Rupert Murdoch is putting billions at risk in his planned divorce of his third wife. Here are other high-profile and costly split-ups.
Word that News Corp. Chief Executive Rupert Murdoch is planning to divorce his third wife, Wendi Deng, got us thinking about the high cost of splitting up.
Even with a prenuptial agreement, Murdoch, 82, could be in for a costly and painful legal battle to protect his global empire, worth an estimated $9.4 billion.
Divorce rarely makes economic sense at any income level, but as Woody Allen once said, "The heart wants what it wants."
Here, in reverse order of course, is our list of the top 10 most expensive divorces, according to Reuters, CNBC and Forbes:
Buying or selling a house soon? What you don't know about the industry could cost you. Your real estate agent won't tell you, but we will.
This post comes from Angela Colley at partner site Money Talks News.
Unless you have a lot of free time, or don't care about getting the best deal, real estate agents are a necessary part of buying or selling a house. They know the industry in and out and make the task a lot easier for you.
But, as with any special service or skill you pay for, what you don't know can cost you.
Check the fine print to see what perks you might not have known you had, and be sure you travel with a backup card, for starters.
This post comes from David Parreco at the Dough Roller.
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Simply having a travel rewards credit card doesn’t mean that you are maximizing the benefit. While most of you probably know that these credit cards accumulate frequent flier miles, there are many lesser-known perks that could help you get the most from your credit card.
1. Check for 'secret' travel perks
On the surface, travel rewards cards allow you to generate frequent flier miles, but if you dig deeper, there are numerous other features that could help you on your travels. For example, you might be able to receive priority boarding, a free checked bag, discounts on in-flight food, drinks and Wi-Fi, as well as access to airport lounges during long layovers.
So before you plan your next vacation, you may want to contact your credit card providers to find out what perks they offer because you could save a good chunk of change on your trip.
2. Ask about foreign transaction fees
If you plan to travel outside the U.S., you should contact your credit card company to see what their policy is on foreign transaction fees.
Some card issuers charge a fee for every transaction made overseas, but many have been eliminating this cost. If your card does charge foreign transaction fees, don’t worry -- there are ways around them. One method is to have your purchases charged in U.S. dollars by the merchant.
Sounds too good to be true . . . but by using these extreme tactics, it's possible to save big at the pump.
On the most recent episode of Discovery Channel’s “MythBusters,” Kari Byron, Tory Belleci and Grant Imahara tested whether a few techniques collectively known as “hypermiling” can double your fuel economy. They took two cars, a new sedan and an older coupe, and drove normally as far as they could on exactly 3 gallons of gas. They then repeated the process using hypermiling techniques.
The results? The new car was able to drive 40% farther while hypermiling (30 miles per gallon, up from 21.3 mpg), while the older car went 70 percent farther (45.3 mpg, up from 26 mpg). The myth is busted, because they couldn’t double their fuel economy, but a 70% improvement is impressive. And it could save a lot of money at the pump.Only driving techniques and modifications legal in California were employed, so everything they did to get that massive improvement in miles per gallon is probably legal for you, too. But since laws vary from state to state, you’ll want to make sure anything you pull from this list is permitted where you live.
Here’s what to do:
Social Security is a simple concept, but the execution can be complicated. One example is the Windfall Elimination Provision. Does it apply to you?
This post comes from Stacy Johnson at partner site Money Talks News.
I recently received this question from a reader who's afraid her golden years are about to get tarnished:
What is with the "Windfall Elimination Provision?" We have an appointment with the Social Security office in our area and they want bank statements, assets and more. Do they have the right to ask for this information? My husband is 66 and has been receiving Social Security since age 62. We needed the money to live on. Now Social Security says they overpaid him … confused. Thanks. -- Joyce
Here's your answer, Joyce.
| Tags: | MoneyTalks Newsretirement planretirement planningretirement savingsSocial SecurityStacy Johnson |
Want to stay connected while traveling? Here are some ways to keep in touch with friends and family back home on the cheap.
Open Wi-Fi connections are common in most cities around the globe. In case your hostel or hotel comes up short, head for the local McDonalds or KFC (these chains really are everywhere); chances are they have open Wi-Fi service.
Why dive right into full time retirement cold turkey? For many people, phasing it in makes a lot more sense. Here's why.
You may not be ready to retire completely, but who wouldn’t want a few more hours each day to enjoy the nice summer weather instead of being stuck in the office updating TPS reports? If this sounds like you, you might be interested in phased retirement. This is when you reduce your hours at work or change careers to a less demanding part-time job.
The phased retirement concept is a great fit for many of us, and it is not nearly as difficult to achieve as early retirement. If you start saving early in your career, it might be possible to enter semi-retirement at 50, 45 or even 40 years old, especially if you are willing to make some lifestyle adjustments. Here are some great reasons to consider a phased retirement:1. Retirement can be difficult
Many people find the transition to full-time retirement very difficult. We are used to a structured schedule that a job gives us. When you suddenly have 8 to 10 hours of free time, it can be disorienting, and many people don’t know what to do with themselves. The transition to an unstructured lifestyle is one of the most difficult challenges of early retirement. If you phase into retirement, then you’ll have a chance to get used to a few extra hours per day.
| Tags: | retire wellretirement |
An analysis by the Center for Investigative Reporting and a newspaper identifies organizations that fattened solicitors' wallets.
When you give money to charity, it's reasonable to expect the money will go to, well, the charity. But there's an entire industry of "charities" that are masterful at raising money that overwhelmingly goes to the paid companies that do the fundraising.The Center for Investigative Reporting and the St. Petersburg, Fla., Tampa Bay Times examined the tax records of 6,000 charities that used paid fundraisers and identified the 50 worst in America. None of the 50, which, combined, paid solicitors nearly $1 billion of $1.3 billion raised over the past decade, gave more than 11 cents on the dollar to those who were supposed to benefit, the investigation found.
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Editor Bev O'Shea lives and works in the foothills of the Appalachians. A former copy editor for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the Orlando Sentinel, she joined MSN Money in 2007. She's a fan of sunsets, college football and free shipping, among other things.
Having worked as a writer, reporter and editor for more than 25 years, Editor Julie Tilsner is the sort of person who can't help but correct grammar in Facebook postings and on billboards. She's written for BusinessWeek, the Los Angeles Times, Parenting, Redbook, AOL and others. She lives in Los Angeles County with her family and loves to drink wine and practice yoga, although not generally at the same time.
A writer for MSN Money since January 2007, Donna Freedman won regional and national prizes during an 18-year newspaper career and earned a college degree in midlife without taking out student loans. She also writes about smart money tactics for magazines and on her own site, Surviving and Thriving.
Mitch Lipka has been warning people about scams and shining light on questionable business practices for more than 20 years. Mitch, the consumer columnist for The Boston Globe, has also been a reporter and editor at The Philadelphia Inquirer, Consumer Reports, South Florida Sun-Sentinel and AOL. He won the 2010 New York Press Club award for best consumer reporting online and was honored in 2011 for his reporting on child product safety.
Marilyn Lewis is an award-winning writer with a passion for getting readers clear, straight information that helps them stay out of financial trouble. A former reporter for The San Jose Mercury News, she works from her home in Port Townsend, Wash. Contact her at MarilynLewis@Outlook.com.
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