The College Investor Audio Show

Latest Episodes:

Money For The Rest Of Us Review Feb 22, 2020

Show notes

Author J. David Stein educates and inspires his readers with Money for the Rest of Us, informing them that they needn’t be experts to excel at investing.

The goal of Stein’s book is to encourage readers to step back and analyze investment opportunities, by using his 10-question framework to increase the odds of succeeding at investing.

Check out the book on Amazon here >>

What Is An EIN And How To Get One Feb 21, 2020

Show notes

An EIN is a unique identifying number issued by the IRS for a business. It is used to open business checking accounts and file taxes, among other things.

EINs are easy to get and most businesses will find that they eventually need one.

How To Do Your Own Taxes (One Method Is WAY Easier To DIY!) Feb 20, 2020

Show notes

Doing your own taxes is way easier than it seems.

Our parents had it rough during tax season. Doing their own taxes sometimes took a week or more. They’d spread papers and receipts across the kitchen table. Then they’d punch numbers in a calculator and flip through the IRS’s annual tax guide until ink coated their fingertips.

Yikes!

Today, thanks to tax software and other innovations, we can do our own taxes with fewer headaches. In fact, doing your own taxes with tax software should likely take you less than an hour (even less if you're organized). And new apps even allow you to do it on your phone!

Here's what you need to know about how to do your own taxes!

Best Personal Finance YouTubers To Follow Feb 19, 2020

Show notes

We look at the top personal finance YouTubers out there and what sort of advice they offer to their subscribers in their videos

The Standard Deduction or Itemizing Your Tax Return | Which Is Best? Feb 18, 2020

Show notes

Both the standard deduction and itemized deductions reduce the amount of tax you pay in a given year. So which is better? Should you itemize or should you keep things simple and take the standard deduction? We explain when each option makes sense.

It’s important to note that good tax software will help make the decision for you — by automatically choosing the deduction that gives you the best savings.

And for most Americans, the answer is the standard deduction. Almost 90% of taxpayers simply claim the standard deduction because it's the better choice.

If you don’t know what tax software to use, check out our list of the Best Tax Software to get started.

Is Tax Debt Relief Legit? Help For Your Back Taxes Feb 17, 2020

Show notes

When you owe the IRS money, it will attempt to collect the money you owe. One of the most important steps you can take is to avoid legal collections processes.

If you owe back taxes, the IRS may put a lien against your property. This means that the IRS is the legal recipient of the funds if you choose to sell a car, sell your house, or if you liquidate any assets. The IRS can also issue a levy. An IRS levy allows the government to legally seize your property to pay a tax bill.

The goal of every tax debt relief program is to help you avoid legal action from the IRS, while making your tax debt more manageable. While it’s rare for all of your tax debt to be wiped out, there are tax debt relief options for most people.

What Is a Student Maintenance Loan and How Does It Work? Feb 14, 2020

Show notes

For those of you in the U.S., you’ve probably never heard of a student maintenance loan — or at least you probably don’t know anyone who has gotten one. That’s because they are not a U.S. student loan product. Maintenance loans are issued by the U.K. government for students attending a university in the U.K.

So how is a maintenance loan different from a tuition loan?

Vio Bank Review: Pros, Cons, And Alternatives Feb 13, 2020

Show notes

Vio Bank is an online bank with very competitive savings rates.

Are you looking for a high yield savings account? If so, chances are you've seen Vio Bank on the lists of top savings accounts. They are consistently listed near the top of the rate tables because of their rates - but are they worth it?

We break down Vio Bank in our Vio Bank review below. See how they compare and look at our list of the best high yield savings accounts here.

TaxSlayer Alternatives Feb 12, 2020

Show notes

TaxSlayer has emerged as a strong platform in the DIY tax prep space. In fact, we named it one of the best tax software programs on the market, since its most inexpensive version supports all tax forms. That’s huge for side hustlers and business owners who have multiple forms and complex returns.

However, it may not be the best tax software option for you. In that case, you may be looking for TaxSlayer alternatives.

The Ultimate Guide To Umbrella Insurance Feb 11, 2020

Show notes

When it comes to growing wealth, the best offense can be a good defense. In particular, having insurance policies in place that can protect you from catastrophic events can be important. One type of insurance policy you may have hear about is umbrella insurance.

Umbrella insurance is a type of insurance that protects your wealth when your car or homeowners insurance don’t protect you. But this extra insurance is an extra cost. Is it ever worth it? We explain how umbrella insurance works, and who should buy it.