E-mail scams can take many forms, but did you realize that an e-mail scam could scuttle your home purchase? The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has warned homebuyers of a housing-related e-mail fraud that could drain your housing funds. Thieves initiate the swindle by hacking into the e-mail accounts of homebuyers, real estate agents, and brokers, […]
We’re less than 100 days until Christmas. That may be hard to believe as it’s still summer-like in much of the country and many stores have just begun to put out their Halloween merchandise. Despite that, 1 in 7 (14%) shoppers have already finished or nearly finished their holiday shopping, according to a new survey […]
Millennials tend to get a bad rap on the money management front, and they’re certainly not strangers to racking up debt. But while you’d think younger Americans are in the hole as a result of credit card abuse, a large chunk of those struggling with debt can chalk it up to getting an education. In […]
People often think tending to their finances is hard work. But today, a myriad of online tools are here to help. “Automating your finances today is easier than it’s ever been,” says Peter Lazaroff, co-chief investment officer of investment advisor Plancorp. “Technology has made a huge impact, and I think it will only continue to […]
It’s important to save for retirement. But when you have a big load of student loan debt hanging over you, it’s hard to find the cash both to make your loan payments and to contribute to a retirement plan. That’s why one employer is looking at a novel way to help employees build up retirement […]
If you’ve been reading up on tax-advantaged retirement accounts such as IRAs and 401(k)s, you’ve probably heard the term “required minimum distribution” tossed around on more than one occasion. Required minimum distributions, or RMDs, are annual withdrawals that must be taken when you house your retirement savings in a traditional IRA or any type of […]
If you’re worried about retirement, you’re not alone. Only 32% of Americans said they were very confident that they could live comfortably throughout retirement, according to the 2018 Retirement Confidence Survey of the Employee Benefit Research Institute. Fortunately, it’s within your power to make some moves now and in the future that can make your […]
Social Security provides tens of millions of Americans with retirement benefits, and the majority of those who receive them rely on Social Security for the bulk of their financial support in retirement. That’s especially true for lower-income workers, who aren’t able to save as much during their careers and therefore have fewer alternative means of […]
There’s no question that Social Security is a cornerstone of retirement income for many Americans. Yet, deciding when to take Social Security benefits is something that many people struggle with. As with most financial decisions, the right move depends on a variety of factors unique to each individual. If you are contemplating when to pull […]
1. You might live a longer life than expected The Social Security Administration (SSA) reports that the average 65-year-old man today will live until 84.3, while the average 65-year-old woman will live until 86.6. These are just averages, however, so if your health is great and you have a family history of longevity, there’s a […]
The basics of annuities are the same no matter what type you purchase: You pay an insurance company a set amount of money in return for regular payments, a guaranteed income that can help fund your retirement. But when these payments arrive, how long they continue, and how big they are all depend on the […]
In some ways, saying that workers favor a four-day week is as obvious as saying that most high school students would prefer the same. Who wouldn’t want a longer weekend and more time to spend with family and friends? Wanting something and being able to make it work, however, are different things. While 72% of […]
