Saturday, April 27, 2024

I'm Set To Make A Massive Sum Of Money. My Husband Is Aghast At My Plans For It.

Pay Dirt is Slate's money advice column.  Have a question?  Send it to Athena and Kristin here .  (It's anonymous!)

The tension between you two really comes across in this letter. Unfortunately, you're not alone in this. I often hear about the arguments that erupt over assets left behind by family and spouses.

He may disagree that this is your best course of action, and he's allowed to, but he needs to let it go. It's your right to use your late husband's estate as you see fit. While I think your husband may eventually come around, it might be a good idea to talk to an estate attorney licensed in your state about your options moving forward. This is a great directory to help get you started.

Source: See here

Friday, April 26, 2024

Burlington Budget Deficit Balloons To

BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) - Burlington's multi-million dollar budget deficit is higher than original projections. The Weinberger administration had estimated a $9 million shortfall, but it actually comes to more like $13 million. Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak on Thursday said the city needs to find a way to close that gap without sacrificing some of her greatest priorities.

The mayor says the $4 million under estimate can be attributed to higher personnel costs and a miscalculation of health care and benefits expenses by the chief administrator's office. She says they are now looking at all departments to find savings. "We can build a budget that is affordable and sustainable while also making sure it reflects our most pressing needs in our city," she said.

The city is also nearly done with two studies that look at raising certain fees and how to make city government more efficient.

City Council President Ben Traverse says he's not surprised about the bigger budget deficit and is looking forward to solutions. "I've been excited for some time and remain excited to learn more about the efficiency study that's been going on right now. I do think that there's a number of efficiencies that can be realized in the way that we do business and run and operate our city," he said.

With personnel costs being the city's main expense, we asked the mayor if she intended to continue the rebuilding plan of the police department. She says she is committed to the plan, which staffs the department with 87 officers. Right now, the department is at 68.

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Thursday, April 25, 2024

Millions More Salaried Workers Will Be Eligible Under Final Biden Administration Rule | CNN...

Millions of salaried workers will soon qualify for overtime pay under a final rule released by the US Department of Labor on Tuesday.

The new rule raises the salary threshold under which salaried employees are eligible for overtime in two stages. The threshold will increase to the equivalent of an annual salary of $43,888, or $844 a week, starting July 1, and then to $58,656, or $1,128 a week, on January 1, 2025.

"I suspect that such substantial increases may be a particular burden for many smaller businesses, forcing some to choose between cutting jobs and raising prices," said Ted Hollis, a partner at Quarles & Brady, a law firm. "Some businesses that cannot do either may be forced to close, resulting in unintended but predictable side effects of this government action."

The rule will "exponentially increase" operating costs for small restaurant owners who are "trying desperately" to keep menu prices steady, Sean Kennedy, executive vice president of public affairs for the National Restaurant Association, said in a statement.

"And because DOL created a one-size-fits all rule based on national income data, rather than regional data, this change is going to disproportionately impact restaurant owners in the South and Midwest," he said.

Read more: See here

Friday, April 19, 2024

Self-made Millionaire Who Retired At 35 Shares Biggest Money Regret

You'd be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn't have a single financial regret. Even millionaires and early retirees likely had a few stumbles on the road to financial freedom.

But even after seven years of blissful semi-retirement, the author of " Millionaire Habits " says he wishes he'd done things a little differently early on.

"The one thing I really wish I did more of was saving, and especially investing more aggressively," he says. "It's exponential growth. The longer you invest, the more money you'll have at retirement . Period."

"I was saving 10%, which is the commonly recommended saving/investing percentage of your income," he says. "So at least I was doing that."

For many would-be savers, what Adcock describes as the minimum is a very reasonable starting point — especially given how he invested his savings.

"I was at a company that offered a 401(k) and also had a Roth IRA, and contributed a portion to each," he says. "Thanks to [advice from] my dad, I contributed enough to get the match in my 401(k) — that was literally free money."

