Choosing between claiming Social Security at 62 or waiting until 70 can create a wide gap in your monthly income. Starting early gives you more years of payments, while delaying may increase the amount of each check. The tradeoff comes down to how long you expect to collect benefits and…
Each year, Social Security benefits may increase with a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), but higher Medicare premiums can reduce how much of that raise reaches your monthly budget. Since both are calculated differently, they do not necessarily move at the same rate. Comparing the dollar value of your COLA with changes…
If you’re 65 with $900,000 and no pension, the income your portfolio can provide depends on how much you withdraw and the number of years your savings need to last. Taking too large a withdrawal early in retirement could increase the risk of running short later, while spending too little…
At age 45, skipping your 401(k) match means giving up more than your employer’s contribution. You also lose the potential investment growth this money could earn over the next 20 years. Depending on the size of the match and the investment-return assumptions used, that could leave you with almost $115,000…
Trending
Spotlight This Week
More Articles
Personal Finance
Major changes to federal student loan repayment rules went into effect this month and are rippling across the system. Many…
Featured Articles
The 65-day rule can give certain trusts more flexibility when deciding when to distribute income to beneficiaries. The IRS may treat an eligible distribution made during the first 65 days of a new tax year as though it occurred in the prior year. This can…
Dept Managmnt
By Carmen Chan You’ve got your mortgage and car loan to pay, credit card bills and HELOC payments, and a running list of…
Banking
Team Name: Musgrave Dunn & AssociatesFirm: Merrill Wealth ManagementSenior Members: Travis Musgrave, Timothy Dunn, Valerie MarshallLocation: Lexington, KYTeam Custodied Assets: $1.4 billionBackground: Travis…
Credit Cards
All News
Vomiting. Loss of appetite. Depression. Shortness of breath. Insomnia. Wanting to keep on driving past work till you reach Mexico. These symptoms describe many Americans’ Sunday afternoon as they stare down a 40-plus-hour workweek. They’re known as the Sunday Scaries. Let’s dig into why the Sunday Scaries are even a…
Losing your job or getting your hours cut at work can feel like a punch to the gut—followed by a million panicky thoughts about what you’ll do now. And especially what you’ll do without your health insurance benefit! It’s okay. Plenty of people go through this and you’ll be just…
We know nobody’s talking about rising health care costs because it’s super affordable right now and nobody’s struggling at all. (That . . . is sarcasm.) But we thought we’d address it anyway—specifically, how to save on health care. You know, just in case you felt like saving money sometime.…
Trying to sort through all of your retirement account options can be a daunting task. You start hearing terms like 401(k) and 403(b) and IRA and all of a sudden you feel like you’re drowning in an alphabet soup of random numbers and letters all mashed together. Market chaos, inflation, your future—work with a pro to…
You know that feeling you get when you find $20 in your pocket? Imagine finding $500! And if you can find that kind of money without cutting the budget, that’s even better, right? So, what’s the trick? It’s quick and easy—all you have to do is take a look at…
For years, we’ve been told that going to college is part of the American Dream. That a degree is the golden ticket to a well-paying job and meaningful work. That it’s the only way for someone to avoid missing out on their full potential. But folks, the narrative is changing—and…
If you’ve got an upside-down car loan, you’re not alone. In fact, the number of drivers who owe more on their car than it’s worth continues to go up.1 Pay off debt fast and save more money with Financial Peace University. But no matter how underwater you are on your…
Every four years, citizens across our country head to the polls to choose the next president of the United States. Together, we make a critical decision about the future of our country. And after months of ruthless banter, an onslaught of toxic social media, and deafening political commentary, we stand in…
Your thoughts are racing, you haven’t slept soundly for a week, and your stomach is in knots—all because of a trip to the grocery store or a look at your checking account. If these anxious responses to money situations seem familiar, you might be dealing with financial stress. But don’t…
6. List Your House and Do Home Showings Listing your house is simple if you’re working with an experienced real estate agent. Your agent will help you get professional photos taken and will get your home listed on multiple platforms for maximum exposure. Once your listing is up and running,…
Editor's Pick
