Dhara Singh

Contributor at Freelance

Bylines: @finder @worthmag @investopedia @bankrate @yahoofinance @cnet | @columbiajourn alumna

Articles

5 Things You Need to Get Pre-Approved for a Mortgage

2 months ago | investopedia.com | Dhara Singh

Mortgage lenders offer pre-approval letters to buyers they believe can repay their loans. However, unlike mortgage pre-qualification, the pre-approval process is a more detailed look into your finances, including running a hard check on your credit. Your pre-approval letter may include everything from your maximum loan amount to your estimated interest rate. The letter will also have an expiration date for when the terms of the pre-approval letter are valid.
7 Loans Like Fig Loans in Canada

Oct 28, 2024 | finder.com | Stacie Hurst |Dhara Singh

Texas-based Fig Loans—not to be confused with Quebec-based Fig Financial—was launched in 2014 to help working-class Americans build credit and cover immediate cash needs. Fig Loans can be good for US borrowers who may not have an extensive credit history or aren’t eligible for personal loans elsewhere. Amounts range from $50 to $1,000, and term typically run from four to six months. If you live in Canada, you can’t get funding from Fig Loans.
Holiday Shopping Survey: 2024 Data

Oct 10, 2024 | marketwatch.com | Dhara Singh |Kelly Larson

As holiday deals hit TV screens and social media feeds, Americans are prepping for a spending spree. Three in five shoppers (61%) plan to spend more on holiday expenses this year than last. And 57% admit they usually exceed their holiday budget, according to a new survey of 3,000 Americans by MarketWatch Guides.
70% of Workers Brace for Job Cuts

Jul 10, 2024 | marketwatch.com | Dhara Singh |Kelly Larson |Travis J. Pashak

Key Findings 70% of employees are bracing for layoffs in some way. About 40% are saving up for a possible layoff, and 32% said they regularly browse job listings. Gen Z workers rate their job security the lowest of any generation, with 57% reporting layoff anxiety, compared to just 16% of baby boomers. If laid off today, 40% of workers said they would run out of money within one month based on their current spending. 24% said they would run out withintwo weeks.
Both Are Solid Lenders Depending on Your Needs

Jun 27, 2024 | finder.com | Dhara Singh |Megan B. Shepherd

SoFi stands out for its attractive interest rates and larger loan offerings for those with higher credit scores and incomes. It also offers a suite of personal finance education tools. Prosper, on the other hand, is more inclusive of those with lower credit scores who need smaller loan amounts. Loan products offeredPersonal loans for credit card consolidation, home improvements, family planning, travel, IVF, weddings and more.
41% of Americans Say Money Has Destroyed Their Mental Health

May 29, 2024 | marketwatch.com | Dhara Singh |Andrew Dunn

Key Findings 88% feel some level of financial stress, and 65% say finances are their biggest source of stress 58% admit to hiding financial stress from loved ones, and 44% say they will ignore a financial problem until it becomes a crisis 47% say 2024 has been the most stressful year of their life financially, often citing high costs for essential goods like food 94% say they sacrifice their mental health to get by financially, with 92% saying financial stress has caused adverse physical...
What Is Lead Time? Everything You Need To Know

Apr 2, 2024 | marketwatch.com | Dhara Singh |Katie Gray

At a high level, lead time is the time between the start and the end of a process. To get more specific, here is how it works for a couple different industries:Manufacturing: The time between when an order is placed and when the finished product reaches the customerSoftware development: The time it takes to code a product and deliver it to customersThe way you calculate lead time depends on your industry.
How to roll over a 401(k) to an IRA

Mar 19, 2024 | finder.com | Dhara Singh |Matt Miczulski

A 401(k) to IRA rollover is a fairly straightforward process but can take up to a couple of weeks to complete. Before you start the rollover process, review the different tax implications and pros and cons of moving from one retirement account type to another. To roll over your 401(k) to an IRA, you must choose an IRA account type and provider and initiate the rollover process with your old 401(k) provider. Here’s what each step entails. 1.
Best Retirement Plans 2024

Feb 29, 2024 | finder.com | Matt dissects |Matt Miczulski |Dhara Singh

Through various employer-sponsored and individual retirement plans, individuals can save for their retirement while benefitting from tax breaks and other incentives. From 401(k)s to individual retirement accounts (IRAs) to retirement plans for business owners, we compiled a list of the various retirement accounts to examine where each shines in helping individuals save for life after work. Here are the best retirement plans of 2024.
How To Make a Gantt Chart in Excel (2024 Guide)

Feb 23, 2024 | marketwatch.com | Katie Gray |Dhara Singh

Gantt charts get their name from Henry L. Gantt who invented them in the late 1800s to early 1900s as a way to showcase project schedules. Each Gantt chart takes a table with tasks, start dates and end dates and turns it into a graph that shows how long each task has taken with a bar. The bars lie horizontally. The longer the bars, the longer the tasks have taken to complete. The names of the tasks sit on the vertical axis with their corresponding bars to the right of them.