If you hear a faint rumbling in the distance, that's the sound of a legion of financial planners nodding in approval. By contributing enough in his 401(k) to receive a full match, Adcock was theoretically earning a 100% return on his money . And by investing some of his savings in a Roth IRA , he set himself up to be able to make tax-free withdrawals in retirement.

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Wednesday, April 17, 2024

MTA Restricts Overtime Pay, Citing 'Unfavorable' First Fiscal Quarter

New York City Transit is cutting overtime pay across its divisions, according to internal memos reviewed by the Daily News.

⁘As we complete the first quarter of 2024 and review our financial results, unbudgeted overtime has remained above the budget contingency,⁘ NYC Transit President Rich Davey wrote last Friday in a memo to transit brass. ⁘As a result, we are imposing a moratorium to bring our overtime back in line with the budget.⁘

The MTA as a whole — which includes NYC Transit, the commuter railways and MTA⁘s bridges and tunnels — spent $205.6 million in nonreimbursable overtime this year as of March 1, the most recent available figure.

That⁘s $72.3 million over the MTA⁘s nonreimbursable overtime budget for the months of January and February.

⁘Given the unfavorable financial results for the first quarter, we are implementing immediate restrictions on the use of unbudgeted overtime until further notice,⁘ he wrote.

⁘All nonemergency work should be planned to ensure it can be completed on straight time,⁘ Davey wrote.

The moratorium is expected to slow down certain repair and station maintenance projects, but agency officials said Tuesday that service should not be impacted.

The moratorium will not apply to emergency work necessitated by weather events or other incidents, overtime required to run shuttle bus service or overtime required to fill certain staffing vacancies.

The overtime restrictions will still allow any additional hours required to operate the system safely.

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Tuesday, April 16, 2024

Latest Big Game Hunting Regulations And Special Hunt Applications Now Available | Washington Department Of Fish &Amp...

The 2024 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations pamphlet outlines rules and regulations for big game hunters in Washington including seasons, equipment, licensing, access, and more. The regulations pamphlet is now available on WDFW's website. An electronic version of the regulations ("eRegulations") will be available on the vendor's website soon, with print copies available at dealer locations across the state in early May.

The new regulations incorporate decisions made by WDFW Director Kelly Susewind on proposed three-year hunting season rule changes for 2024-2026. Proposals included in this round of rule making were related to game management unit boundaries, landowner hunting permits, pelt inspection and sealing requirements, weapon and hunting attire requirements, trapping, and various rules related to big game, small game, and migratory gamebirds.

Director Susewind accepted all of the rule change proposals recommended by WDFW staff except for a proposal that would have permitted crossbow hunting for hunters over age 65 during archery seasons.

Beginning April 15, hunters may submit Special Hunt Permit applications for 2024 deer, elk, mountain goat, moose, bighorn sheep, and fall turkey seasons. Hunters with a special hunt permit gain the opportunity to hunt at special times or places authorized by that permit. This can often result in fewer crowds and higher success rates for hunters. The submission period is open through May 15.

Special hunt drawing results will be posted to applicants' WILD accounts in June. Applicants with a valid email will also receive an email alert when the results are available.

Source: Found here

Saturday, April 13, 2024

6-figure Accounting Jobs Are In High-demand In The U.S.—Not Just During Tax Season

Between a wave of retirees and a drop in the number of people pursuing accounting degrees, the entire industry is struggling to staff up , putting additional strain on the professionals who remain.

In the past two years, more than 300,000 U.S. accountants and auditors have left their jobs, a 17% decline, the Wall Street Journal reports.

The mass departure is driven by more than just baby-boomer retirements. As the Journal reports, younger accountants between the ages of 25 and 34 and mid-career professionals in the 45-to-54 age range are also leaving the profession in high numbers.

Many accountants resign due to inadequate pay and limited opportunities for career advancement, according to a recent report from The Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) and Robert Half, which surveyed over 1,200 current and former accounting and finance professionals.

To alleviate the talent shortage, more companies are increasing entry-level salaries for finance and accounting roles, offering referral bonuses and hiring temporary workers, the IMA and Robert Half report found.

