Latest news with #Pifer
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Hagen History Center receives $100K grant to restore Watson-Curtze Mansion windows
Windows at the historic Watson-Curtze Mansion will be repaired and restored thanks to a grant from the state. The Hagen History Center is being awarded a $100,000 Keystone Historic Preservation grant. Edinboro Lantern Festival raises money for local non-profit This is a part of a state program that provides vital funding for organizations, local governments and museums across the commonwealth to preserve cultural heritage. There are 96 original windows from 1891 that were not updated during the 2015 mansion restoration. Highmark Walk for a Healthy Community takes place at Penn State Behrend 'We have to do everything following guidelines and standards to make sure it's historically accurate, and a couple of the cases we'll be doing full replacement, and those will be historically correct windows based on all the original specs for the mansion, so that's something that's really important to us,' said Caleb Pifer, executive director of the Hagen History Center. Pifer said it should take them roughly a month to complete, and they will remain open during construction. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
5 Things You Should Do If You Receive a $500 Tax Refund
Taxes are being filed, and many people are eagerly anticipating a tax refund. If you're due one that's in the ballpark of $500, which is not a stunning amount of money but enough to be significant, you might wonder what to do with it. Learn More: Find Out: It's easy to spend $500 quickly, particularly in these days of high costs of living. But is that your best bet? Financial experts offered some tips. If you don't need that $500 immediately for bills, Christopher Stroup, a CFP and founder of Silicon Beach Financial, recommended you invest it in your future by opening or contributing to a Roth IRA. 'Even $500 invested annually can grow significantly over time thanks to compound interest. This is a smart way to build long-term wealth without a big upfront commitment,' he said. Your tax refund can be a great opportunity to jump-start or grow other investments, too, according to Daniel Pifer, a financial advisor with Northwestern Mutual. 'Putting your refund to work can help you build long-term wealth and get you closer to achieving the financial future you want, like buying a home, paying for college or saving for retirement,' Pifer said. Read Next: If your emergency savings is low, a $500 cash infusion is a great opportunity to strengthen it, Stroup said. Indeed, according to Northwestern Mutual's 2024 Planning and Progress Study, 4 in 10 Americans (40%) do not have any emergency savings, Pifer explained. 'This means if an unexpected expense came up, they'd have to rely on credit cards, loans or even their family and friends,' Pifer said. This type of emergency could be anything from a car repair to a medical bill. By putting your $500 tax refund into a high-yield savings account dedicated to emergencies you are prepared for any future emergencies. 'Even a few hundred dollars can make a big difference,' Pifer said. Got a credit card balance? Use your refund to pay it down since carrying debt can make it a challenge to achieve your financial goals, Pifer pointed out. 'To effectively pay down debt with $500, prioritize your debt with the highest interest rates. Consider using your tax refund to pay down a balance leading to savings in both time and interest. ' Reducing debt now saves you from paying interest later. This frees up future cash flow for investments and business growth. If you're an entrepreneur or have a side hustle you might like to scale, even small investments in your skills or company can lead to higher earnings and better opportunities in the long run, Stroup pointed out. 'Upgrade a key business tool, enroll in an online course or attend a networking event.' While it may feel good to get money back at the end of the year, a $500 refund means you likely overpaid in taxes throughout the year, Stroup said. 'Work with a tax professional to adjust your withholdings to ensure that you keep more of your money in your paycheck instead of giving the IRS an interest-free loan.' More From GOBankingRates 5 Luxury Cars That Will Have Massive Price Drops in Spring 2025 4 Things You Should Do if You Want To Retire Early How Much Money Is Needed To Be Considered Middle Class in Every State? 5 Types of Vehicles Retirees Should Stay Away From Buying This article originally appeared on 5 Things You Should Do If You Receive a $500 Tax Refund
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
5 Things You Should Do If You Receive a $500 Tax Refund
