TessMore Finance Blog

If you’re using dating apps in hopes of swiping right on someone who will steal your heart, watch out: Scammers are increasingly using dating apps to steal money from unsuspecting victims. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reports that losses from romance scams spiked 80% in 2021 over 2020. Netflix’s recent hit “The Tinder Swindler” tells the story of one of these infamous alleged scammers: Shimon Hayut, who claimed his name was Simon Leviev and that he was heir to a diamond fortune. Hayut, 31, allegedly stole $10 million from multiple women, though he maintains his innocence. Some other recent dating scams: A 33-year-old woman lost most of her life’s savings after a Hinge match persuaded her to send him more than $300,000 worth of Bitcoin. The scammer promised the victim they’d use the money to marry and start their lives together. Authorities say cryptocurrency scams are becoming more common in virtual dating. A Florida woman was scammed out of over $100,000 by someone she ma

Buying a home is a complicated process, especially for first-time homebuyers. Yet, purchasing a property is one of the landmark moments in many peoples’ lives, and a home is often a family’s most valuable asset. Therefore, it’s incredibly important to make sure that it has the proper insurance coverage. Some homes, however, can be more difficult to get homeowners insurance for than others. Being denied homeowners insurance is likely to scuttle the deal with a mortgage company. There are several reasons why obtaining homeowners insurance can be difficult, from where the home is located to who occupies it and what it is being used for. In addition, issues like flooding, wildfires, construction, and renters can all factor into whether or not you can receive homeowners insurance coverage. 5 Common Reasons Insurance Companies Deny a House This article will lists five of the major factors why obtaining a policy can be difficult (or impossible) for certain houses and how to prevent or re

Advertising disclosure: 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. Fundrise is a crowdfunding platform for private real estate investing. Unlike traditional real estate investments, which require thousands of dollars in capital, Fundrise users can invest with as little as $10. Instead of buying a single piece of property by yourself, you and other investors buy shares in a fund that owns or finances multiple apartment buildings, office buildings, single-family homes, hotels, retail space and other properties. When those properties make money through rental income, mortgage payments or appreciation in value, the profits flow to the fund’s shareholders (including you). Fundrise prides itself on making real estate more accessible to everyday investors. There’s no income or net worth requirements to get started. In contrast, many other real estate inve

The annual bonus has to be one of the best workplace benefits. After all, you can do plenty of things with a few extra dollars in your pocket that you don’t have to work extra hours for. However, it’s wise not to go on a spending spree until after you figure out how much your bonus tax will be.  Unfortunately, the tax treatment for bonuses can be higher than what your employer deducts from your average paycheck. This guide covers how bonuses are taxed and how you might be able to minimize your tax bite. Table of Contents How Are Bonuses Taxed? Percentage Method Aggregate Method Taxes on Bonuses Larger than $1 Million Bonus Tax Exemptions Request the Percentage Method Contribute to Tax-Advantaged Accounts Donate to Charity FAQs Summary How Are Bonuses Taxed? The IRS defines your bonus earnings as “supplemental income” as this income stream is in addition to your base pay. Some of the other types of supplemental income include: Commissions Overtime and tips (if

T he April tax deadline will be here before you know it. Since you aren’t living on this money on a day-to-day basis, this windfall can be used to better your situation.  Your tax refund can be put to good use in reaching your financial goals. Some wise ways to utilize your tax refund include building up your emergency fund, getting out of debt, or saving towards your future. Here are 10 ways to put your tax return to good use. 1. Start an Emergency Savings Fund Everyone needs an emergency fund to help them through a tough financial situation, like a job loss, car accident, or medical emergency. You need an emergency fund to create a cash cushion between you and your need for credit to solve the problem. The standard advice is to shoot for about six months of living expenses. I think that’s fair, especially if you have two incomes in the home and your jobs are fairly stable. Know your risk though and make sure your emergency fund is big enough based on your personal situation. I

Hyundai motor financing would require good credit scores and clean credit history. You’ll also need to qualify for a car loan with certain terms like stable income. Let us walk you through Hyundai financing and see how hard it is. What are Hyundai Financing Options? Hyundai offers auto loans, hire lease, or purchase financing options through its Hyundai Finance segment around the world. Customers can choose from different financing options through authorized dealers, banks, or directly through Hyundai finance. Most of the auto loans offerings are usually for new vehicles. There are a few schemes that offer cash rebates and some others offer low APR from 0% to 2%. However, most of the 0% APR offers are valid for brand new vehicles only. Currently, the down payment requirements are also at a minimum of around only $2,000 – $5,000. Let us briefly discuss all three financing options on offer from Hyundai and see which one should you choose. Personal Car Loan It is a simple and co

IKEA is a leading furniture brand. It offers a few financing options to its customers around the world. It has recently launched a new buy now, pay later financing option. It also partners with VISA and private lenders like Klarna. Let us discuss what is IKEA financing and how does it work. Does IKEA Offer Financing? IKEA offers financing options that allow its customers to use credit terms of paying 0% interest. IKEA has recently introduced a new financing option for its customers. It previously offered the same credit policy that required a minimum purchase of £300 and an installment tenure of 12 months. The financing option from IKEA is an improved version of the previous program. IKEA customers can now use the “buy now, pay later” program, third-party financing options, and the usual credit card financing options to make purchases. The new financing program offers a reduced minimum purchase condition of only £99. It also now includes third-party lending partners like Klarna

Apple offers different financing options to its retail, business, and educational clients. Also, it offers different third-party financing partnerships in different regions. These financing options allow customers to buy, lease, or trade-in products using these flexible financing options. Let us discuss what are Apple’s different financing options and how do they work. Does Apple Do Financing? Apple offers extensive financing options for its retail, business, and educational clients. Its financing programs come through its branded Apple card, partnering with mobile carriers, bank partnerships, and other third-party integrations. Apple also offers lucrative 0% financing options on several products. It comes with leasing and purchasing financing schemes to offer further flexibility to its customers. For individual clients, the best financing option comes with the Apple card. The Apple pay card works like any other credit card that can be used anywhere. Customers can choose to buy

Disabled Americans face many financial hurdles, and the high cost of medical care may be the biggest. But when the disabled need to access assistance programs in order to pay for that medical care, there are often asset tests that limit the amount they are allowed to have in savings. And sometimes even the amount they are allowed to earn. This post will introduce one of those rare silver linings in disability finance. We will show how to use an ABLE account to make housing costs deductible on tax returns in the states that allow this deduction. The money saved can be ued for medical costs or any other expenses. How to Lower Your State Tax Burden by Paying Rent The primary purpose of an ABLE account is to help qualified people get around those asset tests. Money saved in an ABLE account cannot be counted against the disabled when applying for SSI, Medicaid or a number of other social programs, as long as the balance is under $100,000. In addition to the perks of sheltering your as