As tax season continues, many Americans look forward to a hefty refund. But Suze Orman, financial expert and the best-selling author of “Women and Money,” says getting that check from the government shouldn’t be a reason to rejoice. “If you’re getting a tax refund, you are making one of the biggest mistakes out there,” she […]
Category: Personal Finance
Cities where Americans have the most cash left over after paying their mortgages
Housing Opens a New Window. oftentimes takes a large percentage out of Americans’ income Opens a New Window. – across every demographic. It was ranked as the top expense among individuals of all generations, from Gen Z to Baby Boomers, according to recent findings from GOBankingRates, which analyzed data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. […]
4 financial secrets rich people don’t want you to know
At times, rich people seem to inhabit another world, one apart from the financial concerns of the hard-working middle class. Many speculate there’s a secret to joining the ranks of the elite, often involving an inheritance from a wealthy relative or a multibillion-dollar idea. But the truth is, it usually comes down to drive and […]
Got goals? These simple actions will help you get the things you want
Everyone’s got money goals. We want houses, vacations, healthy bank accounts — the things that make life worth living. You probably know people with great salaries who have all these things. But don’t let your smaller salary or lack of knowledge stand in your way. You can have them, too. It just takes learning some […]
The No. 1 happiest country in the world
America’s happiness just took another hit. On Wednesday, the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, an initiative of the United Nations, released its well-respected “World Happiness Report,” and, once again, Finland tops the list. The report ranks 156 countries by how happy their citizens perceive themselves to be, according to their own evaluations of their lives. Finland […]
Why women will fall short in retirement, even if they wait until age 67
Women hoping to retire by age 67 face a tough choice: sock away more cash now or delay retirement even further. Those were the findings from a recent survey by Aon. The retirement consulting firm analyzed the 2017 records of 1.3 million individual savers, along with data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. About 7 […]
How to protect your child from identity theft
Well before some children take their first math class Opens a New Window. or even learn how to count, they have become victims of identity theft. Javelin Strategy Research Opens a New Window. says more than one million children were victims of identity fraud in 2017. Experian Opens a New Window. says child identity fraud […]
Cutting these expenses can add $500K to retirement savings, study finds
Let’s face it: Many Americans aren’t doing a good job of saving for retirement. GOBankingRates’ 2018 Retirement Savings survey found that 42 percent of respondents have less than $10,000 saved, which isn’t even enough to cover a year’s worth of expenses in retirement. It’s true that saving for retirement can be a struggle if you’re […]
Don’t jeopardize your own retirement savings. Here’s how teach your kids to be financially independent
It’s only natural that parents want to help their children succeed in life, but many may be jeopardizing retirement in doing so. In fact, parents are spending twice as much on their adult children than they are putting away to live out their golden years, according to a recent study by Merrill Lynch and Age […]
These are the best and worst cities for first-time home buyers
If you’re a first-time home buyer and looking at cities in California, you may want to rethink your plans. Some under-the-radar metro areas in other areas of the country may provide more value. That’s according to a new study from personal finance website Bankrate, which ranked the 50 largest metro areas in the U.S. for […]
How to Decide What to Splurge On
The key to saving, as everyone knows, is to spend less than you earn. So simple! But how do you get your spending under control when there are countless things you can spend money on? Over on The Simple Dollar, Trent Hamm offers this philosophy on spending and saving: “Be super cheap on everything that […]
Here’s why the last 5 years before retirement are so critical
Retirement portfolios should be stock-heavy in the early days and gradually move to lower-risk holdings as investors get closer to retirement. That’s been conventional wisdom around asset allocation for retirement. Riskier early, because without risk there’s no reward, and you have a lot of time for the ship to right itself if there’s a tough […]