Alex Summers articles

Americans planning a year abroad frequently evaluate whether renting or selling a second home offers the best tax outcome. Because the Internal Revenue Service taxes US citizens and residents on worldwide income, both rental income and any eventual sale of real property must be reported, regardless of where the owner temporarily relocates. That rule applies even when the homeowner moves to Europe and maintains no physical presence in the United States during the tax year. The tax consequences differ sharply between renting and selling, and the choice can influence annual taxable income, long-term tax exposure, and the cost of managing the property from overseas.

Red Lobster was the epitome of American family dining, but had to file for bankruptcy last year. We retrace how the restaurant chain came unglued, and what happens next.

Co-signing a lease creates a legal duty that many people do not fully understand until something goes wrong. Once a person signs, the agreement becomes binding for the entire term unless the landlord agrees in writing to release that responsibility.

Most months blur together. A paycheck shows up, bills rush in, and whatever remains barely keeps things steady. With rent climbing and groceries eating a larger share of the budget, even basic healthcare starts to feel like an unpredictable expense.

There's a quiet rebellion happening in checking accounts across the country. People are canceling, switching, and refusing to pay for things they've tolerated forever. Turns out convenience costs more than anyone realized.

Your interview went great except when you made an attempt at humor at the wrong time. We look at ways to salvage the situation and what to do next time.

When a family member borrows a car, the expectation is simple: they’ll treat it with the same care they treat their own. But that trust can evaporate in a second—especially when alcohol becomes part of the story. And when the person who caused the wreck shrugs and insists, “Insurance will handle it”, the emotional fallout becomes almost as heavy as the financial one. The real questions begin right after the tow truck pulls away: Will auto insurance pay for a drunk-driving crash in someone else’s car? Is the owner on the hook for damages? Understanding how each part of the process actually works helps make sense of what follows.

Silicon Valley Bank was flying high, but when public confidence started to crack, the bank collapsed in a matter of hours.

Every purchase now involves a bit more calculation. Plans adjust around rising costs, and the space between income and comfort feels narrower than anyone expected.