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Can You Get a Single Check from the Bank?

July 7, 2024July 23, 2023 by Finance Gourmet

Although checks are less commonly used than they once were, there are certain instances where writing a check is the only option, or just the better option. You can get a checkbook from the bank by ordering checks at your bank or credit union. You can save money if your bank’s check books are too expensive by ordering checks from Costco or other companies if your bank marks their checks up too high. However, that might be overkill if you only need a single check, or just a few starter checks from your bank or credit union. Can you get a single check from the bank? If you want the bank to issue a check on your behalf, you can get a cashier’s check, or bank check. Most banks and credit unions will print a small number of checks for their customers on demand if you come into the branch. Usually, these few checks are printed at the bank and come with a new account or loan as a way to provide access to the new account while a full order of printed checks is on the way, but they’ll usually print some for free if you just ask. At …

Should I Open a CD Now Before the Next Fed Meeting?

July 12, 2023 by Finance Gourmet

The Federal Reserve has been highly predictable for the last few years thanks to Covid and a brittle economy, but high inflation changed the game. Now knowing if you should open a CD before the next Fed meeting is a little trickier. However, this Fed hasn’t changed its stripes and predicting the Fed’s moves in the short term is still easy enough to make decisions with your money. Should I Open a CD If the Fed Is Raising Interest Rates? If you bought a 5-year CD paying 1.45% a year or two ago, that probably feels like a bad move buying a CD. Don’t feel too bad you aren’t the only ones. Professional asset managers bankrupted a favorite Silicon Valley stock by buying long-term treasuries when they were paying pennies. Like you, they took what they could get. Ideally, you want to wait until the Fed raises interest rates before buying a CD. Higher rate CDs mean more interest for you. However, you have to remember about opportunity cost. Opportunity cost is the value of what you could have been doing with your money while you were doing something else, like waiting for the Fed to raise interest rates. That …

Remote Work Taxes

July 3, 2023 by Finance Gourmet

Remote work is changing every aspect of the modern professional’s life. No more long commutes. No more monthly parking expenses. Maybe even no more car. How remote work taxes occur is the next frontier. Taxes for Remote Work The evolution of the workplace has seen a significant shift towards remote work, a trend accentuated by recent global events like the COVID-19 pandemic. With an increasing number of individuals and businesses embracing this new normal, it’s vital to understand the accompanying tax implications. This guide outlines key points to consider and strategies to optimally manage taxes in the world of remote work. Federal Income Taxes on Remote Work If you live or work in America, the U.S. government requires your income to be taxable. If you are a citizen of another country and you don’t spend too much time in the U.S. there can be some ways around it. For average, middle-class workers looking at their tax options, there is no difference between a job in Utah, and an office in Minnesota than there is from a job in the same building as the company headquarters. You’ll get your W2 and you will pay income tax. What about state taxes and …

Supreme Court Blocks Loan Cancellation

June 30, 2023 by Finance Gourmet

Alright, here is the short, short version typed up as fast as I possibly can, while I wait for my documents at the title company. In Washington D.C. they have been stretching legislation to lift more than it as designed to since before they built the Congressional building. This time, the Supreme Court decided it was too far. On a party line vote, Republicans said no, and Democrats said yes. The reasons are moot. It’s time to look at your money. Student Loan Payments Deferred Back during the pandemic when everyone was worried the economy was on the verge of collapse with hundreds of thousands of Americans unable to work because their jobs were shut down, the Feds put a pause on student loan payments. It turns out that a lot of people were spending a lot of their after-tax income paying student loans instead of consuming the goods and services that drive the economy. An extra couple hundred dollars a month can do that for you. The student loan payment pause is ending. I don’t know why Republicans hated the student payments thing so much. Maybe it’s just that they didn’t want people to have something to like about …

It Takes Money To Make Money Webull Example

November 11, 2024June 20, 2023 by Finance Gourmet

I’m writing up a comprehensive Webull review as part of my ongoing series of brokerage app reviews where I do comparisons like Webull vs Robinhood, look at is Webull legit, and my personal finance apps reviews. My hands-on Webull review includes actually depositing money and using the Webull app to buy and sell stocks, cryptos, and options. I feel like a real review of Webull or any other finance app requires putting your money where your mouth is, so to speak. Of course, for the purpose of writing a personal finance review of Webull, I’m not going to drop thousands of dollars into a new app I have no experience with just to try it out. My freelance financial writing business does pretty well, but maybe not THAT well. This article is not a recommendation to buy or sell any securities mentioned below. Some of the links below are referral links and may result in compensation to myself or Finance Gourmet. Invest In Webull Make Money Percentages Alright some context before we take a look at the screenshot. First, Webull gave me a single share of stock free in Genworth Financial for signing up for an account. In other words, …

