TessMore Finance Blog

There are more than 1 million lawyers in the United States practicing dozens of specialties. Those specialties range from criminal law to family law, medical malpractice to personal injury law. Add intellectual property and estate planning lawyers into the mix and you have even more people focused on legal matters. Because there are so many different types of lawyers answering the question “What kind of lawyer do I need?” must be followed with, “What’s the problem?” The lawyer or law firm specialty needs to dovetail with what you need representation for. It can be an intimidating process to find the right attorney. In general, people hire lawyers to repair legal problems from the past and to prevent legal problems in the future. Lawyers are used for both education and protection. There are occasions where lawyers are required by the court or state statutes, and others where you make the decision to hire a lawyer. Outside of the areas where a lawyer is absolutely necessary (civil or ...

There are a few core principles that are universal. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. The speed of light in a vacuum is 299,792,458 meters per second. To create wealth, you must earn more, save more, and invest with intelligence.  If you’re reading this article, it’s because you have a keen interest in learning more about the principles surrounding wealth creation. Whether you’re starting your journey to building wealth in your 20s, 30s, 40s, or beyond, the core principles of wealth creation remain constant. This article offers a road map to help you obtain the wealth you need to live a Rich Life.  What is wealth? Wealth can be both tangible and intangible and measured through comparative analyses or life experience. A common measure of wealth is net worth , which is calculated by taking the total value of your assets and then subtracting the amount of debt owed.  To be considered “wealthy” based on this construct, you’ll want to have a net worth that’s ...

Passive income sounds like a dream come true — earning money without any active effort. The reality is that there’s no such thing as 100% passive income . This type of income stream can better be described as frontloaded work: You have to put in time, effort, and (usually) money first to collect those passive returns. Even then, most passive income requires periodic maintenance and attention. That’s not to say that passive income isn’t worth acquiring. It can give you greater flexibility and freedom and bolster your financial stability.  However, before you pursue passive income, it’s important to get a clear understanding of what that entails. This article clarifies what passive income is, provides examples of passive income, and gives pointers on how to realistically acquire passive income. What is passive income? Passive income refers to money you earn with little or no active effort. It comes from sources other than your full-time job, side hustle , or a contracted client (...

Back taxes. Mistakes. Audits. Missed opportunities. These are some of the unfortunate side effects of DIY tax preparation. I started freelancing in March 2016. Since then, I’ve seen how stressful and busy tax season can get for the self-employed. I’ve heard stories from other business owners who’ve gotten on the bad side of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Many either owed more money than expected or were audited because they didn’t report their earnings the right way. I didn’t want that to be my story. The only problem? I didn’t know much about small-business accounting other than the idea that I needed to set aside a percentage of my earnings for tax purposes. It’s perfectly fine to take the DIY approach around tax time. However, it does come with some risks. Instead of trying my hand at DIY taxes after my first year as a freelancer , I decided to invest a little money and hire an accountant, a decision that ended up saving me a lot of stress. Here’s why I chose to skip doi...

Some of the links in this post are from our sponsors. We provide you with accurate, reliable information. Learn more about how we make money and select our advertising partners . Quick Navigation 101 Places to Get Birthday Freebies Food & Drink Entertainment Clothes & Shoes Beauty & Jewelry Miscellaneous Hooray! It’s your birthday! The last thing you should do is pay for stuff. So we’ve put together a list of 100 places where you can get birthday freebies, updated for 2022. Most of these places require you to sign up for their email list or join their rewards club at least seven days before your birthday. So get busy now and enjoy the free birthday stuff as it rolls in on your big day. 101 Places to Get Birthday Freebies These restaurants and retailers will provide you with free treats for your birthday. Be sure to sign up in advance. Food & Drink 1. A&W All American Food Get a free root beer float on your birthday by joining the Mug Club . 2. ...

If you’ve been spending much time on personal finance blogs and YouTube videos, you’re probably at least vaguely aware of something called the FIRE movement . FIRE, in this case, is a moniker for Financial Independence, Retire Early . There are different FIRE versions, but Fat FIRE is like early retirement on steroids. That is, it’s full-blown FIRE and not one of the watered-down variations. Fat FIRE is the most challenging FIRE to achieve, so it’s essential to have a complete understanding of how Fat FIRE works and what you’ll need to do to achieve it. Table of Contents What Is Fat FIRE? Barista FIRE Lean FIRE Why $2.5 Million? The Safe Withdrawal Rate (SWR) The Benefits of Fat FIRE The Disadvantages of Fat FIRE The Two Most Important Strategies to Achieve Fat Fire Who Is the Ideal Candidate for Fat FIRE? The Bottom Line of Fat FIRE What Is Fat FIRE? Fat FIRE is FIRE on steroids, and probably the one most people think of in connection with the topic. It’s the v...