answer, as there are so many variables—many of which are unknown.You can begin to grasp how much you will need to retire, though, by considering the following questions.

Debt settlement is widely talked about as a way to get out of debt, but not many people truly understand how it works.You may have recently experienced a financial hardship and are strongly considering consolidating your debts to relieve some pressure. Before bankruptcy, there are two main debt consolidation options to consider. The first is a debt consolidation personal loan. This is often for those who still have a good credit score and debt-to-income (DTI) ratio. The second is debt consolidation via debt settlement, which is what we will cover today. The debt settlement industry has had many companies that have been unscrupulous. In fact, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has repeatedly warned borrowers that dealing with debt settlement companies can be risky. Does that mean that all of these companies are bad and you should never work with one?​Let's look at how debt settlement works, its pros and cons, and the most common scams and red flags of unethical debt settlement companies. Here's what you need to know.

Here's our financial checklist of the best money moves you can make by the end of the year to maximize your savings and investments while minimizing your taxes.The end of the year can be a whirlwind. But the actions you take over these final months can have large impacts on your tax bill next April and your long-term financial health. By taking proactive steps now, you can ensure that your financial life is organized and primed for success as you head into the new year. Wondering which items are most important to add to your end-of-year financial to-do list? Below are nine money moves to make before the new year to boost your bottom line.

Embarking on the journey to higher education is a life-changing decision. One of the first and biggest challenges many prospective students encounter is whether to pursue a college education in-state or out-of-state. As you know, the average cost of tuition has been on an upward trajectory since sometime around the 1980s. College tuition at a public four-year university increased 9.24% between 2010 and 2022, averaging a 12% increase each year in that period. Not only does higher tuition mean greater costs for education, but it also means greater likelihood of finding yourself graduating with larger student loans. This is particularly concerning when the average student loan debt of recent graduates is $33,500. In this episode, I’ll dive into the reasons why opting for an in-state college might prove to be a better long-term decision for you. From location and affordability to in-state benefits and quality of education, I aim to shed light on the advantages of keeping your educational investment in-state.

This Halloween’s most terrifying stories have more to do with your money than goblins and zombies.In light of this spooky season, we’re sharing some scary financial statistics and facts about money that could happen to you. But no need to run screaming, we give you a few recommendations to help you if you’re ever caught in any of these situations.

Should you pay extra to have your tax prep fees taken out of your upcoming tax refund? It sounds like an appealing offer - paying nothing out of pocket. But is it really worth it?The help of a tax preparation service can make your life easier and potentially lead to savings on your tax bill, but having to pay up front for tax prep services can feel like a hit to your wallet. One option is to allow the company to take your tax preparation fees directly from your future tax refund. We explore when it makes sense to pay for tax preparation services, when it doesn't, and the logistics of paying.

If you’re a business owner, the end of the year can be a very busy time.With the holiday season on the horizon, you may be juggling the demands of your business while making space to spend time with family and friends. There are several things you can do by the end of the year to end on a high note and get ready for tax season. With only 12 weeks left, here are some things business owners should do before the end of the year.

More and more people are learning how to make money using AI (artificial intelligence). The impact of AI on freelancing has been the subject of plenty of discussion as artificial intelligence begins to transform how freelancers operate and get paid. With a wide range of tools available on several platforms, you can now leverage AI to improve your productivity and provide clients with cutting-edge solutions.In this article, we'll explore how AI can be used to perform various side hustles and freelance work, from content writing to affiliate marketing to video creation via YouTube.

How much will college cost for students aiming to enter in the fall? The most recent data on the average cost of college is out, and we're breaking down the details.If you’re a millennial or Gen Zer, you might have heard people in their 50s and 60s talking about working their way through college and graduating with little debt. Today, that seems impossible. And that has contributed to students graduating with an average of $30,000 in student loan debt.How much does college cost today? Is it worth it to pay that much for a college degree? Well, we have the data through 2023 (the most recent available), so let's break it down.In today’s post, we’ll talk about the average cost of a college education over time and how you can get the most for your money as you research and decide on which colleges to attend.