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1 month ago | 
erika.com | Michael Dempster |Erika Kullberg
Peak COVID-19 is (hopefully) behind us, but new variants keep emerging — and another pandemic could break out anytime, according to Harvard University public health researchers. Unfortunately, not all travel insurance will cover your financial losses if “the next COVID” ruins your next vacation. Knowing what to look for in an insurance policy’s fine print will help you pandemic-proof your travels and ensure a stress-free recovery if you get sick.
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Jan 13, 2025 | 
erika.com | Michael Dempster |Erika Kullberg
Compensation rights for a long flight delay depend on your airline and flight location. U.S. law lets airlines set their own (stingy) delay compensation terms, whereas many other countries give passengers stronger legal protections. But one aspect of flight delay compensation is universal: Airlines won't go out of their way to pay for their poor punctuality. And knowing when and what you're owed is the first step to getting what you're owed, wherever your delay occurs.
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Jan 12, 2025 | 
erika.com | Michael Dempster |Erika Kullberg
EU261 is a regulation that entitles you to up to600 eurosof compensation if your qualifying European flight is delayed three hours or more. It applies to Europe’s foreign visitors and residents alike. While that sounds great in theory, the policy is complicated, and airlines are often reluctant to pay.
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Dec 15, 2024 | 
erika.com | Michael Dempster |Erika Kullberg
Filing a tax return is one of the many to-dos we tend to put on the back burner when life gives us front-burner stuff to deal with. Unfortunately, you can’t set aside your taxes forever. But you can get a little more time from the IRS to gather documents and review your deductible expenses. An extension generally gives you until October 15 to file your tax return without paying a failure-to-file fee. A filing extension doesn’t give you extra time to pay your estimated taxes owed.
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Dec 10, 2024 | 
erika.com | Michael Dempster |Erika Kullberg
How would you like to fly from Detroit to New Zealand for $335 roundtrip? Or Vancouver to Los Angeles and back for 250 Delta SkyMiles? Maybe Manila to Dubai in business class for $83 is more your style? Those airfares resulted from pricing mistakes made by airlines and online travel agencies. And although they’re becoming increasingly rare, mistake fares like these still pop up occasionally. Snagging one can help you fly for a fraction of the price you would normally pay! . . .
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Dec 4, 2024 | 
erika.com | Michael Dempster |Erika Kullberg
American taxpayers pay an average of nearly $14,300 in federal income tax annually, according to the Tax Foundation. So, it seems like a smart move to pay the taxman with your credit card and earn a heap of rewards points or cashback on that huge, unavoidable bill, right? But paying taxes with a credit card comes with big caveats that should make you pause before pulling out the plastic. . . . You can pay taxes with a credit card. Whether you should or shouldn’t is a more nuanced consideration.
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Nov 27, 2024 | 
erika.com | Michael Dempster |Erika Kullberg
If you have Wells Fargo’s Autograph or Autograph Journey credit cards, you can redeem your rewards for flights, hotels, and other travel experiences within the Wells Fargo travel portal. But the portal is missing some popular travel providers, and you can get equal or better value for your points by redeeming them for a statement credit or transferring them to a partner loyalty program. . . .
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Nov 27, 2024 | 
erika.com | Michael Dempster |Erika Kullberg
Wells Fargo Rewards has had a recent glow-up, adding buzzworthy travel credit cards and a handful of transfer partners to its in-house rewards program. Although it’s smaller than rewards programs from competitors like Chase and Amex, Wells Fargo Rewards can still help you earn free flights and hotel nights through your everyday spending. . . . You can earn Wells Fargo Rewards as cashback or rewards points by making purchases with Wells Fargo Rewards credit cards.
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Nov 24, 2024 | 
erika.com | Michael Dempster |Erika Kullberg
Many people think that flights are cheaper if you wait until the last minute to book them, but this is a costly travel myth. Unfortunately for free-spirited flyers, data from major travel search engines indicates that flights are, on average, cheapest from about three weeks to three months before takeoff. They get pricier as departure day approaches. But for every average, there are outliers. And last-minute flight bargains are out there if you know how to find them.
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Oct 10, 2024 | 
erika.com | Michael Dempster |Erika Kullberg
Next time you return from an overseas vacation, what are the chances you’ll call your credit card issuer and ask them to tack an extra 3% onto the bill for everything you bought while you were away? Probably nil. But voluntarily adding a surcharge to your purchases is basically what happens if you travel internationally and pay for stuff with a credit card that charges foreign transaction fees.
