The Latest Update on Social Security’s Financial Status Is Here — and the News Isn’t Great
Lately, all eyes have been on the 2025 Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) and the effect it will have on benefits next year. Checks will go up beginning in January, though we won’t know by how much until the COLA announcement on Oct. 10. The increase will give retirees a little relief in the near […]
A Perfect 850 Credit Score Is Overrated. Here’s Why
Image source: Getty Images I know what it’s like to have bad credit and the feeling of being rejected for a loan and kept from the lowest borrowing rates. It stinks. Some late credit card payments and one bill sent to collections led to years of building back my poor credit. It took consistent on-time […]
Should You Retire in Pennsylvania?
According to one report, 34 of America’s founding fathers are buried in Pennsylvania. It was clearly a popular retirement spot at the time. If you’re thinking of relocating for retirement, you might want to follow in their footsteps and retire in Pennsylvania — whether near Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, or somewhere in between. Image source: Getty Images. […]
I Maxed Out My Roth IRA First This Year. Here’s Why.
It’s hard to believe, but we’re just a couple of months away from 2025. Now’s usually the time when people start reflecting on the financial decisions they’ve made throughout the year and try to squeeze in a few more things, like boosting retirement contributions, before the end of December. Looking back on the year can […]
4 Reasons Your Credit Card Could Get Declined — and How to Fix Them
Image source: Getty Images Does anyone else get weirdly embarrassed when their credit card is declined? I always feel as if I wasted the cashier’s time, even though it takes two seconds for them to redo the transaction so I can pay with a different card. Declined transactions happen from time to time. And despite […]
Should You Retire in South Carolina?
If you’re thinking of relocating for retirement, consider South Carolina. It was recently ranked the fourth-best state to retire in by the folks at Bankrate. Beneath that top number is a mix of results. It was 33rd-best and 31st-best, respectively, in the quality and cost of healthcare and in crime, but ninth-best for weather and […]
In Just 11 Years, Social Security’s Trust Funds Could Be Out Of Money. The Reason May Surprise Retirees.
Social Security is undeniably one of our government’s most essential functions. The roughly $1.4 trillion in benefits the Social Security Administration (SSA) pays out each year is a lifeline to millions of retired Americans, making up a significant part of post-retirement income for most. For others, it’s nearly all they have. When the program was […]
Should You Retire in Rhode Island?
Here’s a clue to help you consider whether you want to relocate in retirement to Rhode Island: Its state nickname is the Ocean State. Nestled in New England, it’s one of the original 13 colonies and home to the historic towns of Providence and Newport. By some measures, Rhode Island falls short of ideal, ranked […]
The 3 Smartest Places to Put Your Money in October 2024
Image source: Getty Images A year ago today, inflation was still pretty rampant. Many people could barely cover their living costs. But in recent months, inflation has been cooling, which means you may be enjoying more wiggle room in your budget. You might also have some spare cash to work with. If so, here are […]
Here’s the Net Worth That Puts You in the Top 10% of American Households by Age
If you’re not tracking your net worth, you might not know whether you’re truly making financial progress in life or not. You might think you’re making progress with your savings or debt paydown plan, but unless you’ve accounted for all of your investments, savings, and debt and tracked them over time, you’ll never know for […]