WalletHub Review Is It Legit or Scam Free Credit Reports

February 3, 2024June 18, 2023 by Finance Gourmet

WalletHub reviews are mostly positive, but let’s take a deeper look into exactly who WalletHub is, and what they do. What Is WalletHub? WalletHub is an online financial service that offers personal finance tools for users. The main offering is a daily free credit score, and the related free credit report. After taking a close look, here is my WalletHub review. Is WalletHub Legit, or is WalletHub a scam? In order for a company to pull and use your credit report, and then calculate a credit score, it will need to collect personal identifying information. This is exactly the kind of information you don’t want to be handing off to a scammer, so the first item of business with a company like this is determining if Wallet Hub is legitimate or not. So, the first step of any Wallet Hub review needs to be finding out who they are. WalletHub is an offering by a company called Evolution Finance. The company was founded in 2008, according to Bloomberg, and has been mentioned numerous times in the media. The original product was a credit card comparison website called CardHub. This isn’t a WalletHub scam necessarily. You can still get there if you …

State Government Pensions

June 17, 2023 by Finance Gourmet

State government pension plans represent a touchstone of public finance, providing long-term financial stability for millions of public sector workers. This comprehensive, yet focused guide will take you through what these pension plans are, how they function, and the benefits workers receive in their retirement years. How Does a Local Government Pension Plan Work? At its core, a state government pension plan is a long-term savings and investment plan designed to provide income to public sector employees after they retire. These plans are typically defined benefit plans, meaning that the retirement income is predetermined based on several factors including salary, length of service, and a benefit multiplier, unlike defined contribution plans where the retirement benefits depend on investment returns. The most significant advantage of these state government pension plans is their predictability. Because they’re structured as defined benefit plans, they provide retirees with a steady, guaranteed stream of income for life, regardless of market fluctuations or economic conditions. This ensures that the retiree can maintain a desired standard of living post-retirement. How do these state government pension plans work? The process is fairly straightforward. Both the employee and employer contribute a certain percentage of the employee’s salary towards the pension …

Good Dividend Investment in Johnson & Johnson

June 5, 2023 by Finance Gourmet

It’s no secret I am a big fan of dividend investing. What better way to invest than to let the company you are investing in pay you to hold onto their stock until it makes a sweet, profitable trade. What is a good dividend stock to invest in is a multilayered question, but you can’t go wrong starting with a look at the Dividend Kings. Johnson & Johnson Good Time to Invest? Chances are pretty good that you have heard of Johnson & Johnson. In addition to being a household name for all of the reasons you know, it is also a household name for dozens of products you use every day that just don’t have the J&J name on them. Johnson & Johnson stock trades under the JNJ ticker symbol. It is part of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, and the S&P 500 index. As a dividend king, J&J has raised its dividend every year for 50 consecutive years. When a company can do that, it means that they are busy running a profitable company and not chasing executive bonus tiers. As you can imagine, J&J is not a growth stock, but that is okay. Johnson and Johnson will …

CIT Bank High Yield Savings

June 4, 2023 by Finance Gourmet

Getting high interest rates from CIT Bank is not that hard, but as always, you want to be sure it is the right choice for your finances. High Interest Rates Online Savings As with most things these days, there is a way to get a better financial deal on your money if you find an online bank without the overhead of a local bank. We’ve talked before about Marcus high-yield savings, Goldman Sach’s, entry in the high online interest account world. Like Marcus, CIT Bank is an online brand of a bigger bank. In this case, CIT Bank is a division of First Citizens Bank, a publicly traded financial institution with $100+ billion in assets. Is CIT Bank a Scam? As always, we start from the beginning. Is CIT Bank a scam or is CIT Bank legit for higher interest rates? It doesn’t take much digging to see that CIT Bank is not a scam. As mentioned above, it is part of a large U.S. Bank that is FDIC insured, the gold standard for banks in America. Just because CIT Bank is not a scam as a fly by night company doesn’t necessarily mean that CIT Bank offerings are not …

Unraveling the Nuances of 2023 Colorado Property Tax Appeals and Reductions

June 3, 2023 by Finance Gourmet

The vibrant landscape and robust economic growth make Colorado an attractive destination for homeowners. However, more residents looking for more homes pushes housing prices in Colorado higher, especially in real estate bull markets. In 2023, Colorado property tax valuations soared thanks to poor timing, and those higher real estate prices. How Colorado Property Taxes Work Understanding the Colorado property tax landscape sets the foundation for a successful appeal process. Property taxes in the Centennial State are calculated based on the property’s assessed value, multiplied by the local mill levy. The assessment rate for residential property in Colorado is currently set at 7.15%. The mill levy, however, varies considerably depending upon the specific county, city, or district where the property is located. This two-pronged approach necessitates meticulous evaluation of both elements to achieve a significant reduction in tax liability. While most Colorado residents understand and plan for their property taxes, the 2023 property tax valuations were a staggering jump in taxes that residents from Denver and beyond were not prepared for. A solid grasp of how properties are valued, who conducts the evaluations, and how frequently these assessments take place, is essential for homeowners to plan their financial obligations effectively. Property …