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
Following the housing market can feel like riding a roller coaster—one month it’s up, the next it’s down. So, when’s the right time to hop on? Avoid overpaying for your home with a RamseyTrusted® agent. Late summer and early fall are often seen as sweet spots thanks to lower prices…
Buying a home is a huge deal, you guys. And when you throw an expensive real estate market on top of it, shopping for a home can feel like buckling up for an emotional roller coaster. But I’m here to share a step-by-step process for how to buy a house…
Single moms have many titles: career woman, grocery shopper, personal chef, cleaner-upper, chauffer, chief financial officer. If you’re a single mom (or dad), we see you. We know how hard you work and how many plates you have to keep spinning every single day—including your finances. That said, we’re sharing…
Donald J. Trump has officially been sworn in as the 47th president of the United States, and he’s made some pretty big promises about what he’s going to do to help the economy. Some might even call them . . . yuge promises. (Okay, I’m done.) Now, here’s the deal:…
As the grocery cashier drags canned goods across the scanner, you notice the total on the little screen getting much higher than you thought it’d be. You think, Did something ring up wrong? Am I going to have to put something back to afford all this food? Ever been there? Grocery prices…
I get it—overspending is a real struggle. No matter where or how you shop, spending money on random stuff is always a temptation (I’m looking at you, $100-Target-run-disguised-as-a-quick-trip-for-shampoo). So, how do you keep from busting your budget? I’m here to share my best tips for how to stop spending money—so…
If you’re wondering what the 2026 housing market forecast may look like—whether prices will fall, rates will drop, or a crash is coming—you’re not alone. The real estate market has seen a lot of unusual trends in the past couple of years, so it makes sense that you’d want to get a 2026 housing outlook before you make any major decisions. Here’s the thing: Housing market predictions are…
If you need some inspiration, common goals among Canadians include retirement planning, saving for a vacation, paying down debt, and setting aside money for a large purchase like a car. Pick one or two that feel meaningful to you right now. Try to narrow down one or two short-term goals,…
If you ask a hundred different people on the eve of their wedding what challenges they think they will face in their upcoming marriages, you’re likely to get a handful of common answers. They are likely to talk about finances, differing life goals, in-laws, religious differences and differing expectations. Almost…
Key takeaways There are many important steps to buying a house, including setting a budget, saving for a down payment and shopping around for a mortgage. It’s also important to consider extra costs beyond the purchase price of the home, like closing costs, taxes and insurance premiums. A local real…
Editor's Pick
