Money Matters

As Tax Season Approaches, So Do Scammers

By TINA OREM NerdWallet Last summer, Cindy Hockenberry decided she’d had it with threatening phone calls claiming she was behind on her taxes. “One day, I’m not kidding you, I got called three times,” she said. Sometimes the calls were automated. But once, when she got a call from a live person, Hockenberry, who happens to be the director of education and research at the National Association of Tax Professionals, decided to play along. The caller told her she owed over $5,000 in back taxes. “He was pretty convincing,” Hockenberry recalls. “He was saying the right ...

A Professional Planner Can Be a Big Help

By CRAIG CAMPBELL For Money Matters ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Sometimes it is the birth of child, the death of a parent, a marriage or divorce, or even a promotion at work and the significant raise that comes with it, but whatever the specific reason, hiring a certified and licensed professional financial planner to handle your investments is an important task for any individual or               family. Lee & Associates in St. Clairsville offers this approach for folks who are novices to investing: “The first step is to figure out a realistic financial goal for ...

How to Earn a More Affordable Mortgage

Home ownership remains a dream for many people. But on the heels of the recession that began in late 2008, prospective home buyers are finding it far more difficult to secure a mortgage than it was in the years before the economy took a turn for the worse. Stricter guidelines now govern both borrowers and lenders alike, and the process can quickly frustrate prospective homeowners. But strict guidelines and more diligent lenders do not mean prospective borrowers will not be able to secure a loan to finance their home purchases. It just means those borrowers might want to take every stop ...

How to Save Money on Everyday Expenses

Saving money on everyday expenses is a goal for many adults. Certain expenses, such as loan payments, may be more difficult to pare down than others. But there are ways adults can save on everyday expenses without drastically overhauling their daily routines. Transportation Transportation is a significant expense for many adults. The Federal Highway Administration notes that the average American family devotes 19 percent of its monthly budget to transportation costs, while Statistics Canada points out that Canadian families spent slightly less than $12,000 on average on ...

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