Field notes on money
Shorter, sharper pieces on the money questions in the news — and the timeless ones that never go away.
Overtime Pay: How It Works, How It Is Taxed and What You Take Home
How overtime pay works: when it legally starts, the difference between exempt and non-exempt, what time and a half is actually calculated on, how the new deduction on overtime is really applied, why bonuses are withheld at a flat rate, what to do about unpaid overtime, and how the rules differ in Canada, Spain, France and Russia.
What to Do If You Can’t Pay Your Taxes: Payment Plans, Penalties and Relief
What to do if you cannot pay your taxes: why filing on time matters more than paying on time, what penalties and interest actually cost, how to set up an IRS payment plan, what happens when the debt is genuinely unpayable, what the tax authority can do without a court order, how to avoid tax-relief scams, and how the same problem is handled in Canada, Spain, France and Russia.
How to Lower Your Electricity Bill: Tariffs, Timing and the Help You Can Claim
How to lower your electricity bill: what you are actually paying for, how to read the bill, choosing between fixed and variable rate plans, using time-of-use hours, the appliances that dominate your usage, which efficiency fixes pay back, the help available if you cannot pay, how to switch supplier without being scammed, and how it all works in Spain, France, Russia and Canada.
How to Get a Business Loan When You Work for Yourself
How to get a business loan when you are self-employed: what lenders actually look at, how SBA-guaranteed loans work, what a personal guarantee really commits you to, which type of finance fits which need, what to prepare before applying, the financing to avoid, and how the state-backed options differ in Spain, France, Russia and Canada.
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About the journal
The Journal is our stream of shorter, timely articles — practical explainers, worked examples and analysis of the money questions in the news. The Guides are the evergreen foundations; the Journal is where we go deeper on specifics.