Things On Your Tax Return That Can Get You Audited By The IRS + MORE

The social network has over 600 million daily users who regularly post details about their lives and personal interests, but that’s not enough information for Facebook.The Boston Globe reports that Facebook is starting to buy data from more data brokers – companies that create massive databases of personal information by combining records from retailers and online tracking cookies…

Resource markets can be tough markets in which to make profits consistently. The trouble is that most companies in the resource businesses, from energy to mining and industrial products, rally with rising prices and then fall quickly when market prices inevitably reverse course.
Take the petroleum market, for example…

I have very lucid dreams that I can remember in incredible detail for several hours or so after I wake up. Sometimes, I’ll even write them down.
Do I think they have deep meaning or have some supernatural connection? No. I do think that dreams are one way that our subconscious throws out the mental trash, though, and sometimes in the trash you can find treasure…

Found quite a few gems on the interwebs lately, and couldn’t wait ’til Friday’s roundup to share ‘em… This is exactly what my brain looks like internally in case you ever wondered 😉
Target Goggles!
Sick of going to Target and buying stuff you don’t need? Then try out Target Goggles! Haha… I could use these more so at TJ Maxx than anywhere…

Whether or not you know it, you have talents, talents — or stuff — that other people want and will pay for. Among the five sites and services profiled below, I assure that you can generate some extra income with a service or item you may not even have known was marketable…

I recently had a reader send me the following email:

I have three sons who are 10, 8 and 5. Like many families we have several iPads/iPhones. My boys ask me daily if they can get (XYZ) app. All our devices have a password so my wife and I can control what they are getting. Many times we say yes, especially if it is free…

Average Age of Accounts After App Party via Credit KarmaA few weeks back I let you guys in on my first credit card application party/spree plans. I’m back with the results of the party. Below I’ll explain how the applications went, how my credit was affected, and how I’m doing in meeting my minimum spend requirements…

Every month, money comes in, and money goes out. When your money is going out, it can go out one of two ways. You have your fixed expenses – costs that are about the same every month, and your variable expenses. Variable expenses are just that – fluctuating from month to month depending on hunger, weather, and willpower…

It’s a good thing I have a cousin-in-law that works for a Wells Fargo retail branch. He always fills me in on things I need to know about the companies personal banking products (Girl Ninja and I are WF clients). Normally I’d be all about a local credit union or community bank, but Wells Fargo has a product line called the Portfolio Management Account (PMA) that is pretty swaggerific…

Small business owners face a number of challenges to start and sustain an operation. One of the vital components to their success, apart from the typical key attributes, is their ability to obtain financing (unless they are among the fortunate few who have a windfall to kick start their entrepreneurial journey)…

My wife and I have two cars, one of which is nearing the end of its life. So, we’re in the market for a new vehicle. My wife would like one that functions better in the snow when we’re up north in the winter, and we both want to get a brand new car that will be reliable and safe for years to come…

My wife and I use coupons, look for deals, and generally try to get the best price on things we buy. There are a number of websites we use that help us save money. I thought others would find these websites of value as well, so in a two-post series I will be highlighting websites that help you save money…

So, I know it’s only April and life is unpredictable, but I am on par to save just over $15,000 this year on top of my regular IRA contributions, etc.
I did this by taking part in my employer’s savings program, where they hold a percentage of my income in a tax free account, distributing it every 3 months…

Today I bought a Buck and Doe ticket at work.  For those of you unfamiliar with a Buck and Doe it is the same as a Jack and Jill.  For those of you unfamiliar with a Jack and Jill it is party that can take the form of a dance or a barbeque  or other alcohol fueled celebration for a  young couple before they get married…

This post is by staff writer Honey Smith. There are many personal finance books out there, useful to people in all stages of personal finance. I have a lot to learn before reaching financial independence, and the editorial elves thought it would be useful if I shared some of what I learn with you. So for the foreseeable future, I will be reviewing one PF-related book per month…

If you are recently out of bankruptcy you’re going to face challenges, one of which will be to re-establish your credit. You might think that once you file for bankruptcy you’ll never borrow money again, but the reality of life in the 21st Century is that you will need credit at some point. And rest assured, even with a bankruptcy in your past, you will be able get credit again…

Buying a car has always been an expensive proposition. Auto loans are often the second biggest expense that an individual has after buying a home. Despite an economy that has seen housing prices decline and wages stagnate, automobile prices have continued to rise. In order to deal with the rising prices of automobiles, lending institutions have been extended loan terms longer and longer…

In spite of the statistics and the down economy, there are some that ARE financially ready for retirement. How do we know when to pull the trigger and enter retirement? For many, inertia and fear of the unknown keep us plugging away at sub-prime careers far past the time we should leave.
How can you know when the time is right for you to retire? Here are the questions to ask yourself to get your answer to “When should I retire?”
Please note that I am not any kind of retirement specialist…

Though Earth Day is a few weeks away, the start of spring is a great time to evaluate your daily habits and determine opportunities to reduce, reuse and recycle. In addition to a greener, cleaner lifestyle, this analysis also results in financial savings. Careful examination forces you to consider simpler, more resourceful approaches to everyday tasks…

The gold sector is ripe for a rally.
Gold miners have had a horrible year. The sector is down 17 percent so far in 2013. It is the most beaten-down group of stocks over the past two years.
Valuations have reached the point of absurdity. I’m not waiting to buy gold stocks anymore.
I’ve seen this setup before…

 
 
When buying a house, a buyer is probably making the biggest investment of his or her life and must know how to come up with a serious down payment. On top of that, most buyers will need to spend a substantial amount of money moving and preparing the new house. Sadly, many potential homebuyers do not know how to save money to buy a house…

What kinds of things encourage the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to take a second look at your tax return?
Barring egregious misrepresentation, it’s not easy to say. The computer formula the agency uses to cull tax returns for errors and falsehood — known as the Discriminant Information Function — isn’t shared with the public…

Do you have a hobby that can generate some income? I used to enjoy several hobbies. I wasn’t particularly good at any of them, but I enjoyed spending time on them.
We have gone though a lot of changes over the last few years and I feel like I don’t have time for hobbies anymore. First of all, we had a kid and that soaked up tons of time…

Ah freedom, you’ve been waiting for this for 18 years. Now, you are responsible for yourself. You can come and go as you please and enjoy things that you were not allowed to in the past. However, with freedom comes responsibility. Now, you are financially responsible for yourself as well. This means that it’s up to you to create and maintain financial stability for yourself…