Hasta La Gadget!

It’s so interesting to watch the magic material that is graphene get made, because you can’t really see a damn thing. It’s totally transparent and only one atom thick, so it’s basically creating invisibility with the help of other materials.

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We’ve gone up close and personal with the folks that make the full-sized Titans for the game Titanfall 2 for events like E3 2016. Today we’ve got a collection of photos of the making-of process, showing what these mechs are made of. As it was the last time we brought you inside the cockpit, so to speak, these Titans are … Continue reading

You know the problem — you want to go back to something you saw in a mobile app, but you either forgot to save your place or couldn’t save it at all. What to do? If Microsoft Research has its way, you’ll never be left scrambling again. Its uLink…

There is no way to sugarcoat it… a contested divorce can be expensive.

Really expensive.

Many families choose to remain in toxic marriages because they don’t have the money to get divorced. It’s not good. That’s when the incidents of domestic violence tends to increase.

Remember when you got married? Did you have a big party at one of those banquet halls? Remember picking out the cocktail hour menu? “I’ll take the roast beef carving station, sushi station, mashed potato bar and the block of ice cut in a design that nobody remembers now anyway?

Remember that? It wasn’t cheap, right? Except, odds are you didn’t have to pay for all of it, or any of it. If you did, good for you!

Unlike many weddings, the bill for your divorce is all on you, or the both of you. Except it costs just as much if not more than a wedding. And, it’s not as much fun.

Yes, divorce is expensive, but don’t let that stop you from living the life you were meant to live. People always say life is short, but life is really long if you’re in a toxic marriage, or unhappy in general.

You have to be your best advocate in life. Nobody, not even your lawyer, is going to look out for your best interests like you can. That’s because nobody knows you better than you.

Here are 7 reasons why you can’t afford to wait and you should get divorced now:

1. You know there is no chance of reconciliation. Nobody knows your situation better than you. I always encourage couples to go to therapy and work on their marriage. But, sometimes it doesn’t work. Maybe you tried, maybe you didn’t. You know if there is a chance the marriage can be saved. If it can’t, don’t waste anymore time and start the process of moving on.

2. Each year you wait could mean a costlier divorce for you. Let’s say you are the financial provider for the family. Each year you wait to file for divorce could cost you hundreds or thousands of dollars. You have to check what the alimony laws are in your state, but as an example, in New Jersey, a spouse may pay more in alimony for a 15 year marriage than a 10.

3. You find that your physical health is suffering. I’m not a doctor, but I have heard it over and over…stress is not good for your health. I know when I’m stressed, I’m not at my best physical form. If you find that you too are suffering physical ailments, it’s time to consider what’s causing them and how to make it better. You may be thinking that you can wait another year, but what if your body can’t?

4. You are depressed. Be honest with yourself. Are you depressed? And if the answer is yes, do you know what the root cause is? If you don’t (and most people don’t have the introspective ability to figure this out) I encourage you to get some professional help. I always tell clients going through a divorce that they should be in therapy. You need an objective outlet to talk about everything and your lawyer, if you have one, is not that person.

5. You know the divorce would be amicable. Not all divorces have to be knock out, drag out battle royals. Some couples agree that it isn’t working out and want to move on without spending all their resources on attorneys and court battles. In these situations, a divorce can happen both quickly and cheaply. Remember, fighting=$$$ in a divorce. The more everyone agrees on who gets what, the quicker you two can move on.

6. There is no marital home to divide. Do you own a home with your spouse? If not, it may be the right time to get divorced. A marital residence is probably the most complicated asset to divide in a divorce. One spouse may want to stay in the house while the other wants to sell it and take the equity. If there is disagreement, this will prolong the process and add to the cost to resolve it. If you don’t own a home during the marriage, getting divorced will be easier.

7. You are employed and have a steady income. I mentioned this at the beginning…divorce is expensive, especially if it’s contested. Everything is harder if you’re unemployed and don’t have an income. If you are the financial provider, a court may impute an income to you if you are unemployed during the divorce. There are a lot of factors that a court considers when dealing with an unemployed spouse. You may want to consider waiting until you are employed before filing.

Jason Levoy, a/k/a The Divorce Resource Guy™, is an attorney who coaches people who can’t afford an attorney how to represent themselves in their divorce with integrity and confidence. Check out his free divorce guide with negotiation tactics used by top divorce attorneys to settle divorces.

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Dear Readers,

This is always an exciting time of year as new grads–and their parents–anticipate the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. For young people just starting out with a job and their own place, the sense of freedom can be pretty awesome. For parents, there’s a sense of pride as well as the hope that their kids can handle the new financial responsibilities that come with this new phase of life.

