My Daughter Is 25, Underemployed, and Lives at Home. How Do I Help Her Without Sacrificing My Savings?
Recent college graduates face a steep underemployment hurdle, with 42.5% still jobless—the highest rate since 2020. AI-driven automation threatens up to 11.7% of U.S. jobs, intensifying competition for entry‑level positions. Parents eager to help must balance emotional support with clear financial boundaries to protect their own savings. Experts advise structured "money talks," scenario analysis, and accountability measures to guide young adults toward financial independence while preserving family wealth.
Michigan Parents Are Getting Hit With Surprise Car Insurance Rules — And Drivers Nationwide Should Pay Attention
Michigan parents are being fined after insurers discovered that their children’s college cars remained listed under the family’s home garaging address. The issue stems from insurance rules that price policies based on where a vehicle is primarily kept, not the...
Are Your Retirement Savings on Track at Ages 60 to 65? Take Our Quiz
Retiring between ages 60 and 65 is increasingly common, with the average U.S. retirement age hovering around 62. JPMorgan’s new benchmarks suggest households need between $550,000 and $2.78 million by age 65, depending on income, assuming a 5% savings rate and...
Are You ‘Spaving’? Why Trying to Save Could Be Costing You More
The article defines “spaving,” the practice of spending more now to secure a perceived future saving, such as adding items to meet free‑shipping thresholds or buy‑one‑get‑one offers. It shows how these promotions often inflate total spend without delivering real savings,...
I'm Retired and Hate Being a Landlord. Should I Sell My Rental Property?
Retirees who dislike landlord duties must weigh the financial and personal costs of keeping a rental property. The article advises calculating a net‑operating‑income cap rate, using a 5 % benchmark as a rule‑of‑thumb. It compares required appreciation to stock‑market returns and...
The 4 Money Scripts We Learn in Childhood (Which One Is Silently Threatening Your Retirement?)
The article explains that "money scripts"—deep‑seated beliefs about money formed in childhood—shape every financial decision, especially retirement planning. It outlines four primary scripts: avoidance, worship, status, and vigilance, describing how each can derail a retiree’s goals. The piece offers concrete...
Nasdaq Sinks as Software Stocks Slump: Stock Market Today
The Nasdaq fell 0.9% as software giants posted mixed earnings, with Tesla announcing a $25 billion capital‑expenditure plan and IBM raising its dividend despite missing full‑year guidance. ServiceNow suffered its steepest one‑day decline, dropping 17.8% after citing geopolitical headwinds in the...
Are You 'Broke Planning'? 10 Frugal Habits People Are Using to Save in 2026
A Lenspricer survey of over 3,000 U.S. adults reveals that everyday frugal habits are being repurposed as tax‑saving strategies for 2026. The article translates actions like turning off lights, skipping delivery fees, and waiting for sales into concrete tax moves...
The RMD & QCD Quiz: Master Your Retirement Timeline
The article presents a ten‑question quiz that tests retirees’ knowledge of Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) and Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs). It explains that individuals born before 1960 must start RMDs at age 73 and that QCDs can transfer up to...
Your Older Kindle Might Become Useless After May 20
Amazon will cut access to the Kindle Store, Kindle Unlimited and the “send to Kindle” service for all Kindle devices released before 2013, effective May 20. The affected models include the original Kindle, Kindle 2, Kindle DX, Kindle Keyboard, Kindle Touch,...
How I Tricked Myself Into Saving More Money
Rising energy and gasoline costs have squeezed household budgets, prompting many to seek low‑effort ways to boost savings. The article outlines a simple habit: redirect a recurring expense—such as a $28 Netflix subscription—into a high‑yield savings account (HYSA) earning about...
We're 57 With $7 Million. We Want to Spend $800K Traveling the World for Two Years. Are We Crazy?
A 57‑year‑old couple with $7 million in assets is considering an $800,000, two‑year sabbatical to travel before returning to work and retiring at 65. Financial experts advise funding the trip from a cash account to avoid IRA penalties and to keep...
How Does This Iran Oil Crisis Compare to the 1979 Iran Oil Crisis?