In a tough job market , the accounting crisis presents a unique opportunity for mathematically inclined professionals to secure stable, six-figure jobs — many of which are hybrid or remote.

While the average mean salary for accountants in the U.S. is about $68,000, according to ZipRecruiter data , more experienced accountants stand to earn anywhere from $150,000 to upwards of $200,000 a year.

Reference: Visit website

Friday, April 12, 2024

Masters Neighbor Refuses To Sell Home Despite Millions In Offers From Augusta Golf Club | Fox...

Augusta National Golf Club, home to the prestigious Masters tournament , is undergoing ambitious expansion.⁘

Herman and Elizabeth Thacker built their home at 1112 Stanley Road in the city of Augusta in 1959. It's a modest 1,900-square-foot, three-bedroom home located across from Gate 6-A at the Masters.

Patrons exit the grounds after play was suspended due to inclement weather during practice for the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club April 5, 2022, in Augusta, Ga. ( Keyur Khamar/PGA Tour via Getty Images / Getty Images)

About 40,000 people visit Augusta, Georgia , every year for the golf spectacle held since 1934. It's big money. The tournament purse is expected to be $18 million in 2024. The tournament also provides exposure to golf equipment makers and sponsors, as well as IBM, whose Watson tracks player statistics.⁘

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Thursday, April 11, 2024

Inflation Is Sticking Around. Here's What That Means For Interest Rate Cuts * And Your...

The war against inflation was never going to be easy, but the latest consumer price index data demonstrates just how tough a fight the Federal Reserve is facing. In the months ahead, the outcome of that battle will have major implications for your finances.

The upshot: The Fed's ongoing campaign to tame inflation is far from over. That has left consumers and investors wondering if the central bank, who until recently were widely expected to cut its benchmark interest rate in June, could push back that timeline several months, or even into 2025.

Two main factors contributing to stronger-than-expected inflation in March were gasoline prices and rent. Rising prices at the pump stems partly to growing U.S. demand, according to the AAA, which said the current national average of $3.62 a gallon is about 6.6% higher than a month ago.

Hiking interest rates is the Fed's most effective weapon against inflation. That's because businesses and consumers put the brakes on spending when it costs more to borrow money, and that effectively dampens demand for goods and services, which in turn can help lower inflation.

But with inflation so far refusing to dissipate in 2024, economists say the Fed has less of a reason to cut rates, at least in the near term.

Prior to Wednesday's inflation report, most economists had penciled in the Fed's June 12 meeting as the likely date for its rate cut in four years. Economists had also predicted several cuts over the rest of 2024.

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Wednesday, April 10, 2024

DOD FY25 Budget Request Aligns With Message To Joint Force > U.S.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., explained during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing today how the Defense Department's fiscal year 2025 budget request aligns with his message to the joint force.

Shortly after becoming chairman in October 2023, Brown released his message focusing on three expectations: giving primacy to the honing of warfighting skills; modernizing the joint force and leading aggressively with new concepts and approaches; and recognizing trust as the foundation of the military profession.

Brown cited a series of challenges identified in the 2022 National Defense Strategy — the risky behavior of China, a newly aggressive Russia, and a destabilizing Iran and North Korea were among them — as being threats to an increasingly complex global security environment.

"These challenges are interconnected," Brown said, "which demands a strategic approach to addressing the immediate threats, while also preparing for future contingencies."

As it relates to honing warfighting skills, Brown said that DOD's $849.8 billion budget request contains $147 billion that not only sustains readiness and ensures DOD can counter threats in the near-term, but also focuses on integrating allies and partners into planning and operations. It also expands security operations, interoperability and training.

"Our investments in readiness ensure the joint force can respond when the nation calls," said Brown.

In terms of joint force modernization and the pursuit of new concepts, the budget request invests $167.5 billion in procurement to "equip the joint force with unparalleled combat capabilities across every domain."

Additionally, the budget invests $143.2 billion in research, development, testing and evaluation of future capabilities aimed at retaining the nation's strategic edge.

