Are Fraud Alerts a Credit Savior or Saboteur? Here’s What You Need to Know
Image source: Getty Images Last year, there were over 1 million reports of identity theft, according to the Federal Trade Commission. And we’re on pace for an even higher total in 2024. Identity theft can have a huge impact on your credit, your finances as a whole, and your mental health. It’s stressful to know […]
3 Signs You’re Wasting Your Money on a Costco Membership
Image source: Getty Images A Costco Gold Star membership costs $65 a year, or $130 if you want to upgrade to an Executive membership that gives you 2% cash back on your purchases. And for many people, either fee is more than worth paying. But if these signs apply to you, you may be wasting […]
How I Went From $500 in Credit to $200,000
Image source: Getty Images Getting a low credit limit is normal when you don’t have much credit history. My first credit card had a limit of just $500 — enough to pay for a few trips to the grocery store or half a smartphone. If you’re in this situation, you’ve probably experienced how inconvenient it […]
Surprise! 3 Reasons You Might Owe More Taxes for 2024
Image source: Getty Images Paying taxes is something a lot of people only think about when they sit down in April to file a return. But it’s helpful to understand the factors that can cause your tax bill to rise. Here are a few reasons you may end up owing more to the IRS for […]
Here’s What Happens When You Make Too Many Costco Returns
Image source: Upsplash/The Motley Fool Joining Costco has so many benefits, it’s almost impossible to count them all. In addition to big savings on groceries and household essentials, Costco members get access to perks like discounted gift cards, affordable travel packages, and great prices on electronics and home appliances — just to name a few. […]
Cut These 5 Expenses to Save $655 Every Month in 2025
Image source: Getty Images The end of the year is a popular time to set money goals. If one of yours is to save more, a good way to do that is by looking for a few expenses to cut. It’s easy to fall into the habit of overspending, especially when you don’t track your […]
You Have $5 Million in Retirement Savings: Here’s How Much You Could Withdraw Every Year
Image source: Getty Images Many Americans struggle to build retirement savings. So if you’re approaching the end of your career with $5 million in savings, you’re way ahead of the game. As of 2022, the median retirement account balance among Americans aged 65 to 74 was $609,000, according to the Federal Reserve. A $5 million […]
1 Social Security Change in 2025 That Could Hurt Your Finances — and 3 That Might Increase Your Benefit Amount
As we head into 2025, you can expect a few changes on the horizon for the Social Security program. While many of these changes are relatively minor, they can have a direct impact on your benefit amount. For the millions of older adults who rely on Social Security to survive, every dollar counts. Whether you’re […]
Can You Buy a House Without a Credit Score?
Image source: Upsplash/The Motley Fool When I was a Realtor, I worked with a lot of first-time home buyers, and one really common problem I had to deal with was buyers without a credit score. These were often otherwise very-well-prepared buyers who had considered their big buy very carefully, but they’d simply never bothered to […]
3 Great Jobs for Retirees Who Want to Work
Image source: Getty Images More and more people opt to work during retirement, both for emotional and financial reasons. Indeed, a recent survey from the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies showed that over 50% of today’s middle class plan to work once they retire. For some, that’s because they don’t have as much as they’d […]