The article compares today’s Iran‑related oil shock to the 1979 Iran oil crisis, highlighting similar spikes in crude prices—from $57 to $103 a barrel—and the resulting ripple effects on gasoline, housing and food costs. Inflation, which fell below 3% in...
Will Your Retirement Income Trigger the IRMAA This Year? (Plus, 6 Ways to Avoid It in the Future)
The article explains how the income‑related monthly adjustment amount (IRMAA) raises Medicare Part B and D premiums for retirees whose 2024 modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) exceeds $108,000 for single filers or $218,000 for married couples. Even a single dollar over...
3 OBBBA Tax Provisions Wealthy Families Should Act on Now, From a Financial Pro
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) enacted in July 2025 makes key 2017 tax cuts permanent and raises several limits for high‑net‑worth families. The federal estate‑tax exemption jumps to $15 million per individual ($30 million for couples), while the Roth conversion window stays open under permanent...
What Financial Lessons Are Your Kids Learning by Watching You? 5 Ways to Help Them Develop Healthy Money Habits
Financial Literacy Month highlights that parents, not schools, are the most powerful teachers of money habits. Research shows children absorb financial attitudes through both implicit observation and explicit lessons at home. The article outlines five actionable steps—mindful language, open dialogue,...
Hormuz Tension Snaps Nasdaq Win Streak: Stock Market Today
Oil prices surged over 5% on Monday after a cease‑fire in the Strait of Hormuz collapsed, pushing WTI to $86.93 and Brent to $95.06 per barrel. The rally helped end the Nasdaq Composite’s 13‑session winning streak, with all three major...
States With the Highest and Lowest Tax Rates in 2026: Where Your Money Goes Furthest
State tax burdens in 2026 vary dramatically, with California’s top marginal income rate at 13.3% and New Jersey’s property taxes topping 2% of home values. States that have eliminated income tax, such as Florida, Texas, and Wyoming, compensate with higher...
In Your 20s and 30s? Why You Don't Need a Six-Figure Salary to Be a Future Millionaire
Bloomberg analysis shows more than 24 million U.S. households—about one in five—now qualify as millionaires, a record high. Roughly a third of these households crossed the million‑dollar threshold since 2017, buoyed by rising home equity and a strong stock market. Yet...
I'm a Financial Adviser: When Managing Your Wealth Feels Like a Pain, Simplify
Financial advisers are warning that the accumulation of multiple retirement, savings, and investment accounts can erode clarity and increase stress for clients. Life events such as retirement, inheritance, or health crises often expose hidden complexity, making it harder to assess...
The Retirement Spending Mistake Even Careful Savers Make (and What to Do Instead)
Many retirees cling to the 4% rule, a safety floor designed for worst‑case market sequences. Because most retirements experience better returns, a strictly conservative withdrawal can leave nearly triple the initial portfolio untouched, sacrificing enjoyable spending. The article proposes flexible...
Dow Rises 868 Points Amid Gulf Ceasefire: Stock Market Today
Iran announced the Strait of Hormuz was fully open following a Lebanon‑Israel cease‑fire, sending West Texas Intermediate and Brent crude down 8.8% to $83 and $91 per barrel. The oil shock sparked a broad equity rally, with the Dow Jones...
Mortgage Rates in 2026 Predicted to Drop: These 3 Signals Tell You It's Time to Buy
Mortgage rates for 30‑year fixed loans sit around 6.44% and could fall to 5.9% by year‑end, according to Fannie Mae. Home price appreciation is projected between 0% and 4%, while inventory is rising as owners trade low‑rate homes. Three tax‑related signals—DTI...
What a Time to Run This T. Rowe Price Tech Fund
Dominic Rizzo’s T. Rowe Price Global Technology Fund has posted a 33% annualized return since he took the helm in late 2022, outpacing the 24% average gain of peer tech funds. About half of the fund’s assets are allocated to...
How Alaska Became the Only State With No Medicare Advantage
Alaska is the nation’s only state where individual Medicare Advantage (MA) plans are unavailable for general enrollment, a situation driven by high health‑care costs and fragmented provider networks rather than state law. Private insurers cannot build low‑cost networks because Alaskan...
