Money Management

 New legislation may limit family tax benefits for millions of households with a non-citizen parent, reducing essential financial support. 

Mixed citizenship status families could see reduced access to annual tax benefits under a proposed change to the Child Tax Credit. The legislation, part of a broader Republican-supported budget package, would require both parents to have Social Security numbers in order to claim the credit for their children. Policy analysts estimate that this change could impact around 4.5 million U.S.

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 Underused credit card perks could be costing you. Learn how a few small changes in how you pay might help you hold onto more of your money. 

You’re paying for that credit card anyway, whether through an annual fee or by using it for everyday purchases. Most cardholders leave hundreds of dollars worth of benefits on the table every year, simply because they don’t know these perks exist. Drop your phone lately? Before you shell out for a repair or replacement, check which credit card you use to pay your monthly phone bill.

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 Homebuyers may finally have leverage. Learn how today’s slower market and rising inventory could help you negotiate a better deal or time your refinance wisely. 

The mortgage market just delivered another puzzling signal: demand for home loans dropped for the third consecutive week, even as interest rates edged lower. If you’re hoping to buy a home or refinance soon, this disconnect between falling rates and shrinking demand reveals something important about where the housing market is really headed. According to the Mortgage Bankers Association…

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 These wind-resistant trees are more likely to stay standing in the face of extreme weather. 

The most wind-resistant trees have deep, extensive roots, strong trunks, and flexible wood that bends under wind pressure instead of breaking. Some good examples are the live oak, crape myrtle, and bald cypress. But it’s not only the roots and wood fiber that make a tree resistant to hurricanes and tornadoes. How you choose, plant, and care for it also determines whether a tree will survive…

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