A Reader Asks…

I recently was awarded a legal settlement of $55,000. The party paying the money is planning to pay it out on a 1099, labeled as “emotional distress” damages. I don’t know much about this, except that it will ultimately reduce the amount of taxes that are taken out. The problem is that because they are handing me a lump sum check with the 1099, they are not taking the taxes out in advance. Does anyone know how much of this I should set aside for my taxes next year?

A Reader Asks…

Hello All,
I am getting 35,000 in backpay wages and 10,000 for compensatory damages. I live in the state of Maryland and I just want to know how many taxes will the state take out? What tax bracket does the 35,000 fall in? I want to know exactly what I will be left with after taxes. I already know that they cannot touch the 10,000 …

It’s no secret that Americans are struggling financially. Massive layoffs, inflation, unaffordable healthcare, skyrocketing gas prices and hiked-up interest rates on credit card accounts are plunging millions of consumers to the brink of bankruptcy. However, many of the would-be bankrupt are turning to a less drastic solution to their debt problems: debt settlement.

A Super-Short History of Debt Settlement

Debt …