If you’ve looked at your car insurance bill recently and noticed that the cost of your insurance has increased, you may be wondering what you did to cause it. We’ve compiled a list of the 13 factors that insurance companies take into account to determine how much your insurance should cost, and what you can do to lower your costs.

Sometimes you may find yourself on vacation in a place you really love. Something about the atmosphere or the idea really appeals to you and you find yourself wondering about getting a timeshare. Or maybe you got a discount at a hotel as long as you sit through their hour long timeshare pitch. Either way, getting a timeshare may seem like something you might be willing to do. We’ve put together a list of 6 things you have to know before you consider purchasing a timeshare.

By: Lucille Rosetti (l_rosetti@thebereaved.org)

Bad credit can be the result of a variety of things, maybe you defaulted on student loans, had years of high credit card balances or had a foreclosure. No matter the reason, living with a low credit score can be tough. You can be charged higher insurance rates, new credit cards could be difficult to obtain, and bank loans may costlier. Also the number of companies that require pre-employment credit checks will continue to grow.

Whether it’s your first job or not, negotiating your salary is always something you should consider doing. You may feel like what you were offered doesn’t represent everything that you bring to the table or maybe you just feel like you could get a little bit more. The important thing to remember is that you won’t know what your options are if you don’t ask.

Congress just passed the new Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act of 2018 which offers some important new features for consumers. One of the most important features is the ability to freeze or unfreeze your credit report for free at all three major credit reporting bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.

For those of you who closely follow the capital markets, the recent volatility may be causing some investors to worry. In the past couple of weeks, from September 30 - October 10 the US market fell 4.8%. Some investors may find it difficult to remain calm while facing a dramatic market downturn. Weathering the storm through downturns may prove more beneficial to investors than bailing when things get rough.

As U.S. citizens, when you interact with the IRS you have certain rights, even with asking a simple question about taxes. These rights are outlined in the Taxpayer Bill of Rights. Below are the ten rights summarized with links to learn more:

Money can often be an uncomfortable topic, especially when you have to talk with your parents about their money. It may eventually become your job to ensure your parent’s financials are in order and you have a plan that meets their wishes. Even if your parents are capable of managing their money now, it would be helpful to discuss what happens if they become unable to do so.

Sometimes paying the bills on time can slip through the cracks. Maybe you’ve been traveling and the due date sneaks up on you. Suddenly you have late fees, penalties, increased interest rates and sometimes your credit rating can be damaged. To avoid those consequences we’ve created steps to make your bill paying process a smoother one.