Flipboard 2025 Finance Tips

Your nephew is the executor of your late brother’s estate, but the job is overwhelming him and probate has ground to a halt. We look at options to salvage the situation.

Your brother-in-law always talks about his wins betting on sports. Now suddenly he’s asking to borrow $2,000 until the end of the month. But if his betting is going as well he says, why is he asking to borrow money?

Most Americans pay more monthly fees than they realize. Many of these charges blend into routines and statements so that you don't even think about them—but they are causing serious damage to Americans' savings. These are the worst offenders and why.

Your husband’s Christmas bonus just came in, but instead of paying off debt, he wants to splurge on luxuries over the holidays. We look at ways to put the money to better use.

Many Americans search for financial stability through online courses that promise high returns with minimal effort. The internet also makes learning widely accessible, but it creates opportunities for misleading marketing and poorly structured educational products. A situation where someone pays for a “passive income course” only to receive a repackaged playlist mirrors a growing problem of low-value digital content sold at premium prices. Consumer protection laws exist to offer recourse, but success depends on factors like the platform’s refund policies, advertising claims made by the seller, and whether the course delivery matches its stated description. Understanding these parameters helps consumers assess their options before deciding how to respond.

Americans planning a year abroad frequently evaluate whether renting or selling a second home offers the best tax outcome. Because the Internal Revenue Service taxes US citizens and residents on worldwide income, both rental income and any eventual sale of real property must be reported, regardless of where the owner temporarily relocates. That rule applies even when the homeowner moves to Europe and maintains no physical presence in the United States during the tax year. The tax consequences differ sharply between renting and selling, and the choice can influence annual taxable income, long-term tax exposure, and the cost of managing the property from overseas.

Refinancing often starts with optimism. A lower monthly payment seems within reach, along with a clearer payoff timeline and the sense that you’re finally doing something that supports long-term stability. That’s why the shock lands so hard when a new lender suddenly pushes the interest rate far above what was originally promised. The shift feels like a breach of trust, as if the whole point of refinancing has been upended. And once the confusion settles, a tougher question emerges: can a lender legally hike the rate after offering a lower one, or did the fine print quietly allow it all along?

You picture the dream clearly. A used boat, a little sweat equity, a few weekend upgrades, and suddenly you’re running sunset tours or quiet coastal rides for visitors who want something personal. Then the impossible happens. The boat barely makes it out of the marina before it takes on water and slips under the surface. One minute you’re launching a new chapter, the next you’re staring at ripples where your business was supposed to begin. If you’re in that spot now, the biggest question racing through your mind is simple: “Are you completely screwed, or is there a way to get out of this mess?”

Lending money to family always feels straightforward at the start. You trust the person you want to help, and you assume the loan will come back without any drama. That confidence fades fast when things take a turn. Maybe you loaned your sister 10,000 dollars so she could finally get a car. Maybe she totaled it within a week, stopped responding, and eventually blocked your number like none of it ever happened. Suddenly, you’re carrying the stress while she disappears. When you go from supportive sibling to unpaid lender, the situation becomes confusing fast, and you start wondering what real options you have.

Most months blur together. A paycheck shows up, bills rush in, and whatever remains barely keeps things steady. With rent climbing and groceries eating a larger share of the budget, even basic healthcare starts to feel like an unpredictable expense.

Co-signing a lease creates a legal duty that many people do not fully understand until something goes wrong. Once a person signs, the agreement becomes binding for the entire term unless the landlord agrees in writing to release that responsibility.

You’re searching for the best deal on buying a home but your realtor seems to brush off every inquiry you make about a For Sale By Owner (FSBO) property. If you're wondering why, here's how FSBOs actually work and the options you have when an agent ignores them.