Age 62 is by far the most common age for people to start taking their Social Security retirement benefits. If you’re out of work, know you’re done working, and need the money to make ends meet, it can make a ton of sense to start collecting then, which is the earliest age you’re eligible to […]
For all the talk about Americans not saving enough for retirement, it turns out that when people are asked how they perceive life after careers, they’re remarkably upbeat, according to a recent MIT AgeLab survey. And that, actually, could be a problem. For the survey, MIT AgeLab’s Joseph F. Coughlin and Chaiwoo Lee asked 900 […]
We’re often told that if we want to accumulate millions, all it takes is a few small changes to our daily lives. Well, I’m here to tell you that that’s bogus. Pocketing a few extra dollars each day most likely won’t make you a millionaire. What it will do, however, is put you in a […]
Fall is here. It’s time for thinking about cooler weather, Thanksgiving, falling leaves – and taxes? With a new tax code in place, a few hours spent on your taxes now can produce benefits in April with the savings of both time and money. The following tips may be able to help you achieve those […]
EVEN AS WOMEN HAVE BEEN increasingly preparing themselves for life in the workforce, their levels of participation in it has plateaued over the past couple of decades. A recent study – a working paper (meaning it has yet to be published in a peer-reviewed journal) from a group of economics professors – offers one possible […]
Thanksgiving is meant to be a day of gratitude and reflection, yet year after year, those warm, fuzzy feelings quickly give way to consumerism and greed the minute Black Friday kicks off. From a shopper’s perspective, there are plenty of reasons to avoid hitting the stores on Black Friday. That day, however, is said to […]
This one goes out to everyone who’s struggling to save. (That is, most Americans.) You can save really small amounts of money — like just $25 a month — and still end up with an impressive nest egg, according to financial analyst Ben Carlson on his blog A Wealth of Common Sense. Here’s how Carlson […]
If you’re among the millions of older U.S. workers who will say farewell to full-time work in 2019, now’s a good time to make sure you’re truly prepared. Whether you’re viewing the next phase of life as retirement, semi-retirement or an unknown adventure, experts say the transition should get more than just a passing once-over. […]
More Americans appear to be spending beyond their means. And as one Reddit user discovered, living that way for too long can make it difficult to get back on track. The Redditor, who goes by vitreous_luster, posted to the personal finance subreddit seeking help creating a budget for the first time. After working through his […]
Though asking for a raise takes guts, it pays to push yourself outside your comfort zone and bring up the topic of money. An impressive 70% of workers who come out and ask for a higher salary are successful to some degree, according to new data from PayScale. Better yet, 39% of employees who request […]
Americans are pretty adept at spending money, and 75% live paycheck to paycheck as a result. But changing our way of thinking about money can help us improve our financial outlook and drive us to make smart decisions that buy us the economic security we need. Here are five steps you can take to spend […]
Each year, employers offer an open enrollment period — a window of time to select your benefits package for the coming year. It’s easy to overlook this opportunity and maintain the status quo, but this could be a costly mistake given the significant role benefits play in your financial life. This year, resolve to review […]
