Numlight blog
What changed with your money this month — and what to do about it. Every article checks the numbers against official sources and gives you a calculator to run your own.
- News · Oct 23, 2026States with no income tax (2026): are they really cheaper?The 9 states that don't tax wages — and their property taxes, transfer taxes, owner costs and take-home pay side by side.
- News · Oct 23, 2026Debt consolidation loan vs balance transfer: which saves more?$10,000 of card debt five ways — Fed average rates, fees and total cost side by side.
- News · Oct 23, 2026Three-paycheck months in 2027: when your bonus paychecks landEvery biweekly schedule's extra-check months, and why 2027 gives some people 27 paychecks.
- News · Oct 23, 202652 week challenge vs 100 envelope challenge: which one fits your budget?$1,378 vs $5,050, the weekly cost, the December problem and the reverse version.
- Guide · Oct 23, 2026How to read a Loan Estimate — and compare lendersPage by page, which closing costs can't go up, and when paying points is worth it.
- News · Oct 23, 2026Obamacare 2027: what you'll pay now that the extra subsidies are goneThe 400% subsidy cliff is back, silver plans cost 2.15%–10.22% of income, and excess credits must be repaid in full.
- News · Oct 23, 2026Year-end money moves: what to do before December 31, 2026Max your 401(k), use your FSA, harvest losses, take RMDs — plus the new charity deduction for people who don't itemize.
- News · Oct 23, 2026Closing costs and transfer taxes: who pays what, state by stateClosing costs run 2%–5%, but transfer taxes swing from $0 to $16,000 on a $400,000 home. Who pays in every state, with real examples.
- News · Oct 21, 2026Does checking your credit lower your score? Hard vs soft inquiries, explainedChecking your own credit never costs points. Hard inquiries usually cost under 5 and count for 12 months — and rate shopping counts as one.
- News · Oct 21, 2026The 5-minute subscription audit: find the money you forgot you're spendingPeople guess $86 a month; the real number was $219. Find every recurring charge, cancel what you don't use, and know your cancellation rights.
- News · Oct 21, 2026Social Security's 2027 COLA is 3.6%: what changes for retirees and workersAbout $75 more a month for the average retiree, the Medicare Part B catch, and the higher $192,300 wage base for workers.
- Guide · Oct 21, 2026Same salary, different paycheck: take-home pay in every stateOur 2026 study: what $50k–$150k leaves you in all 50 states, DC and NYC — and the raise you need to match Texas.
- Guide · Oct 18, 2026Are credit repair companies legit?What the law lets them charge, red flags, the $2.7B Lexington Law judgment — and the free way to do it yourself.
- Guide · Oct 18, 2026How to repair your credit yourself — free, step by stepFree reports, dispute letters, utilization and what credit repair companies can't do — with how long each step takes.
- Guide · Oct 15, 2026How to accurately estimate take-home pay from a job offerTurn an offer letter into real monthly pay: taxes, 401(k), benefits, bonus withholding — with a live two-offer calculator.
- Guide · Oct 15, 2026What is FICA tax? 2026 rates, limits and calculatorSocial Security and Medicare payroll tax explained — 7.65%, the wage base, the extra 0.9% and self-employment tax.
- Guide · Oct 15, 2026Average software engineer salary after taxes in the USThe BLS median software developer salary, after 2026 federal, state and NYC taxes — in all 50 states and DC.
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