Finance Globe

U.S. financial and economic topics from several finance writers.

Mary Tomkins is a freelance writer located in Spartanburg, SC, with emphasis on economic news and research on the financial industry.

Life Insurance - Protecting Your Family's Most Valuable Asset

Why do you need life insurance and how much do you need?Life insurance is to provide your family with income in the event that you are no longer around to provide it. Generally, a person’s life insurance needs are low when they are just starting out with no dependents, increase as they become responsible for a family, and then later decrease again as children become adults and begin taking care of themselves. A single adult doesn’t...
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A Dollar Saved is a Dollar Earned

Many Americans live paycheck to paycheck. We juggle our bills based on our next payday. We’d like to save money, but it seems there’s never anything left over to save. There’s only one way to ensure we have the required savings for future needs, and that’s to plan for it. By creating and adhering to a realistic, workable budget, we can designate a steady amount to go to our savings. Little by little, the savings will...
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Put Your Savings Away Safely

There are three important factors to consider in any type of savings or investment: 1) Safety – The protection against partial or total loss. Money deposited into a financial institution account, up to $100,000, is insured by the federal government against loss, by the FDIC for banks, and by the NCUA for credit unions. They will sport the appropriate sticker on their front window for all to see. Stocks, bonds, mutual funds, annuities, municipal securities, and...
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Stretching a Dollar Without Being Stingy

Stretching a Dollar Without Being Stingy
Saving money doesn’t mean being cheap. We all love luxury, quality, and convenience. We also love security and freedom. It’s smart to save money where it’s easy, so you can redirect that cash to areas where you’ll benefit most, possibly a much needed vacation, kid’s college education, a better house, and an enjoyable retirement. Being frugal isn’t about depriving yourself; it’s about making smart financial decisions and getting the most for your money. Changing your spending...
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Setting a Budget That Works

Setting a Budget That Works
Why budget? Many people earn a paycheck, use credit cards, pay bills, and go shopping without ever knowing exactly how much money is actually coming in or going out. Any financially successful business must track earnings and expenditures to know whether or not they are making a profit. Why does an individual think that he could get ahead financially without doing the same? A budget is a money management plan, a roadmap to your financial destination....
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10 Actions That Will Improve Your Financial Outlook

Are you on the road to financial independence? Do you look to the future with a sense of security? Are you confident that your responsible financial decisions will assure you a comfortable retirement? No matter your age, now is the time to take steps to secure your financial future. If you’re fresh out of college, time is your best friend; smart decisions now will be compounded over the many years and paychecks. If you are nearing...
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Juggling Your Credit Cards

So, you have a wallet full of credit cards. How do you choose the one you’re going to use every time you pay for something? Is it the card with the best rewards? Is it the card with the 0% introductory rate? Is it the only card you have that’s not maxed out?The more credit cards you have, the more complicated it can be to figure out which one is the best choice for every purchase....
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Beware of Credit Repair Scams

“We can erase bad credit!”“Create a new credit identity!” “Remove bankruptcies, judgments, liens, bad loans from your credit file forever!” We all want to improve our credit. Whether we have excellent credit or shaky credit, getting a better credit rating will get us better loan and credit card terms than we already have available to us. We can take steps to legally improve our credit, but scam artists will attempt to mislead us and take our...
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Bankruptcy Basics

Bankruptcy is a federal court process designed to help consumers repay their debts under the protection of the bankruptcy court, or possibly eliminate the debts altogether, depending on which type of bankruptcy is filed for. The court-ordered protection given by bankruptcy can give you a chance to start over financially. The calls from your creditors will stop - they are prohibited from attempting to collect debts once you file for bankruptcy. Filing for bankruptcy should only...
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Are You Considering Bankruptcy?

You have a lot of debt. There may be high medical bills, loss of a job, divorce, or other unforeseen circumstances, which caused your bills to get the best of you. Your mortgage and car payment are a few months behind, and you’re lucky to be able to afford the minimum payments on your credit cards. You don’t answer your phone, because you know your creditors are calling you to remind you that your payments have...
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