Money Mondays
What do consumers need to know now about credit card debt, correct? That’s right. Credit card debt is almost always a bad thing, but in the wake of the great recession Americans really worked hard to pay down their credit cards, reducing the amount of debt that we collectively carried by nearly $200 billion. However, […]
Today’s Money Mondays topic is crowdfunding. Why? Mellody: As of last week, new rules rolled out by the Securities and Exchange commission will permit anyone, not just the well-heeled, to risk their own money investing in small companies in exchange for a stake in the business. Essentially, it allows anyone to act as a venture […]
Tom: You are here this morning to talk about the growth of freelancing, correct? Mellody: I am, Tom. One of the huge stories that has emerged in the wake of the great recession is the so-called gig economy. Fueled by our ability to connect through technology and the changing labor market, this marketplace of jobs […]
Tom: This morning we have a bit of a serious topic: estate planning. Mellody: Obviously, no one likes to think about their own mortality, but I don’t see this as a dark topic. Rather than taking the negative view of this, you should consider all of the positive outcomes of that task, such as ensuring […]
Tom: You have a great topic for us today: Paying for college. Mellody: It is that time of year, Tom. College acceptance letters have gone out, and parents and graduates are starting to take a hard look at schools, and an even harder look at their ability to pay for college. And it deserves […]
Tom: Let’s start with the basics: what are the Panama Papers? Mellody: They are 11.5 million internal files from a Panamanian law firm called Mossack Fonseca, which specializes in offshore accounts and tax shelters. They include emails, contracts, transcriptions and other documents. To put this in perspective, Edward Snowden leaked just 58,000 documents. In […]
Tom: Tax day is just around the corner. Do you have tips for those who have procrastinated? Mellody: The annual late tax talk. Of course we have advice for last-minute filers. For all of you last-minute filers our there, the first thing to be aware of is the date change. The filing deadline in […]
Tom: This morning we have another topic that listeners had a number of questions about: Social security. Are you ready to help us out? Mellody: I most certainly am! First, let’s start with the basics. Is everyone eligible? Actually, not everyone is automatically eligible, but it is not very difficult. In order to qualify for benefits, […]
Tom: We have a great topic this morning – how to take care of your old 401k accounts. Mellody: This is a very important topic, and it has come to my attention that some of your listeners are unsure of what to do with – or where to find! – their old 401k accounts. […]
Tom: This morning you join us to talk about overdraft charges. Mellody: I do, because this is a very big issue many people are confronted with every month. A number of banks hit people with charges or fees when they overdraw their accounts, and in many cases account holders find themselves in a very vicious cycle. […]
Tom: Today you’re giving us an update on the state of Black entrepreneurship. Mellody: I decided that a good way to close out Black History Month would be to look at the future, and what better way to do that than highlighting those in our community that are striking out on their own to start […]
Tom: The topic this morning is inequality in credit scores. Tell us about it. Mellody: Well, Tom, it turns out that pay is not the only place we find disparities between men and women when it comes to financial health. Beyond the numbers on your paycheck, a recent report from the website credit sesame […]