Source: Found here

Tuesday, April 9, 2024

California Farm Bureau Commentary: Why Overtime Law Fails Both Farms And Farmworkers


A celery field in the Salinas Valley is harvested. Many farmers pay workers above the California minimum wage, plus health and retirement benefits. But employee hours were cut due to the new overtime law. Credit: Ag Alert file photo

April 8, 2024 - By Norm Groot - For many decades, farmworkers have been vital to the harvesting of food crops in the Salinas Valley and other parts of the Monterey County agricultural region.

Monterey County farm employers do their part to attract and support farmworkers in a diminishing agricultural labor pool. Many pay significantly higher wages to their employees than the current California minimum wage of $16 per hour, plus benefits such as healthcare and retirement programs.

Reference: Visit website

Monday, April 8, 2024

Paraguay To Evaluate Enhanced Regulation For Bitcoin Mining

TOPSHOT - Paraguayan presidential candidate for the Colorado Party, Santiago Peña (C), celebrates ... [+] with his wife, Leticia Ocampos de Pea (R), and Paraguayan former President Horacio Cartes, after winning the presidential election in Asuncion on April 30, 2023. - Paraguayans went to the polls Sunday to pick a president they hope will tackle endemic corruption, rising crime and economic inequality, with the election potentially impacting the country's future ties with Taiwan. (Photo by NORBERTO DUARTE / AFP) (Photo by NORBERTO DUARTE/AFP via Getty Images)

This proposed law also aims to prohibit the storage and trading of cryptocurrencies. One of the main arguments for its discussion is that the country has many illegal bitcoin mining operations. The ban will last at least six months, and regulators said the objective is to protect consumers from virtual assets' risks. This bill must go through three other levels inside Congress before hitting the president's desk.

Read more: Found here

Saturday, April 6, 2024

6.35M In Unpaid Property Taxes As Mayor Wu Pushes Commercial Rate Increase

Projected budgetary woes in Boston that led Mayor Michelle Wu to roll out a proposal to increase property taxes on businesses beyond the state limit are not driven by unpaid real estate taxes, given city data that shows a 99% collection rate.

Reference: See here

Friday, April 5, 2024

Accounting's Pipeline Problem: An Opportunity In Disguise?

The bigger the crisis, the more important it is not to let it go to waste — and since the accounting profession has rarely faced a crisis as big as the ongoing staffing crunch, it should come as no surprise that some leading firms are seeing a silver lining to it.

"The biggest opportunity for accounting firms is to stand out and attract young accountants — particularly in a world where there's fewer college graduates pursuing this career," explained Colin Kendall, chief marketing officer at Top 100 Firm SC&H Group, in Sparks, Maryland. "The firms that can find ways to be a magnet for this group will have a significant advantage and a leg up in the accounting world."

Read more: See here

Wednesday, April 3, 2024

Where Should You Keep Your Money When Saving For A Down Payment?

David McMillin writes about credit cards, mortgages, banking, taxes and travel. Based in Chicago, he writes with one objective in mind: Help readers figure out how to save more and stress less. He is also a musician, which means he has spent a lot of time worrying about money. He applies the lessons he's learned from that financial balancing act to offer practical advice for personal spending decisions.

If you're hoping to become a homeowner, the size of your down payment can make a big difference in your budget. The more money you pay upfront, the less you'll need to borrow -- which translates to lower monthly payments and some major long-term savings in your overall costs.

Reference: See here

Tuesday, April 2, 2024

CT Budget Panel Mulling Whether To Challenge Lamont's Guardrails

But even though the Appropriations Committee must propose its own budget for the next fiscal year no later than Friday , it remained unclear Monday whether it would recommend the spending cuts Lamont wants — or seek to work around the cap as suggested by top leaders in the House and Senate.

Sen. Cathy Osten, D-Sprague, and Rep. Toni E. Walker, D-New Haven, both told The Connecticut Mirror that a decision might not be reached until just before the Appropriations Committee meets. An exact date hadn't been set by early Monday.

"We're not ready yet to talk about it," Osten said. "We have to let our colleagues in Appropriations know" first.