Old Annuities Contain Untapped Potential for Clients and Advisers: Here's Why
Recent Federal Reserve rate hikes drove a surge in annuity payouts during 2022‑23, but subsequent rate cuts and the prospect of another rise have left many older contracts underperforming. Advisors are urged to conduct formal annuity reviews every 12‑24 months,...
Tech Has Simplified Direct Indexing, and That's Not the Only Reason Financial Advisers Should Make the Leap
Advances in technology have removed many of the operational hurdles that once limited direct indexing, giving financial advisers a viable alternative to traditional ETFs and mutual funds. Pooled vehicles suffer from opaque holdings, hidden overlap, limited tax‑loss harvesting, portfolio drift,...
Why Financial Advisers Will Benefit as Google Shakes Up Financial Research
Google has launched an AI‑driven Finance platform that offers free, natural‑language access to delayed market data, challenging the premium research services of Bloomberg and FactSet. In response, Bloomberg introduced BloombergGPT and expanded AI‑generated news and document analysis, while FactSet rolled...
The Hottest AI Apps Consumers Are Actually Using
OpenAI’s sudden shutdown of its Sora video‑creation app highlighted the difficulty of scaling new consumer AI products, even for industry giants. Venture‑capital firm A16 Capital released a ranking of the most‑used AI websites and mobile apps based on unique monthly...
Nasdaq Adds 455 Points for 10th Straight Win: Stock Market Today
Stocks surged on Tuesday as a lighter‑than‑expected Producer Price Index signaled easing inflation, bolstering a tech‑driven rally. The Nasdaq Composite rose 2 % to 23,639, marking its tenth consecutive gain—the longest streak since 2021. Core PPI increased only 0.1 % while headline...
Estate Planning Quiz: Are You Making These 10 Common Errors?
The article presents a ten‑question quiz that reveals the most frequent estate‑planning mistakes many Americans make. It highlights errors such as waiting for a medical emergency to draft a will, storing the original in a safety‑deposit box, and neglecting a...
Nasdaq Secures Longest Win Streak Since 2023: Stock Market Today
The Nasdaq Composite logged a 9‑day winning streak, its longest run since 2023, as all three major indexes closed higher despite fresh geopolitical tension from U.S.–Iran talks. The market shrugged off a Trump‑promised Strait of Hormuz blockade that lifted crude...
Already Filed Your Taxes but Need to Make a Change? Mistakes the IRS Will Fix and Red Flags That Could...
Taxpayers can adjust certain items after filing by submitting IRS Form 1040‑X, especially when missed income, life events, or overlooked credits like the $500 dependent credit or $2,200 Child Tax Credit are discovered. However, irrevocable elections such as switching from a...
S&P 500, Nasdaq Nab Best Weeks Since November: Stock Market Today
U.S. equities closed the week mixed but posted strong gains, with the S&P 500 up 3.6% and the Nasdaq climbing 4.7%—their best weekly performances since November. A March CPI report showed a 0.9% monthly rise and a 3.3% year‑over‑year increase, driven...
Ask the Tax Editor, April 10: Questions on Selling a Home
Kiplinger’s tax editor Joy Taylor fielded five common homeowner questions, covering the primary‑residence exclusion, how to calculate a home’s tax basis, and special scenarios such as duplex rentals, inherited properties, and a spouse’s death. She clarified that up to $250,000...
5 Quick Tax Tips for Retirees for 2025 and 2026, From a Financial Planner
Financial planners highlight five tax‑saving tactics for retirees filing 2025 returns and looking ahead to 2026. A temporary $6,000 senior deduction, a new car‑loan interest deduction, and a Medicare IRMAA reduction pathway give high‑income retirees fresh ways to lower taxable...
Why Staying Invested Is the Hardest, Smartest Choice Right Now
Recent U.S.-Israeli air strikes on Iran have spiked oil prices and rattled markets. While headlines push investors toward safe‑haven assets, historical data shows equity markets quickly price in geopolitical risk and recover. Maintaining a diversified, long‑term portfolio—backed by a stress‑tested...
