BuzzSugar

"The Nanny Diaries" Release Gets Delayed

BuzzSugar — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 14:54:06 PDT

It's usually not a good sign when movie release dates get delayed. But in the case of The Nanny Diaries, it sounds like the studio might be making the right decision. According to Variety, the Scarlett Johansson movie will be released on Sept. 7, instead of next month as planned. The movie will now premiere at the Venice Film Festival, and producer Harvey Weinstein says he hopes the new date will be better for its awards contention, since the home video release will now be timed to the Golden Globes.

Either that, or the movie - based on the popular novel of the same name - is totally doomed. I liked the directors' last movie, American Splendor, and I'm a big fan of Laura Linney, but judging from the trailer, The Nanny Diaries doesn't look particularly great. Hard to tell, though. Take a look and let me know what you think when you

Struggling to Pay Off Student Loans? Here's How to Delay Them

Emily Co — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:15:28 PST

More people are facing bankruptcy because of student loan obligations, according to a survey by the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys. In fact, the student loan debt has passed $1 trillion, which is more than the nation's credit card debt.

There are several things you can do to put off paying your loans, but it's advisable to pay them on schedule. Still, there may be times where you simply can't make ends meet and pay off your loans. Here are some of your options (which many of you may already be implementing!):

Deferment: You have to meet certain qualifications for deferring, and those include being in school, having economic hardship, being unemployed, and more. Deferment is only temporary and only available for a limited period. When you defer, interest doesn't accrue on subsidized loans, but interest will still keep accumulating on your unsubsidized student loans.
Forbearance: If you don't qualify for deferment, you might be granted a forbearance. Your lender will let you pause your payments or reduce them for a period of time, but interest will continue to accrue.

Remember, there may be repayment plans that may work for you instead of deferment and forbearance, so be sure to assess all your options before making a decision.

There's Still Time to Order a Valentine's Day Gift From Etsy!

Angela Swinderman Elias — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:53:15 PST

The Valentine's Day gift rush is upon us. Luckily, there's still time to snag some hand-crafted goodies from Etsy, but don't delay! Whether you're hunting for presents to enjoy as a couple or looking for something sweet and affordable for your best gal pal, these Etsy picks are sure to delight. I've rounded up 10 heartwarming gifts that are affordable and, if you hurry, available for Valentine's Day delivery. Happy shopping!

Tax Stuff Every Newlywed Should Know

Emily Co — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:12:40 PST

You're still hearing wedding bells, but don't let the honeymoon phase distract you from reality. Money is a huge factor in relationships and if you don't tackle it from the start, it can start to shake the cornerstones of your marriage. Kathy Pickering, the executive director of The Tax Institute at H&R Block, names a few things newlyweds should be aware of come tax time:

Filing Status: A newly married couple has two filing status options, married filing jointly or married filing separately; however, a joint return often results in a lower federal tax. That said there are some cases where married filing separately does make sense. For example, if you have relatively high medical bills and lower income, it may be best to file separately. Medical expenses can be included in itemized deductions, but are only deductible to the extent they exceed 7.5 percent of your adjusted gross income. If you have very high medical expenses and a low adjusted gross income, filing separately means you could deduct more of these expenses. However, if you filed jointly, you may not benefit from this deduction. Other things for newlyweds to pay attention to:
Name Change: Whether you took your husband’s last name or hyphenated your name, you must report your name change to the Social Security Administration (SSA). To avoid any delays or problems at tax time, your name and social security number on your tax return should match the records the SSA has.
Adjust Income Tax Withholding: If you and your husband work, your joint income may put you in a higher tax bracket and increase your total tax liability. You should make any necessary withholding adjustments for the next year by filing a new W-4 form with your employer. Use the withholding worksheet to indicate whether your spouse works and how many dependents you have, which determines the number of allowances to claim and the amount of income tax employers will withhold from your paychecks.

In Defense of the Chronically Late Mom

BabyCenter — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:01:11 PST

We're excited to share this post from our partners at BabyCenter! Every week, we will be bringing you the best parenting and lifestyle stories from the experts at BabyCenter, including this post from Betsy Shaw about being late for school.

If I were to wear a scarlet letter it would be T.

T for tardy. T for turd ball. T for totally inept mother.

We are late for school with such alarming regularity it’s embarrassing. The last time we were on time, after a mini snowstorm that excited my children enough to urge them into their snowsuits and outside at 6:30 a.m., we got to school five minutes early to find it dark and empty. Delayed opening. I was apparently the only mother who didn’t get the memo.

Calling Charlie Brown…

Being late for school brings up a vicious brew of conflicting emotion in me. On the one hand I just don’t care. Life is short. Far too short to risk traumatizing your children with a bullwhip and terrorizing morning walkers and squirrels, not to mention my own white-knuckled children, speeding our way to school like Toad on a motorcar bender each weekday morning.

On the other hand I am ashamed, deeply embarrassed, to be “that mom.” All the other moms can do it, even the single ones. Why. Can’t. I? What’s wrong with me?