Reference: See here

Monday, April 1, 2024

1.42 Billion In Overtime In 2023

The MTA spent $1.42 billion on overtime last year, surpassing the 2018 record that resulted in investigations, indictments and promises of spending reforms, records show.

And although the Metropolitan Transportation Authority spent $80 million more in overtime wages in 2023 than the prior year, Janno Lieber, the agency's chairman and CEO, said MTA officials "remain as committed as ever to reining in overtime."

According to an overtime report recently published by the MTA Board's finance committee, the transit authority spent $1,420,300,000 in overtime wages in 2023, $305.4 million over budget and 6% more than the $1.34 billion spent in overtime in 2022.

Reference: Found here

Saturday, March 30, 2024

How The “Magnificent Seven” Misleads

A ll models are wrong, goes the statisticians' adage, but some are useful. This time last year, plenty of pundits' models started looking more wrong and less useful. The consensus forecast was a grim spell for economic growth and a dreary one for stock prices—and that was before a clutch of American regional banks buckled. Higher interest rates seemed set to cause pain everywhere. Instead, in the very country where the banking turmoil unfolded, the stockmarket began to soar. By the summer America's S & P 500 index of leading shares had risen by 28% from a trough hit the previous ...

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Friday, March 29, 2024

‘There Are No Consequences For Not Paying Your Property Taxes’ As Delinquencies Spike To $880 Million ...

More New Yorkers have stopped paying their property taxes — a troubling trend since the onset of the pandemic that city officials attribute to the end of a tax-lien sales program that punishes delinquency.

Overdue property taxes are forecast to reach its highest level ever, jumping by over 30% to more than $880 million at the end of the fiscal year in June from three years ago, according to an offering document for a city general obligation bond sale Tuesday. That means New York could be bringing in less tax revenue, since close to half of it comes from property tax collections.

Source: Visit website

Thursday, March 28, 2024

The Riskiest Jobs In Accounting

We've been hearing it for years, but especially in 2023 as generative AI rocked the world: Automation and artificial intelligence are here and they're coming for all the routine, mundane, repeatable tasks that have traditionally been accountants' bread and butter.

However, allowing machines to do this frees up human accountants for higher-value, strategically oriented tasks that will help firms do more with less in the face of a diminishing talent pipeline and outside disruption. Professionals will be able to work on the things that are really interesting to them and discard all the drudge work that no one ever wanted to do anyway.

Reference: Found here

Wednesday, March 27, 2024

China's Xi Meets U.S. Execs As Businesses Navigate Bilateral Tensions

BEIJING — U.S. business leaders met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday, the latest of Beijing's efforts to bolster foreign investment in China amid tensions with the U.S.

Blackstone founder Stephen Schwarzman, Qualcomm President and CEO Cristiano Amon, Bloomberg Chair Mark Carney and FedEx President Rajesh Subramaniam were among the attendees, according to state media.

Earlier reports described the meetings as a follow-up to Xi's dinner with U.S. business executives in San Francisco in November following the Chinese president's meeting with President Joe Biden.

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Tuesday, March 26, 2024

How Much Money Americans In Their 30s Have In Their 401(k)s

How much money Americans in their 30s have in their 401(k)s

Americans in their 30s have another 30 or so years before they reach retirement age , but they may not be saving enough to retire comfortably.

On average, Americans believe they'll need nearly $1.3 million to retire comfortably, according to Northwestern Mutual's 2023 Planning and Progress study.

However, the amount Americans in their 30s currently have saved is much lower. The median 401(k) balance for account holders in their 30s is around $20,400, according to the latest data from Fidelity Investments, the nation's largest 401(k) provider. The data is from the fourth quarter of 2023.

Reference: Found here

Sunday, March 24, 2024

US Department Of Labor Recovers Nearly $369K In Wages, Damages For 16 Workers Denied Overtime Pay By Prominent Oahu ...

HONOLULU – The U. S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division has recovered $368,992 in back wages and damages for 16 employees of an Oahu restaurant — owned by one of Japan's largest brewing and distilling companies — whose operators denied overtime wages to salaried cooks and chefs, some of whom worked up to 70 hours per week.

