University of Southern California professor and storytelling sage Robert McKee said this about character: “True character is revealed in the choices a human being makes under pressure—the greater the pressure, the deeper the revelation, the truer the choice to the character’s essential nature.” Now, you may wonder how I will bridge from something as profound as character-building—or, indeed, revelation—to personal finance, or whether that is simply a bridge too far. But I assure you that it is not. Because personal finance—and especially investing—is more personal than it is finance, market volatility is not just a financial hurdle, but a personal…

The Trump administration took new steps this week that could jeopardize student loan forgiveness for thousands of Americans based on their public service careers. And this is just the latest in a series of actions that threatens to undermine a bedrock of the federal student loan relief system. Public Service Loan Forgiveness, or PSLF, was signed into law in 2007 by President George W. Bush. The program incentivizes borrowers to work in traditionally lower-paying fields in the nonprofit or government sectors. Those who repay their federal student loans while working in qualifying, full-time employment for at least 10 years (while…

Despite the headlines surrounding the Department of Education, upwards of $90 billion in new student loans will be issued this fall to families attending college. At the same time, there’s a lot of uncertainty around what repayment plans and loan forgiveness options will be around when these kids graduate. The SAVE income-driven repayment plan that gave so many borrowers so much hope is essentially dead as well, after the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld an injunction blocking its implementation. All the while, costs for higher education and our collective national student loan debt (currently somewhere between $1.6 and $1.7…

The United States captain, Lindsey Heaps prepares to take on two of her national team colleagues on Saturday, one of eleven members of the squad playing in Europe. Heaps (née Horan) is one of a select group of United States internationals to have won the Champions League having played for Lyon in their 2022 victory in the competition. This season, she is one of five players from the country still involved at the semi-final stage (a sixth Mia Fishel is ineligible to play this season). Facing Arsenal in the semifinals, with the first leg in London on Saturday, Heaps will…

Student Loan Borrowers Are Still In The Dark About Processing Timelines Borrowers are anxiously awaiting news on when their income-driven repayment or public service loan forgiveness student loan applications will finally be processed’; and the Education Department has yet to announce a concrete timeline. After a brief shutdown, the Department recently reopened applications for income-driven repayment plans but offered no timeline for processing them. With over one million borrowers’ applications awaiting review, advocates worry that some borrowers may be waiting “months, if not years,” to see their loans forgiven​, as a recent court filing noted. Education Department Gives No Timeline…

That degree will cost you $300,000 or more, counting lost earnings. Worth it, if you want to climb the corporate ladder. Not so much, if you’re looking to buy or build most small businesses. Twenty-five years ago, after leaving his job as a Senate staffer, Alan Pentz spent two years earning an M.B.A. from the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin. He went on to build the Corner Alliance into a $35-million-in-revenue government consulting firm and recently stepped back from running it day-to-day to launch The Owner Institute, a coaching firm for other small business…

If the stock market has you on edge right now, you’re not alone. Fear is a natural reaction when your hard-earned money seems to vanish overnight. But emotional decisions often lead to costly investment mistakes. This guide gives you seven ways to stay grounded, protect your investments, and keep building wealth – especially during times of uncertainty. Take a moment to pause before you act When emotions run high, your ability to make rational decisions runs low. Emotions like fear and excitement trigger the primal part of your brain, which is designed to help you escape predators, not handle market…

Missing the tax filing deadline is not an uncommon occurrence, and the Internal Revenue Service provides several mechanisms to help you get back on track. This article outlines the essential steps you should take if you failed to file taxes on Tax Day. 1. File Your Tax Return As Soon As Possible Avoid The Failure-To-File Penalty The IRS imposes a significant penalty for failing to file your tax return on time. This penalty is calculated at 5% of the unpaid taxes for each month or part of a month that the return is overdue, up to a maximum of 25%.…

Married student loan borrowers can breathe a bit easier after the Department of Education on Tuesday walked back an earlier statement that had suggested there would be significant changes to how payments are calculated under income-driven repayment plans. Under federal law, married borrowers who file taxes jointly with their spouse and are enrolled in an income-driven repayment plan – a type of federal student loan repayment program that ties monthly payments to the borrower’s income and family size – would have their payments calculated based on their combined income. But borrowers who file taxes separately from their spouse are supposed…

Massive Student Loan And Income-Driven Repayment Plan Processing Uncertainty Remains The good news for student loan borrowers is that they can once again submit applications for income-driven repayment plans, student loan forgiveness, and federal loan consolidation. Additionally, a recent update from a Department of Education court filing provided a general timeline for when student loan servicers will resume processing applications. However, despite this update, significant uncertainty persists about when applications will actually be processed and many other essential details that student loan borrowers are eagerly awaiting. Advocates warn that borrowers remain in limbo, unsure how long they’ll wait or the…