Today's Personal Finance Pulse
New student loan repayment options debut on July 1
Starting July 1, borrowers will be offered two new repayment plans and must choose the option that best fits their financial situation. The change aims to give borrowers more flexibility in managing loan payments.
Banker on Wheels Broker Review Methodology (v2.0)
Banker on Wheels released version 2.0 of its broker review methodology, introducing a dual‑score system that separates an absolute score (company, fee, platform) from a relative category ranking. The absolute score applies a uniform 35 % company, 35 % fee, 30 % platform weighting, while category rankings adjust these weights per broker tier (e.g., Tier 2 uses 15 % company, 50 % fee, 35 % platform). Scores are derived from a mix of quantitative data—such as a 10‑year fee model on a €100k portfolio—and qualitative expert overlays covering 17 company criteria and 18 platform features. The framework also embeds country‑specific tax and reporting considerations, and allows modest manual adjustments for nuances the formula cannot capture.
More Funds ≠ True Diversification; Look Deeper
Most people think diversification means owning lots of different funds. A client came to me with 17 funds across 4 fund houses. "My advisor said this was maximum diversification." When I showed him what he actually owned underneath, something broke.
Simple Habits, Big Advantage over Average Savers
Basic personal finance habits: • get 401k match • track your spending • route % of paychecks into savings automatically • avoid cc debt • keep at least 3 months of expenses in HYSA • max Roth IRA Do these consistently and you'll do much better than...
How Would Trump’s New Retirement Plan Fit with Existing Saver’s Credit and Coming Saver’s Match?
President Trump’s administration floated a new private‑sector retirement account that would mirror the federal employee plan and add a $1,000 annual government match. The proposal arrives as the existing Saver’s Credit still offers a tax credit of up to $1,000...
Mag‑7 Premium Plummets From 100% to 10‑year Low
The Mag-7 used to trade at a 100% premium over the rest of the S&P. It's now collapsed to a 10-year low. Do you realize what's happening?
Beyond 60/40: Rethinking Asset Allocation in a Changing Market
JP Morgan’s 2026 Outlook warns that the classic 60/40 stock‑bond mix now leaves many portfolios overly weighted in a handful of mega‑cap technology names. The firm argues that diversification is not obsolete but evolving, as low‑yield bonds and equity concentration erode...
How to Find a Bankruptcy Attorney
Filing for personal bankruptcy is a federally‑mandated, deadline‑driven process that can be derailed by a single missed form or hearing. While individuals can represent themselves, data shows that pro se filers are less likely to achieve a full discharge than those...
What It Takes to Be Middle Class in America – 2026 Study
SmartAsset’s 2026 study applies a Pew‑based definition—two‑thirds to twice the median household income—to rank every U.S. state and the nation’s 100 largest cities by their middle‑class income bounds. The analysis shows the highest upper‑class threshold in Massachusetts ($209,656) and the...
Trump Pitches New Retirement Plan with a Federal Match of up to $1,000 per Year — Who Could Benefit
President Trump announced a new federal retirement account modeled on the Thrift Savings Plan, promising a government match of up to $1,000 per year for workers without employer‑sponsored 401(k)s. The initiative would potentially cover the 56 million Americans currently lacking such...
1949: Nate Berkus on Entrepreneurship, Design, and Financial Confidence
In this episode Farnoosh Torabi revisits her 2015 interview with designer and entrepreneur Nate Berkus, discussing how his design philosophy—making homes tell personal stories—parallels his approach to money. Berkus shares his financial mindset of confronting fear, taking calculated risks, and treating...
Still Unsure About Retirement Savings? Suze Orman’s Playbook for Catching Up Without Panicking
Suze Orman’s latest guide outlines a four‑step framework for late‑stage retirement savers. First, readers are urged to inventory income, expenses, and debt to gauge how much they can set aside. Second, she recommends building an emergency fund of at least...
Collar Options Strategies: Pros, Cons and Examples
A collar option strategy combines a protective put with a covered call to limit downside while capping upside. Investors own the underlying stock, buy an out‑of‑the‑money put and sell an out‑of‑the‑money call with the same expiration, often resulting in a...
Stop Giving the Gov Interest-Free Loans: Zero Your Refund
When you get a tax refund, that means you’ve been loaning the government money interest-free throughout the year, and they’re just returning money to you that was already yours. That’s why it’s called a refund. Try to keep your refund...
How to Buy Marijuana Stocks: A Beginner’s Guide
Investors are eyeing a rapidly expanding U.S. cannabis market projected at $47 billion in 2026, with 24 states legalizing recreational use and 42 permitting medical consumption. A pivotal regulatory change—Executive Order 14370—re‑classified marijuana to Schedule III in late 2025, removing the 280E...