Investigators determined Restaurant Suntory wrongly excluded these salaried employees from overtime eligibility and, by doing so, did not pay them legally required overtime when they worked more than 40 hours in a workweek. The restaurant also failed to keep accurate wage records.

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Saturday, March 23, 2024

Biden Administration Announces New Tailpipe Rules Aimed To Expand EVs

Biden Administration Announces New Tailpipe Rules Aimed to Expand EVs - The New York Times

The Biden administration on Wednesday issued one of the most significant climate regulations in the nation's history, a rule designed to ensure that the majority of new passenger cars and light trucks sold in the United States are all-electric or hybrids by 2032.

Nearly three years in the making, the new tailpipe pollution limits from the Environmental Protection Agency would transform the American automobile market. A record 1.2 million electric vehicles rolled off dealers' lots last year, but they made up just 7.6 percent of total U.S. car sales, far from the 56 percent target under the new regulation. An additional 16 percent of new cars sold would be hybrids.

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Friday, March 22, 2024

Bringing America To A Soft Economic Landing, Step One

A merica's central bank left rates untouched, to widespread market delight. Why is this economic cycle confounding expectations so much, and how to bring it to a gentle end ? We look at the modern fortunes of Vodafone, a once-mighty telecoms firm that is slimming down to get healthier (11:21). And why Britain's system for protecting its historic buildings from change… needs to change (16:10). Runtime: 21 min

Our podcast on markets, the economy and business. This week, the Chinese e-commerce giant seems intent on disrupting one of the original disruptors

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Thursday, March 21, 2024

California Woman Shocked At Huge Tax Bill: 'How Am I Going To Survive?'

Every year, many taxpayers are startled to find their income as an independent contractor or business owner taxed at a higher rate than they imagined.

A TikToker who goes by the name of @_WestCoastFairy posted a video detailing her woes this tax season and now is unsure how she will go about paying her necessities.

"I literally can't breathe," the content creator said in her video . "I have so much anxiety. I just want to cry. I don't know what to do anymore."

_WestCoastFairy said she did everything right when filing her taxes and managed to make six figures last year. Despite her hard work, she was frustrated to learn $26,000 would be taken away from her earnings.

More details: Found here

Wednesday, March 20, 2024

Collective Debuts AI Accounting Tool For Solopreneurs

Collective Debuts AI Accounting Tool for Solopreneurs

Collective has debuted an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered accounting platform designed for one-person operations.

"As freelancers delve into the administration needed to properly pay their taxes and keep their books up to date, they've been shocked by their choices: pay expensive local accountants and bookkeepers that often leave them in the dark, or spend hours on DIY finance," the company said in a news release announcing "Collective Accounting" Tuesday (March 19).

"With today's release, Collective has solidified itself as a third option, one that fuses human expertise with the efficiency of AI technology."

Source: See here

Monday, March 18, 2024

So Much Money Everywhere

There are tens of billions of dollars flowing into the new bitcoin ETFs. Speculation in tech stocks, crypto, NFTs, options, day trading, etc. makes it feel like we picked up right where we left off in the mini-2020/2021 meme stock bubble.

If you want to find areas of concern and complacency, you don’t have to look very hard right now.

Look at the trillions of dollars that have poured into money market funds these past few years. Money has actually come out of stock market mutual funds and ETFs on a net basis while money market funds have raked in trillions of dollars.

More details: See here

Sunday, March 17, 2024

Top 10 Budget Travel Myths

Top 10 Budget Travel Myths

Whether it's a long weekend getaway or a much-deserved multi-week vacation, travel can be an amazing way to relax and reset from the daily grind. Wanting to be able to afford such an adventure can be a struggle. Many myths about budget travel persist as a sort of "received wisdom" passed down from parents, friends, and across the internet.

Some of these myths might actually cost you money. Others might prevent you from considering travel since it's "too expensive." So lets take a look at some of the most persistent myths about budget travel, with the hope that you'll be able to save enough money to afford more travel now and in the future.