Concentrated Company Stock in Your ESOP? Waiting to Diversify Could Tank Your Retirement
The article warns that holding a concentrated position in an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) can jeopardize retirement security if diversification is delayed. It explains that ESOP participants become eligible to move up to 25% of their holdings at age...
Retirement Mistakes My Boomer Parents Made That I'll Avoid
A recent Nationwide survey shows 55% of new retirees regret their savings choices, and Vanguard reports only 40% of baby boomers are truly retirement‑ready. Many boomers still work past traditional retirement age, often because they missed employer matches, catch‑up contributions,...
Global Tension and Market Jitters: When to Tune Out the News Cycle and Tune in to Your Strategy, From a...
Investors often worry that rising geopolitical tensions will trigger market turmoil, but history shows earnings growth and economic fundamentals drive equity performance more than headlines. Conflicts in the Middle East and Eastern Europe have co‑existed with steady market gains, underscoring...
Tax Season Is Almost Over, But Don't Forget About Your Taxes After April 15
Tax season may be ending, but the article urges a year‑round tax plan to keep your tax bill in check, especially for retirees who often face unexpected liabilities. It outlines three pillars: distributing income across taxable, pre‑tax, and Roth buckets;...
Energy Investing Is a Long Haul: How You Can Prepare the Road Ahead for Your Heirs
Energy investments, especially oil and gas assets, are increasingly viewed as long‑term wealth tools rather than short‑term income streams. Their unique structure—ranging from direct property stakes to partnership vehicles—creates distinct tax and reporting obligations. Investors are urged to weave these...
How to Save on Groceries, According to an Expert
Grocery prices have risen nearly one‑third since 2020 and are expected to stay high, prompting shoppers to adopt simple savings tactics. Expert Trae Bodge recommends leveraging store apps, AI‑driven coupons, and browser extensions like CouponCabin, Rakuten, and PayPal Honey to...
7 Assets to Leave Out of Your Roth IRA, From a Financial Planner
A financial planner warns that Roth IRAs, while tax‑free, have limited space and should be used strategically. Municipal bonds, highly speculative stocks, and assets needed before age 59½ are better held in taxable accounts. The planner also advises against placing...
How to De-Risk Your Portfolio in 5 Different Scenarios
The article outlines practical de‑risking tactics for investors facing different life and market scenarios. After three years of strong equity returns, it advises reviewing allocations, rebalancing, and adding cash or defensive assets to curb exposure. Specific strategies target AI‑heavy stock...
Is Your Financial Adviser's Fee Model as Outdated as a Flip Phone?
The article argues that the traditional percentage‑of‑assets‑under‑management (AUM) fee is becoming obsolete as technology automates core investment tasks. It highlights three forces driving a shift to flat‑fee advisory models: lower operational costs, client demand for holistic financial planning, and the...
Smart Transportation Alternatives for Seniors to Avoid Rising Gas Prices
Rising gasoline prices, now over $4 per gallon nationally and nearly $6 in California, are prompting seniors to explore cheaper mobility options. The article outlines alternatives such as sitting electric scooters, electric golf carts, walking, biking, and public transit, each...
We're 60 with $550K Saved and Will Inherit $3 Million. Can We Retire Now, Even if We Can't Afford It?
A 60‑year‑old couple with $550,000 saved, a mortgage and a child’s college tuition is considering early retirement while expecting a $3 million inheritance. Financial experts warn that relying on the inheritance is risky because it may be reduced by care costs,...
Claiming Social Security Soon? 5 Smart Moves to Make Before You File
Claiming Social Security is a lifelong decision that can cost retirees millions if mishandled. A 2022 study shows the average couple forfeits about $182,370 due to suboptimal filing choices. The article outlines five smart moves, including verifying your earnings record,...
Do You Have a 'Mo Money, Mo Problems' Issue? A Financial Planner Has Some Thoughts
High‑earning professionals often assume their career discipline translates into financial success, but many fall into avoidable mistakes. Procrastination, lack of structured planning, and decision fatigue cause cash to sit idle, concentrated equity exposure, and missed tax‑saving opportunities. The article argues...