I complained about this once to a woman from South Carolina who I met on my Guatemala trip and she told me her school started at 7:30. She also made it clear her kids were never late.

Never late.

Keep reading for more of Betsy's reasoning for being late.

Savvy Links: The 5 Weirdest Office Gadgets You Didn’t Even Know You Wanted

Emily Co — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:13:11 PST

The 5 weirdest office gadgets you didn’t even know you wanted - The Jane Dough
10 smart things to do with $25 - Wise Bread
Your tax refund could be delayed - LearnVest
Unique Valentine's Day gifts under $20 - AllYou
4 ways to turn your iPad into a handy kitchen accessory - Tecca
Use this tool to figure out if you should pay off debt or invest - Real Simple
Changing the work-life balance game - HuffPost Women
6 offbeat IRA investment ideas - Bankrate
The professional implications of a “naturally frowny face” - Corporette

6 Ways Couples Can Tell They're Financially Ready to Live Together

Business Insider — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:15:47 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart Business Insider story here on Savvy!

Moving in together as a couple is more than deciding who gets the "good side" of the bed and finding the best spot to stash the PlayStation.

Not only will you be sharing household bills and probably setting up a joint bank account, but you'll also get up close and personal with your partner's money demons for the first time.

"A husband or wife, even a boyfriend or a girlfriend, is not a financial plan," says Dr. Taffy Wagner, CEO of Money Talk Matters. "We've seen enough drama on Court TV shows."

As a certified personal finance educator and author of Bride and Groom Money Talk FAQ, Wagner's an expert on all things relationships and finances.

Before you start building a bigger closet, make sure you're both ready to merge your finances by checking for these six signs:

1. You can talk money without arguing. Per Wagner: "When you can openly discuss finances without arguing and blaming the other person when there is a financial issue," you're on the right track. "The people in this situation would also be able to discuss a financial issue and reach a viable solution that is best for the overall relationship."

Read on for more.

9 Popular Tax Breaks You Can No Longer Count on in 2012

Kiplinger — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:15:00 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart Kiplinger story here on Savvy!

You’ll face a higher tax bill next spring if Congress doesn’t act to revive a series of tax breaks that expired Dec. 31, 2011. Among the breaks that Congress didn’t extend in all the Sturm und Drang over the payroll tax holiday are:

Alternative minimum tax patch

The AMT is a parallel tax system created more than 40 years ago to prevent excessive use of tax breaks by the very wealthy, ensuring they pay at least some tax. Taxpayers whose income exceeds the AMT exemption – in 2011, $48,450 for individuals and $74,450 for married couples filing jointly - must calculate both regular tax and AMT liability and pay the larger of the two amounts. But exemption levels have, at least tentatively, dropped to $33,750 for individuals and $45,000 for married couples filing jointly in 2012, which will expose 31 million taxpayers to the higher AMT this year, according to Tax Policy Center estimates.

Higher mass transportation benefit

This one's of particular interest to strap-hangers, van-riders, and other users of public transit. A 2009 federal stimulus provision raised the maximum an employee could receive for transit, tax-free, from $120 to $230. That matched the tax-free limit for parking. With the expiration of this break, the maximum for 2012 dropped to $125. Employees who’ve asked to have an amount higher than that withheld from their paycheck to cover their total commuting costs will see their net pay come down, as the difference is now taxed.

Read on for more.

Consumers Now Get a Full Refund on Airline Tickets If Cancellation Is Within 24 Hours

Emily Co — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:24:45 PST

Hooray for air travel rights! Airline passengers can celebrate the new regulations by the U.S. Department of Transportation, which take effect today. Some of these include:

Getting a full refund on all airline tickets if you cancel within 24 hours of making the reservation as long as the departure date is at least one week away.
Holding a reservation without payment.
Passengers have to be notified immediately of cancellations and delays longer than half an hour.
Ticket prices "generally" can't be increased after they are bought (this regulation is pretty vague, but hopefully it'll offer some protection).
Baggage fees must be disclosed when customers book a flight.
Mandatory taxes and fees have to be included in airfares displayed in advertisements.

I think the full refund of airline tickets is a huge bonus and will save lots of people money in the long run. Further, some of these new rules will definitely cut down on a lot of needless discussions with customer service reps! Which regulation are you the most excited about?

Glee-ful Highlights From Episode "Yes/No"

Lizzie Fuhr — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 07:41:04 PST

Glee is back from Winter hiatus and makes a big splash this week with a genuinely awesome episode. It's super cheesy and full of multiple dance numbers and guest stars, which is essentially the recipe for Glee success, and I'll admit it gave me goose bumps more than once.

Nearly everyone's emotions and relationships are challenged in this episode: Mercedes is torn between two guys, Will contemplates taking the next step with Emma, and Finn's got big ideas for his future with Rachel. I can't believe how much happened! To get all the details on "Yes/No," just keep reading.