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Saturday, March 16, 2024

Custodians Cleaning Up On Overtime In Newton Public Schools: 13 Earn More Than $100

Custodians are cleaning up on overtime in Newton Public Schools, with nearly a quarter earning at least $20,000 in extra hours last year as the district became embroiled in a stifling contract dispute between teachers and the School Committee .

A Herald analysis into Newton's payroll for the 2023 calendar year revealed that 21 of the 89 custodians employed in the district made at least $20,000 in overtime pay, a statistic one financial watchdog called "appalling."

The review also found that 13 custodians used the extra pay to skyrocket their salaries to over $100,000 — with the highest raking in $75,347.12 to boost their $88,383.58 in regular earnings to $166,780.86.

Reference: See here

Friday, March 15, 2024

Gov. Pillen Approves Nebraska Gender Care Regulations

LINCOLN — Gov. Jim Pillen approved the final rules and regulations for Nebraska's gender care law Tuesday, ending the administrative process as a legal challenge continues to play out.

Pillen, in a news release, announced the approval of Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services regulations for puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones. The restrictions apply to Nebraska minors under 19 years old and will take effect in five days, per state law.

"Nebraska's kids are our future," Pillen said in a statement. "They deserve the opportunity to grow up and develop to their full, God-given potential."

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Tuesday, March 12, 2024

ADM Says Employees Received DOJ Subpoenas Amid Probe Over Accounting Practices

ADM says employees received DOJ subpoenas amid probe over accounting practices

(Reuters) -Global grains merchant Archer-Daniels-Midland said on Tuesday some of its employees have received subpoenas from the Department of Justice amid an ongoing investigation over its accounting practices.

The disclosure came as ADM reported a lower-than-expected fourth-quarter profit as oilseed processing and crop origination margins fell and as the company's Nutrition unit, the subject of the investigation, posted a quarterly loss.

ADM said some sales between business units within the company were not recorded at amounts approximating market value and corrected certain segment-specific financial information for previous financial statements from 2018 to 2023.

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Sunday, March 10, 2024

One Of The Top Donors To A Pro-Biden Dark-money Group Is A Nonprofit Run By A Little-known AI Investor | CNN ...

One of the top donors to a pro-Biden dark-money group is a nonprofit run by a little-known AI investor | CNN ...

A husband-and-wife duo whose fortune has ties to AI investments and cryptocurrency trading are quietly emerging as some of the largest backers of the main dark-money group boosting President Joe Biden.

The second-largest donation in 2022 to the non-profit arm of Future Forward, the primary Super PAC supporting Biden, came from a group run by James McClave and Emily Berger. The couple work at Jane Street, a Manhattan trading firm, and McClave was an early investor in the AI company Anthropic.

Related article How the family fortune behind a major American pharma company has quietly funded conservative causes

Source: Found here

Thursday, March 7, 2024

Water Company Violated State Regulations | Wnep.Com

DEP: Water company violated state regulations | wnep.com

LACKAWANNA COUNTY, Pa. — The Department of Environmental Protection says Pennsylvania American Water violated state regulations, leading to low, smelly water at a creek in Lackawanna County.

According to the DEP, sediment flowed into the Roaring Brook Creek in Scranton and Dunmore back in February as a result of construction at a dam at Dunmore Reservoir Number 7.

The state says Pennsylvania American Water was in violation of several regulations regarding sediment control and water pollution.

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Wednesday, March 6, 2024

Why And How Economics Must Change By Jayati Ghosh

The enforcement of strict power hierarchies within the discipline has suppressed the emergence and spread of alternative theories, explanations, and analysis. These combine with the other forms of discrimination (by gender, race/ethnicity, location) to exclude or marginalize alternative perspectives. The impact of location is huge: the mainstream discipline is completely dominated by the North Atlantic—specifically the US and Europe— in terms of prestige, influence, and the ability to determine the content and direction of the discipline.