Best 12-Month CD Rates for February 25, 2026: Up to 4.05%
The College Investor lists the top 12‑month certificates of deposit as of February 25, 2026, with yields topping 4.05% APY. Credit One Bank leads with a 4.05% jumbo CD requiring a $100,000 minimum, while Bank of Utah, Live Oak, Navy Federal and...
Critique My Investment Strategy or Lack Thereof
An 82‑year‑old retiree with pension and Social Security holds a mixed portfolio of domestic equities, a single‑stock position, foreign stocks, municipal bonds, and cash, aiming to preserve wealth for heirs and provide survivor income. The current allocation is 55% domestic...
Balance Stocks and Bonds: Market Equilibrium Drives Wealth
Jack Bogle’s investing wisdom still holds true: when you lower your stock allocation and raise bonds, someone else is doing the opposite. That’s how market equilibrium works. Understanding asset allocation, the 60/40 portfolio, and index investing is key to long-term...
Out With the Old: 5 Reasons Wealthy People Should Outsource Financial Administration
The article outlines five compelling reasons why ultra‑wealthy individuals should outsource their financial administration. It argues that the sheer complexity of diversified assets, tax regimes, and regulatory obligations exceeds the capacity of most personal staff. By delegating to specialist firms,...
Discipline Is Loyalty to the Future You
Discipline doesn't necessarily mean you're "being strict". You're being loyal to who you’re becoming. When you wake up and work out. When you log off instead of doom scroll. When you say no. When you decide not to order that thing you saw on TikTok...
Earn $100k+? Cut Debt with 17 2026 Changes
If you're making over $100k/yr but are still in debt... Stop what you're doing. Here are 17 changes you need to make to get ahead in 2026:
An Experienced Investor’s End of Tax Year Checklist
Experienced high‑net‑worth investors must act before the 2025/26 tax year ends to capture the remaining allowances in EIS, SEIS and VCT schemes. VCT offers are already 87‑94% subscribed, with final allocations closing as early as 23 March and the last VCT...
Invest Early, Skip Fancy Cars, Learn Finance Now
I asked 50 year olds for their best advice for people in their 20s: 1. Buy less alcohol, invest instead 2. Stop buying fancy cars. It's a terrible financial decision. 3. Become financially literate asap. Retirement will be easier. Anything to add?
Buy the Dip, Sell the Rally: Disciplined Growth Rules
I’m 62 years old and previously worked as a financial analyst at Morgan Stanley. After decades in the market, here are my simple rules for beginners: 📉 If it drops 5% → Hold 📉 If it drops 15% → Add 10% 📉 If it...
Money Box Life: Working for Longer
The Moneybox Life episode explores the growing trend of people working beyond state pension age, featuring insights from ACAS’s Julie Dennis, Independent Age’s Morgan Vine, and Pensions UK’s Zoe Alexander, alongside real‑life stories from listeners. They discuss why older workers...
Banker on Wheels Broker Fee Comparison Tool
A new broker fee comparison tool shows that over a ten‑year horizon SAXO Bank incurs the lowest total trading costs at €318, followed by Interactive Brokers at €407, while Swissquote tops out at €1,879. The fee differential of €1,561 translates...
Holding, Not Trading, Generates Real Investment Returns
Benjamin Graham: “The real money in investing will have to be made not out of buying and selling, but of owning and holding securities.” Takeaway: Compounding rewards commitment. Most investors lose money not because they pick bad stocks — but because they...
Achieve Review for 2026: Terms, Access and Customer Feedback
Achieve’s 2026 review highlights its hybrid lending model that blends unsecured personal loans with secured home‑equity products such as HELOCs and fixed‑rate home‑equity loans. The platform targets borrowers with mid‑600s credit scores, offering flexible credit requirements and a digital‑first application...
White House Unveils $1,000 Federal Retirement Match For Workers Left Out of 401(k)s
The White House announced a new federal retirement savings option that would automatically enroll workers without employer‑sponsored plans and provide a taxpayer‑funded match of up to $1,000 per year. The proposal targets the roughly 45 million Americans who lack access to...
New Deal on Copa ConnectMiles: Buy Miles With up to a 60% Bonus (1.88¢ Each)
Copa Airlines is running a ConnectMiles promotion that adds a 60% bonus to purchases, bringing the effective price down to 1.88 ¢ per mile for transactions up to 100,000 miles. The offer runs until 11:59 p.m. ET on March 27 2026, limits members to...
Costco's Auto Program: Can Membership Pricing Really Save You Money on a Car?
Costco’s Auto Program connects members with vetted dealerships that offer pre‑arranged pricing on new, electric, and certified‑pre‑owned vehicles. Average discounts hover around $1,000, and members also receive a 15% discount on parts and service up to $500 per visit. The...
Student Loan Borrowers Get Balance Adjustments After SAVE Interest Error
The episode explains that borrowers in the SAVE income‑driven repayment plan are finally seeing balance adjustments after a system error mistakenly accrued interest during the program’s administrative forbearance. Federal guidance had paused interest, but many borrowers saw their balances grow,...
