Social Security pays retirement benefits to millions of older Americans today. But those aren’t the only type of benefits the program pays. Social Security also takes care of the spouses of recipients who…
There’s a reason I made a point not to check my portfolio once the stock market started tanking in early April. I knew that the number on screen would be shocking and upsetting, and…
Saving money was not an easy thing to do in 2024. Inflation was still pretty rampant last year, and with interest rates being so high, you may have been paying up for whatever…
The stock market has experienced its share of upheaval since early April, when tariff policies were announced. Since then, many people’s portfolios have lost a substantial amounts of value. If you’re nowhere close to…
There may come a point in your life when find yourself on the receiving end of a pile of cash. It could be a bonus, a whopper of a tax refund, or something…
My path to hiring a financial advisor was an interesting one. As someone who writes about personal finance and investing, I didn’t think it was necessary to hire someone to manage my portfolio.…
April has been a wild month for the stock market. Tariff announcements sent stock values plunging, while a pause on tariffs afterward led to a modest rally. But as much as all of this…
Inflation has been a major thorn in Americans’ sides since 2021. It started creeping upward that year when a combination of supply chain backlogs and generous stimulus policies fueled a rapid uptick in consumer…
Earlier this year, it seemed like the U.S. economy was in good shape and would stay that way for a while. Granted, inflation was still elevated, but moderately so. And things were looking okay…
When the Social Security Administration announced last October that Social Security benefits would be getting a 2.5% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) in 2025, retirees were not very happy for two reasons. First, that number is…
Even if you’re not retired (or anywhere close), you’re probably aware that many older Americans today rely on Social Security to keep up with their living expenses. And without those monthly benefits, many…
When my husband and I were in the process of finishing our basement, we knew we couldn’t handle it ourselves. I’m not very handy and we both have busy jobs that take up…
For many people, owning a car is an unavoidable thing. Unless you have access to reliable public transportation or you live in an area that’s very walkable, you may need a car to get…
There’s a reason credit card debt can be so dangerous. Credit cards are notorious for charging large amounts of interest. And not only that, but credit cards tend to compound interest on a daily…
A lot of people reach their late 30s only to find that they’re behind on savings. In fact, I have some friends who are older than that who can barely afford to replace…
When I read that the median retirement savings balance among Americans 65 to 74 was just $200,000 as of 2022, I was pretty shocked. I knew that the country was deep in the throes…
It may or may not surprise you to learn that a large number of workers today feel unprepared for retirement. And while some workers have many years to put a plan in place,…
I know a lot of people who have been at their careers for about 20 years. And to this day, they’re not happy with the money they’re making. Now in some cases, that’s…
You may have read that Social Security is at risk of having to cut benefits in the near future. And there’s a reason for that. Social Security is facing a financial shortfall in…
When Donald Trump was running for president, one of the things he pledged to do was impose tariffs on trade partners. The thought was that strict tariff policies would help bolster the U.S. economy.…
