March: Workplace Eye Health and Safety Month
During this special month, Prevent Blindness America reminds us to have regular eye examinations and wear protective eyewear when needed, whether we’re on…
Author: Rick Good
Rick Good spent ten years in the newspaper business, including with The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) and The Greenville News (Greenville, SC). He co-wrote, with Melinda Coleman, Rutledge to Riley: Governors of South Carolina, 1776–Present (Published by The Greenville News), and is the author of Mind Games Trivia #1 (Amazon). He has recently spent 15 years creating original trivia content through Sounds Good Mobile Entertainment and continues that with his new company, SGME Software. He edits The Smart Reader's money, real estate, and business coverage.
Planning to buy a car? It’s a major financial move
It is so easy to buy a car that it is hard to remember what an expensive move it is. According to Kelley Blue Book, the standard down payment on a car is…
Basic tax changes for 2024 filing year
The standard tax deduction and tax brackets have changed for the 2024 filing year. The standard deduction rose to $29,200 for married couples filing…
Contribution limits for retirement plans
For the 2024 filing year, the most an employee can contribute to a 401(k) plan is $23,000 — a $500 increase from 2023. The new limit also applies to…
Gift tax limit
For the 2024 tax filing year, the amount of the annual exclusion for gifts rises by $1,000, from $17,000 to $18,000.
File taxes free for 2024
You can file your taxes free and use free tax software for the 2024 tax season. Returns are due April 15. The IRS Free File program is available to all…
The era of free returns could end soon
In the retail industry, January and February are sometimes referred to as return season, owing to the flood of post-holiday returns. Looking to cut costs…
Rain-powered seed carrier could replant forests
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have created a seed carrier that uses a drill-like apparatus and a specially designed tail, powered by rain,…
Scam call centers take workers prisoner
Could the fraudster trying to scam you also be the victim of a scam himself? The United Nations reports that hundreds of thousands of people are being…
Ask the Expert
My wife and I are retired and want to downsize our home. Although it is paid off, we want to get a mortgage on part of the purchase price of a new home….