02.25.26 Buying & Selling Gold / Why Simple Appliances Win
In this episode, Clark Howard tackles two hot topics: when and how to buy or sell gold and silver as a hedge, and why simple, non‑brand‑name appliances often offer better value than pricey name‑brand models. He explains that precious metals...
Healthcare Before Medicare: Creating Your Own Action Plan
Roger Whitney concludes his four-part series on pre‑Medicare health care by introducing the OODA Loop—observe, orient, decide, act—as a practical decision framework. He walks listeners through building a five‑year cash‑flow plan, estimating MAGI, and assessing ACA subsidy eligibility alongside COBRA...
529 Plan And College Savings Calculator
The College Investor offers a free 529 plan calculator that lets parents model college savings growth by adjusting a child’s age, current balance, monthly contributions, and expected rate of return. The tool uses a conservative 7% annual return, reflecting post‑fee...
Rent Costs Feel Different than Grocery Savings Paradox
Every dollar I spend on groceries, I save money on eating out: uncontroversial Every dollar I spend on making my own coffee, I save money on buying coffee at a coffee shop: uncontroversial Every dollar I spend on rent, I save money...
Profit in Bull Markets Requires Capital Preservation Mastery
Bull markets will make you a lot of money. But you need to be mature enough to understand capital preservation. Most people lose because they only learn the first half of the game.
How Brokers Can Use HELOCs to Give Homeowners Protection in a Volatile Economy
Brokers are promoting home‑equity lines of credit (HELOCs) as a financial safety net for homeowners facing job uncertainty in a volatile economy. Matt Stahl of Edge Home Finance highlights that first‑position HELOCs give borrowers unrestricted access to equity for up...
Rising Rents and Lower Rates Drive Renters Toward Buying
For renters, a strong nudge to think about buying a home often comes from a big renewal increase. As the rental market crawls out of its recession, and mortgage rates start with a 5 not a 6, expect more renters...
Indonesian-Chinese Shift Assets to Singapore, I’d Follow
You can tell that Indonesian-Chinese have moved assets to Singapore the past year. I would have done the same.
Viator Amex Offer: Spend $200 & Get $25 Back (Can Use Twice)
American Express has launched a targeted Offer for Viator that awards a $25 statement credit when cardholders spend $200 or more in a single transaction. The credit can be applied up to two times, delivering a maximum of $50 back...
Consumers Misunderstand Finance; Industry Thrives on Confusion
Two leading economists spent years studying how ordinary people interact with the financial system. Their conclusion: most consumers don't understand what they're buying.. and the industry profits from that confusion. My latest for @IFAdotcom 👉 https://t.co/wJzz7eYwJx @PrincetonUPress #Investing #FinancialLiteracy #FinancialRegulation
Holding Is an Active Choice, Not Inaction
Buying and selling feel easier than holding because we are wired to believe activity = productivity. Holding is hard because it feels like inaction and complacency. But every day holding is an active decision.
#692: Q&A: My Brother-in-Law Wants to Buy a Rental in Mexico. Good Idea?
In this episode, Paula and former financial planner Joe dissect a listener’s question about a brother‑in‑law who wants to buy a three‑unit Airbnb property in Mexico and live in one of the units. They stress the importance of separating personal...
Earn More, But Spending Habits Still Limit Wealth
You can grind your way to more income. You can't grind your way past spending habits.
Spouse’s 1099 Income? Open Solo 401(k) Retroactively
If your wife/spouse had 1099 self-employment income in 2025: 1.) You can still retroactively open a solo 401k for the 2025 tax year
Aven Review for 2026: Terms, Access and Customer Feedback
Aven’s 2026 offering blends a home‑equity‑backed revolving line of credit with a credit‑card interface, letting homeowners draw only what they need and pay interest on the outstanding balance. The fintech’s digital‑first application speeds pre‑qualification and eliminates many in‑person appraisals, positioning...
Rates Slip To
The daily average mortgage rate dropped to 5.99% on February 23, the lowest level since September 2022, except for a few hours on January 9 when rates fell to the same level. A buyer on a $3,000 monthly budget can afford...
Choose a Solo 401k Provider Supporting Mega Backdoor Roth
How I use my solo 401k as a 1-person LLC electing to be taxed as an S corp 1.) Open a solo 401k with a provider that specifically supports the mega backdoor Roth strategy. I use Carry. Fidelity/Schwab/Ascensus do not support...
Is the 4% Rule Too Frugal for Doctors?
A physician who began saving at 26 leveraged a Navy Reserve pension, Tri‑Care, and a debt‑free mortgage to retire comfortably at 70. By working minimal hours in his final years and taking required minimum distributions that exceeded his needs, he...
Stay Calm: Markets Build Wealth Over Time
The stock market is a great wealth builder over the long run, as long as you can resist panicking during downturns. https://t.co/o8C03pFJqy