Before You File for Bankruptcy, Consider These 3 Alternatives
Image source: Getty Images For many years, I was a bankruptcy lawyer. As opposed to when I practiced litigation (suing people and defending lawsuits), bankruptcy was a dream practice. Nice people — respectable, responsible people — would come in to see me and they would be worried, distraught, overwhelmed. No one really wanted to be […]
This Is the Average Social Security Benefit for Age 65
Many people misunderstand Social Security in some way. For example, they might not appreciate that not only does the program deliver regular, dependable income to millions of people in retirement, but it also increases those payments almost every year — via cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) — to help keep up with inflation. In fact, the most […]
All Costco Members Should Do This Every Month
Image source: Getty Images Costco membership prices recently went up, so it’s more important than ever to make sure you get enough value out of your Costco membership. Fortunately, Costco makes it easy to find great deals and take advantage of special offers every month. If you’re a Costco member, let’s look at a few […]
Will More of Your Paycheck Go to Social Security Taxes Next Year?
If you are working and earning income, you’re likely paying payroll taxes to fund Social Security. These taxes are charged differently from regular income tax. There is a dedicated Social Security payroll tax, with employers and employees each paying 6.2% of a worker’s wages. Most people pay that 6.2% on all of the money they […]
These 4 Sources of Retirement Income Are Not Taxable
Image source: The Motley Fool/Upsplash Who woulda thunk it? Good ‘ol Benjamin Franklin was wrong. Franklin famously said, “In this world, nothing is certain except death and taxes.” Well, it turns out that while none of us can avoid death, you can avoid some taxes in retirement and retirement planning. And that is a good […]
5 Tricks for Making the Most of Your Aldi Shopping
Image source: Upsplash/The Motley Fool There’s a reason so many people love doing their food shopping at Aldi. Aldi is known for its low prices, and shopping there regularly could help you lower your household’s grocery budget. But if you truly want to maximize your Aldi savings, you need the right strategies. Here are some […]
Social Security’s 2025 Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) Is 2.5% — but Here’s Why 2026’s COLA Could Be Even Smaller
Millions of retired Americans rely on Social Security as a key source of monthly income. And that makes the program’s cost-of-living adjustments, or COLAs, so important. Automatic COLAs were introduced to Social Security in 1975. And their purpose is to help seniors maintain their buying power as inflation drives the cost of living upward over […]
Is It Really Worth the Effort to Have a High Credit Score?
Image source: Getty Images Between managing everyday spending, paying off debt, and planning for the future, raising your credit score may not be very high on your list of priorities. You may even be wondering if it’s worth the hassle, as it can take months or even years to attain a high score, depending on […]
5 Best Products to Buy at Costco
Image source: Getty Images Costco. It’s the land of oversized everything — where you go for bulk toilet paper and leave with a kayak, a 24-pack of muffins, and a deep sense of satisfaction. But among the giant jars of peanut butter and pallets of water bottles, there are some real gems you don’t want […]
4 Ways You’re Overpaying for Airfare
Image source: Getty Images Most people don’t fly all too often. Americans took an average of 1.4 air trips in 2021, according to research by Gallup. There are travel enthusiasts who fly much more, but the typical person does it once or twice a year. If airfare booking isn’t something you do regularly, you might […]
