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Financial coach and business owner Nadia Busseuil has been working hard to make her day-to-day purchases as contactless as possible during the COVID-19 crisis. If she has to pay for something in person, she uses “tap-to-pay” at checkout with her credit card or her smartphone’s wallet app. She carries small bills so that if she has to pay for something in cash, she can pay a little extra and tell an employee to keep the

Dreaming of a savings goal is almost always fun — a sunny vacation, the perfect home, a dazzling holiday gift. But think about how long it can take to get there, and all that fun might fade away. Even if you’re doing the right things, such as cutting your expenses or taking a part-time job for extra income, it can be discouraging when the finish line is far away. Here’s how to stay motivated until

So far, 2020 has been a year of disruption for many Americans. Finances and lives have been upended by the mental, physical and economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. And now, another threat looms: storm and wildfire season. Colorado State University predicts that we’ll have an “above average” Atlantic hurricane season, which begins in June. Tornado season has already begun and brought the deadliest outbreak in six years with a cluster of storms in mid-April.

In times of economic unease, you may find yourself wondering whether your money is safe in your bank account. Even if you still have a paycheck coming in during the coronavirus situation, your financial future might seem uncertain — and you might be feeling the need to stock up on cash, in addition to toilet paper and canned goods. The good news is that your money is absolutely safe in a bank — there’s no

In the midst of a global coronavirus pandemic, many small businesses are under extreme pressure, forced to adopt new daily practices to keep customers and employees safe, or shuttered completely to control the spread of the virus. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act details unemployment benefits, individual stimulus check amounts, retirement account withdrawals, and loans and relief for small-business owners and the self-employed, including “gig workers.” Small businesses and self-employed workers have four primary

Americans everywhere are concerned about the coronavirus and COVID-19, the respiratory disease it causes. But COVID-19 has demonstrated that it’s particularly serious for older adults whose immune systems naturally weaken as they age — and especially for those with chronic medical conditions, according to Dr. Samir K. Sinha, a member of the American Red Cross Scientific Advisory Council. In fact, 8 out of 10 deaths reported in the U.S. related to COVID-19 have been in

Congress is working out the details of help for most Americans in the form of payments likely to come within the next few weeks. But the Federal Trade Commission is concerned you’ll hear from a scammer before you get a check. Scammers, too, are working from home during the coronavirus crisis, it seems, “and they will take any opportunity to take advantage of people — even a pandemic,” says Adam Garber, director of the consumer

Coronavirus. It’s all over the news. It’s trending on Twitter. It’s on your TV. And it’s dominating the push alerts on your phone. Coronavirus disease 2019 (abbreviated COVID-19) is a respiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus that was first identified in Wuhan, China. Cases have now been detected in at least 50 locations internationally, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That includes the United States. With words like quarantine, outbreak and

Coronavirus. It’s all over the news. It’s trending on Twitter. It’s on your TV. And it’s dominating the push alerts on your phone. Coronavirus disease 2019 (abbreviated COVID-19) is a respiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus that was first identified in Wuhan, China. Cases have now been detected in at least 50 locations internationally, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That includes the United States. With words like quarantine, outbreak and

A task without a deadline is just wishful thinking. Sometimes, you can get away with procrastinating. If you never get around to alphabetizing your spices, no one’s life will change. But putting off some tasks could have a huge impact on loved ones. The close of the year is a good time to set some firm deadlines to make sure you won’t leave a financial mess for people you love if you unexpectedly die or