8 Smart Ways to Spend Your Tax Refund
April 15 is Tax Day. Do you have a plan?
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Mo’ Money - Tax Day, or the last day to file your federal tax return, is April 15. In addition, we're currently in the season for tax refunds, and the IRS reports that the average tax refund has gone up slightly to $3,034. But while that Apple Watch and spontaneous vacation may be calling your name, there are more practical ways to use that money. Choose wisely, and you could ease your financial burdens for the rest of the year! Here’s how. By Kenrya Rankin Naasel
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Add to Your Emergency Fund - And if you don’t have one, start one, using a no-fee, interest-earning online account. You need to have enough to cover at least three months’ expenses, from rent to food to gas money. It pays to do this before anything else — if you have a major setback, like losing your job or suffer a debilitating injury, this cushion can take the sting out of the fall. (Photo: Fairfax Media/Fairfax Media via Getty Images)
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Pay Down Debt - Have you been paying the minimum on your credit card each month? You could save hundreds or even thousands of dollars in interest if you use some of your refund to make a significant dent in your debt. (Photo Illustration: Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Photo By Photo Illustration: Spencer Platt/Getty Images
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Save for a Sure Thing - Know that you’re attending an out-of-town wedding this fall, or that you will need to replace your laptop at the end of the year? Rather than using your credit card, start putting a bit aside each month so that when the time comes to pay for it, you can do so without going into debt. And if you use an account that earns interest, you’ll make a little cash, too! (Photo: Karin Dreyer/Corbis)
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Max Out Your Child’s 529 - These savings plans allow you to sock away money that your kids can use for school without paying taxes to Uncle Sam. Maximum annual contribution amounts vary by plan — add what you can to help your little ones enjoy a brighter future. (Photo: 68/Ocean/Corbis)
Photo By Photo: 68/Ocean/Corbis
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