Free Money News May 2017

Spring’s in full swing and baseball is back! North Carolina did win NBA March Madness — what are the experts’ 2017 projections about baseball?

We already have baseball surprises: Toronto looked strong but now the Blue Jays are blue with a 5-13 record. The NY Yankees looked so-so but with rookie Aaron Judge batting 301 with 10 homers and 20 Rbi’s, the “experts” are changing their tunes. SF Giants lagged until rookie Christian Arroyo hit two home runs in as many games and is batting 250. Spirits are up, the SF magic returns…?

Experts can be wrong! Aren’t you glad you couldn’t afford the big Fyre Festival in the Bahamas? Major hype from Kendall Jenner, Emily Ratajkowski and others couldn’t save it from disaster. Attendees fled, furious!

Now you can spend the money you saved for the blockbuster summer movies coming up soon. Five open in May: King Arthur: Legend of the Sword; Snatched; Alien: Covenant; Baywatch 2017; and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. But first check out our May Free Money Highlights for more on Trump and your finances, good summer jobs for teens, important news on Pell Grants, student loans and student debt, news for veterans, business funding opportunities and more:

So what has been the impact of President Trump’s first 100 days — and how does it affect you? There are several accomplishments with varying degrees of direct impact on your life:

• He has lifted the federal hiring freeze so if you’re interested in working for the government check out our guide to Government Jobs;
• He has taken action in Syria and Afghanistan that worry some and make others feel safer since the threat of ISIS is being acknowledged and acted upon. Trump has also taken steps to align with other countries to protect us all from North Korean aggression.
• Trump recently announced an executive order creating a new office at the Veterans Administration to improve their provision of health care and protect whistle blowers. Read more in our update to Grants for Veterans.
• Initial efforts to replace Obamacare have not been successful, though new improved plans are reportedly underway…Stay tuned.
• Trump has issued orders requiring that agencies ease up on unnecessary and duplicative rules and regulations.
• A new tax plan proposal has benefits for all income levels. Importantly for low income earners, the standard deduction has been doubled. This effectively means that those who earn $24,000 annually or less will pay no income taxes. There may be additional changes that will help families with children; see our update to Assistance for Childcare. Corporate tax rates as well as the top personal tax back rate will go down, which should stimulate favorable economic activity. On the negative side, at least for higher earners, important tax deductions for people living high tax rate states (like property taxes and state income taxes) will be lost.

As indicated above, a newly created office in the Veterans Administration should improve veterans’ health care services, protect those who blow the whistle on poor practices, and make it easier to remove employees who do not serve veterans well.

The government is also acting to support veterans who are entrepreneurs and want to start and manage their own businesses. If you’re interested see our April update to Grants for Veterans and learn more about the new Entrepreneur Portal available on the VA’s website. It can give vets a great start with information and assistance regarding funding, identifying business opportunities, including how to do business with the VA.

Lots of news on this topic:

• If you’re looking for loans we provide information and tips in the new article Student Loans. They are plentiful — and can be confusing. Get the facts and some important warnings about what to watch out for when figuring out how to pay for college.
• Did you get caught in the mess with ITT and other private schools closing down before you could graduate? An important benefit has been announced by the Department of Education that will make it possible for you to receive more Pell Grants in the future. Check it out in our update to Qualify for a Pell Grant.
• Having trouble paying off your existing student debt? You are not alone! If you have a lot of private student loans there are options now for you to refinance them. Get important information that might ease your burden in our update to Grants to Pay Off Student Debt.
• Also see how the availability of private student loans may be affected under the Trump administration in Government Loans.
• Don’t forget scholarships! If you are an “enlightened woman” check out our latest update regarding Scholarship Contests.

If you’re a woman or a member of a minority you will want to know more about the Minority Business Development Agency’s “I-3” program. The Inclusive Innovation Initiative aims to increase opportunities for Minority Business Enterprises to participate in activities associated with the federal laboratory network. Find out more about related events and workshops in our update to our review of the Minority Business Development Agency.

Interested in Crowdfunding as a way to raise money to start or grow your business? You should be! They can be quite rewarding if you do them right. Get some great guidance in our Grants for Business update about tips for running a successful campaign.

Have you ever considered microfinancing as a source of funds for your new business? Discover what’s happening right here in the USA in Crowdfunding News.

The Small Business Administration is taking its show on the road with events planned around the country. Read about their Innovation events and see if there’s one near you in our review of the SBA.

If you’re interested in doing business with the government there are also small business training and outreach events being sponsored by the (Federal Business Opportunities agency). Learn more in this article about the FBO.

Want to find a summer job or help your kids choose a good one? Here are highlights of some tips recently published by Forbes Magazine. They reviewed jobs that pay pretty well and also offer good training and experience that can help kids later in life:

• Retail Sales: These jobs give you experience working as part of a team and interacting with the public, earning between $11-$13 per hour.
• Food Service: Similar to Retail Sales with the added benefit of the potential for tips.
• Camp Counselor: Spend lots of time outdoors, get to move out of your parents’ house for the summer; develop some leadership skills; learn to communicate well, resolve conflicts and build teams.
• Golf Caddy: Get lots of exercise, develop interpersonal skills and possibly make some good money from generous tips