To help today’s new graduates get a running head start–and to help parents cheer them on from the sidelines–here’s my list of Top 10 Financial To Do’s. They don’t all have to be accomplished right away but, once they become good money habits, they’ll help create an ongoing sense of both personal and financial accomplishment.

1. Live within your means–Having a steady paycheck can feel pretty freeing–as long as you realize it has its limits. To make sure you have enough to live on, take a look at what you need vs. what you want. Start by adding up essentials like rent, transportation, groceries, utilities, student loan payments, car payments, etc. Don’t just guess–write them down or use an online budgeting tool. Now subtract this amount from your take-home pay. What you have left is what you can direct toward things you want. Maybe you’ll have enough for everything, maybe you’ll have to make trade-offs. The important thing is to realize that you’re in control. Want to splurge? Great–as long as you’re willing to pass on something else to pay for it.
2. Put bills on automatic–If you don’t already have a bank account with online bill pay, open one and have your paycheck deposited directly into it if that’s an option. Then set up automatic payments for your regular monthly bills.
3. Keep a lid on credit and debt–Even when you’re feeling pinched, don’t supplement your income with credit cards. The last thing you want is to run up debts you can’t easily pay. Charge only what’s absolutely necessary and always pay off your balance in full and on time each month. Limiting yourself to a single card will make life easier, while preventing you from getting in over your head. It will also help you build a credit history.
4. Prepare for the unexpected–Set aside a certain amount each month, no matter how small, for emergencies. Eventually you’ll want your emergency fund to cover three-to-six months of fixed expenses in case you ever become ill or unemployed. Put the money someplace easily accessible, such as in a savings account.
5. Have the right insurance–Take advantage of the health insurance offered by your employer. If that’s not available, look for a low-cost, high-deductible policy. (Or alternatively, you can also be covered by a parent’s policy until age 26.) Health insurance is an absolute must at any age, as is car insurance if you own a vehicle. And while you’re thinking of insurance, you might also look into renters insurance. It’s pretty low cost, but can be a lifesaver.
6. Get a jump on savings–Start this important habit right now. Open a savings account and try to put aside a few extra dollars each month. In fact, make it part of your monthly budget and set up an automatic transfer from checking to savings. Set some goals–a trip, a new car, even a special night out–and use them as a motivation to save.
7. Plan for retirement–Although retirement is a long way off, put it on your list of goals. If your employer offers a 401(k)–or better yet a Roth 401(k)–take advantage of it by at least contributing enough to get the full company match. If not, open a Roth IRA. A Roth is a good choice for a young person because, while you don’t get the tax advantage up front, withdrawals are tax-free after age 59½ when you’ll likely be in a higher tax bracket.
8. Stay on top of student loans–Getting behind on student loans can mean mounting fees and penalties. Find out about repayment processes and when repayment should begin–and always pay at least the minimum on time each month. Studentaid.gov is a good resource for more information on how to repay student loans as well as loan forgiveness programs for certain types of work.
9. Learn to invest–Once you have some money saved, put it to work by investing. A good first choice is a broad-based stock mutual fund or exchange traded fund (ETF). Investing in equities will give you the opportunity for long-term growth, valuable at any age, but especially when you’re young. It doesn’t necessarily take a lot of money, especially if you invest in a retirement account. There’s lots of investing information online. Or ask a family member or friend to help you get started.
10. Spend mindfully–To me, this is the crux of it all, whatever your age or financial situation. Spending mindfully means knowing where your money is going–and where you want it to go. It means setting realistic goals and working toward them. And it means being conscious of your finances, whether during lean times when you have to cut back or flush times when you can afford to treat yourself. Ultimately, it means you control your money rather than having it control you.

Keep these 10 things top of mind and you’ll be ready for the next adventure!

For more updates, follow Carrie on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Looking for answers to your retirement questions? Check out Carrie’s new book, “The Charles Schwab Guide to Finances After Fifty: Answers to Your Most Important Money Questions.”

This article originally appeared on Schwab.com. You can e-mail Carrie at askcarrie@schwab.com, or click here for additional Ask Carrie columns. This column is no substitute for an individualized recommendation, tax, legal or personalized investment advice. Asset allocation and diversification cannot ensure a profit or eliminate the risk of investment losses. Where specific advice is necessary or appropriate, consult with a qualified tax advisor, CPA, financial planner or investment manager. Diversification cannot ensure a profit or eliminate the risk of investment losses.

The information on this website is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for specific individualized tax, legal or investment planning advice. Where specific advice is necessary or appropriate, consult with a qualified tax advisor, CPA, financial planner or investment manager.

COPYRIGHT 2016 CHARLES SCHWAB & CO., INC. (MEMBER SIPC.) (#0616-2380)

— This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.