Money Tips Network

Erin wrote in with a wonderful question that I started to address in Monday’s reader mailbag, but the answer quickly escalated into many, many paragraphs. Here’s her question:

I don’t understand how billionaires who bring in millions a year can pay less in taxes than someone working hard at a job and making $50K a year. That seems really wrong to me.

She’s referring to statements like this one from Warren Buffett:

But the differential between me and the rest of the office, not just my secretary but the rest of the office, was greater than that. It’ll be closer, but I’ll probably be the lowest paying taxpayer in the office.

He’s not lying. It is very likely that Warren Buffett is paying a lower tax rate than the other people in his office.

How is that possible? Well, let’s dig in a little bit and find out.

This article is by editor Linda Vergon.

Whenever I’ve purchased a pre-packaged Halloween costume, I’ve usually been disappointed. They rarely fit and the material and accessories are chintzy. But I take my hat off for the clever people that make their own costumes. Extra points if it’s hilarious. Year after year, these people seem to out-do themselves. I don’t know how they do it!

In 2011, April Dykman looked at Halloween spending for us.

Life is unfair and so is air travel. Two passengers may pay the same price to fly the same route, but have completely different experiences. Because airlines have varying standards of service, your comfort depends a lot on which airline you choose.

This post comes from Julia Chang at our partner site LearnVest.

First it was your phone records; now it could be your financial transactions.

The Wall Street Journal reports that the Central Intelligence Agency is collecting data from U.S. money-transfer companies such as Western Union in an effort to find or track suspected funding for terrorists.

With its focus on foreign intelligence, the CIA cannot target Americans in its investigations, but it can conduct domestic operations that aid its intelligence-gathering. The agency says it isn’t collecting transaction information that takes place within the U.S.—but it can obtain records through court order for those that happen between the U.S. and foreign countries.

Link for teaser title: 

http://www.wisebread.com/bestdeals/today

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Can't figure out why you're packing on the pounds lately? It may not be related to food at all. In fact, some of your habits may be contributing to the spike on the scale.

Head to the self-help section of any bookstore and you'll find a whole row of books about how your mindset is what is preventing you from getting what you want in life. It's a really appealing concept.

This article is by staff writer Kristin Wong.

A few months before I decided to quit my job and move, I’d made a whole timeline of accomplishments I hoped to reach within the next three to five years. It included a series of backup plans, too, should Plan A not work out (Plan A: become a hugely successful writer, make lots of money, buy a home in Malibu, take many naps). This timeline included mini-goals of what I hoped to accomplish within a month, year, three years, etc. It included a breakdown of expenses. It also included different scenarios. I asked myself: What would it take for me to give up and move back? In short, it was painstakingly meticulous.

Which was fine, but you could read my stress and neurosis all over it. I showed the timeline to a friend of mine, proudly.

“This is depressing,” she said.

“What are you talking about?” I asked, grabbing it from her. “These are my goals!”

You're pregnant. Congratulations!