Author: Brian Lund
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VA Pension or VA Disability? Two Different Benefits
VA disability compensation and VA pension get mixed up constantly. One is for service-connected conditions, one is needs-based. Who qualifies for which.
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Where Savings Rates Go After the Fed’s June Meeting
The Fed held rates at 3.5%-3.75% again on June 17. Here’s what that means for savings accounts and CDs, and the numbers to check before you move money.
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Billing Errors on Medical Bills: Your Dispute Rights
Medical bills are full of fixable errors. Your rights under the No Surprises Act — the $400 dispute rule, the 120-day clock, and how to push back.
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Raising Your Deductible: What It Saves You
State insurance regulators say moving from a $500 to a $1,000 deductible can cut premiums up to 20-25%. The break-even math, and when it backfires.
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Charitable Deductions: What Counts and What Doesn’t
New for 2026: a charitable deduction you can claim without itemizing. What counts, what doesn’t, and the receipts the IRS requires to keep it.
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FMLA Leave: Who Gets 12 Weeks and What It Protects
The FMLA gives eligible workers 12 weeks of job-protected, unpaid leave. Here is who qualifies, what counts as a covered reason, and what your employer must do.
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Can Your Boss Cut Your Pay? What the Law Allows
Pay cuts are mostly legal going forward, but never backward. The federal floors, the notice rules some states add, and when a cut crosses the line.
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What a Class I Food Recall Means for Your Kitchen
Class I is the government’s most serious recall level. What the classes mean, which agency runs which recall, and exactly what to do at home.
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Tax Counseling for the Elderly: Free Help After 60
The IRS Tax Counseling for the Elderly program offers free tax help for people 60 and older. Here is how TCE works and how to find a site near you.
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Data Breach Settlements: Cash or Credit Monitoring?
Data breach settlements often make you pick between a cash payment and free credit monitoring. Here is how to choose, using the Equifax case as the guide.