These flaws have greatly impoverished economics and unsurprisingly reduced its credibility and legitimacy among the wider public. The mainstream discipline is sorely in need of greater humility, a better sense of history and recognition of unequal power, and active encouragement of diversity. Clearly, much has to change if economics is really to become relevant and useful enough to confront the major challenges of our times.

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Tuesday, March 5, 2024

R Block’s AI Chatbots Are Giving Bad Tax Advice

TurboTax and H&R Block's AI chatbots are giving bad tax advice - The Washington Post

This year, TurboTax and H&R Block added artificial intelligence to the tax-prep software used by millions of us. Now while you're doing your taxes online, there are AI chatbots on the right side of the screen to answer your burning questions.

But watch out: Rely on either AI for even lightly challenging tax questions, and you could end up confused. Or maybe even audited.

H&R Block's AI gave unhelpful answers to more than 30 percent of the questions. It did well on 529 plans and mortgage deductions, but confidently recommended an incorrect filing status and erroneously described IRS guidance on cryptocurrency.

Reference: Visit origin

Monday, March 4, 2024

Severe Accounting Shortage In U.S. Could Be Causing Earnings Report Mistakes

While it's unclear what exactly led to the mistakes in each of these cases, one major risk factor has reached crisis levels: a shortage of certified public accountants.

Seasoned practitioners are retiring while the profession isn't drawing the next generation of workers entering the labor market. The lack of help means current accountants' hours and workloads can be grueling, upping the odds of mistakes and burnout.

Yet despite the plentiful job openings, students aren't racing to major in accounting. For many, the typical entry-level job doesn't pay enough to make the needed fifth year of college tuition worth it.

More details: Found here

Red Sea Cables Have Been Damaged, Disrupting Internet Traffic

Red Sea cables have been damaged, disrupting internet traffic | CNN Business

Damage to submarine cables in the Red Sea is disrupting telecommunications networks and forcing providers to reroute as much as a quarter of traffic between Asia, Europe and the Middle East, including internet traffic.

Cables belonging to four major telecoms networks have been "cut" causing "significant" disruption to communications networks in the Middle East, according to Hong Kong telecoms company HGC Global Communications.

HGC estimates that 25% of traffic between Asia and Europe as well the Middle East has been impacted, it said in a statement Monday.

Source: Visit origin

Sunday, March 3, 2024

'You're Not Gonna Spend Any Money On Anything For The Next Three Years' — Dave Ramsey Is Perplexed By Millennial Couple ...

As if that wasn't enough to grab his attention, the woman soon noted that she's 29 and her husband is 32.

At this point, you can see the perplexed look on Ramsey's face and hear the concern in his voice.

While this situation sounds absurd on the surface, extreme debt is something that many individuals and couples are dealing with.

Source: Visit website

Friday, March 1, 2024

New Bill Could Jumpstart Overtime Laws For Maine Workers | Newscentermaine.Com

#News

WELLS, Maine — To keep up with rising inflation, a bill is making its way through the legislature that would jumpstart Maine's overtime laws if passed. Image

Thursday, February 29, 2024

Hybrid Ditched As Part Of Major WRC Regulation Change



... ...

Hybrid will be ditched from the World Rally Championship's premium category from the end of this season – the move comes as part of a raft of proposed technical regulation changes emerging from Wednesday's meeting of the World Motor Sport Council. Image
Excerpt: reuters.com

Sunday, February 25, 2024

Accounting Standards Blamed For Lack Of Accountants

Image "The study looks at how growing regulation within accounting and the increase in accounting rules issued by the FASB have changed the accounting profession and the role of the accountant," said Anthony Le, a Ph.D candidate in accounting at Columbia University, who carried out the study.

Tuesday, February 20, 2024

‘Affects Every Person In NYS’: Business Owners Concerned With DEC Regulations

Image BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Dozens of Buffalo area business owners met Monday to discuss new regulations that they believe will also impact consumers.
Publisher: WKBW 7 News Buffalo
Twitter: @wkbw

I'm Set To Make A Massive Sum Of Money. My Husband Is Aghast At My Plans For It.

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