Taxes are being filed, and many people are eagerly anticipating a tax refund. If you're due one that's in the ballpark of $500, which is not a stunning amount of money but enough to be significant, you might wonder what to do with it. Learn More: Find Out: It's easy to spend $500 quickly, particularly in these days of high costs of living. But is that your best bet? Financial experts offered some tips. If you don't need that $500 immediately for bills, Christopher Stroup, a CFP and founder of Silicon Beach Financial, recommended you invest it in your future by opening or contributing to a Roth IRA. 'Even $500 invested annually can grow significantly over time thanks to compound interest. This is a smart way to build long-term wealth without a big upfront commitment,' he said. Your tax refund can be a great opportunity to jump-start or grow other investments, too, according to Daniel Pifer, a financial advisor with Northwestern Mutual. 'Putting your refund to work can help you build long-term wealth and get you closer to achieving the financial future you want, like buying a home, paying for college or saving for retirement,' Pifer said. Read Next: If your emergency savings is low, a $500 cash infusion is a great opportunity to strengthen it, Stroup said. Indeed, according to Northwestern Mutual's 2024 Planning and Progress Study, 4 in 10 Americans (40%) do not have any emergency savings, Pifer explained. 'This means if an unexpected expense came up, they'd have to rely on credit cards, loans or even their family and friends,' Pifer said. This type of emergency could be anything from a car repair to a medical bill. By putting your $500 tax refund into a high-yield savings account dedicated to emergencies you are prepared for any future emergencies. 'Even a few hundred dollars can make a big difference,' Pifer said. Got a credit card balance? Use your refund to pay it down since carrying debt can make it a challenge to achieve your financial goals, Pifer pointed out. 'To effectively pay down debt with $500, prioritize your debt with the highest interest rates. Consider using your tax refund to pay down a balance leading to savings in both time and interest. ' Reducing debt now saves you from paying interest later. This frees up future cash flow for investments and business growth. If you're an entrepreneur or have a side hustle you might like to scale, even small investments in your skills or company can lead to higher earnings and better opportunities in the long run, Stroup pointed out. 'Upgrade a key business tool, enroll in an online course or attend a networking event.' While it may feel good to get money back at the end of the year, a $500 refund means you likely overpaid in taxes throughout the year, Stroup said. 'Work with a tax professional to adjust your withholdings to ensure that you keep more of your money in your paycheck instead of giving the IRS an interest-free loan.' More From GOBankingRates 5 Luxury Cars That Will Have Massive Price Drops in Spring 2025 4 Things You Should Do if You Want To Retire Early How Much Money Is Needed To Be Considered Middle Class in Every State? 5 Types of Vehicles Retirees Should Stay Away From Buying This article originally appeared on 5 Things You Should Do If You Receive a $500 Tax Refund
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump's Special Envoy Grenell claims nuclear weapons in Ukraine after USSR collapse belonged to Russia
US President Donald Trump's presidential Envoy for Special Missions Richard Grenell has stated that the nuclear weapons that remained on Ukrainian territory after the collapse of the USSR belonged to Russia and claimed this to be an "uncomfortable fact". Source: Grenell on X (Twitter) Quote from Grenell: "Let's be clear about the Budapest Memorandum: the nukes were Russia's and were leftovers. Ukraine gave the nukes back to Russia. They weren't Ukraine's. This is an uncomfortable fact." Details: Steven Pifer, former US ambassador to Ukraine and nuclear weapons expert, responded by stating that Grenell is "flat wrong". Quote from Pifer: "I helped negotiate Budapest Memorandum. Grenell is flat wrong. Nuclear warheads in Ukraine were ex-Soviet, not Russian. Warheads in storage were in sole Ukrainian custody. ICBMs [intercontinental ballistic missiles] and bombers were eliminated in Ukraine except small number sent to Russia for debt relief." Details: Pifer stressed that Ukraine had decided to send the nuclear warheads to Russia for dismantling largely because Moscow had committed to respecting Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity and not using force against Ukraine. He advised Grenell to read the full story. Earlier, former US president Bill Clinton expressed regret over his role in Ukraine's nuclear disarmament in the 1990s, suggesting that otherwise Russia might not have launched its full-scale invasion. For reference: In January 1994, Clinton signed a trilateral agreement with the then presidents of Russia and Ukraine, Boris Yeltsin and Leonid Kravchuk, on eliminating the arsenal of strategic nuclear weapons that remained on Ukrainian territory after the collapse of the USSR. In December of the same year, the United States also joined the Budapest Memorandum, which stipulated Russia's obligation to respect the territorial integrity of Ukraine. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
