Personal Finances

Best Credit Cards for 2022
Credit & Debt

Best Credit Cards for 2022

Sara ­Rathner | June 4, 2022

Prices and interest rates are rising fast, and consumers are facing a range of changes in 2022—does that mean they…

Car-Rental Insurance Traps
Money Savers

Car-Rental Insurance Traps

Christopher Elliott | May 21, 2022

Car-rental companies just love to sell you insurance—even though most customers are already protected by their personal policies and/or credit…

Home-Stretch Money Troubles
Personal Finances

Home-Stretch Money Troubles

Mitch Reiner, CFP | May 18, 2022

There is no good time to endure a major financial setback, but in or near retirement is an especially bad…

The Financial Risk of Early Decision
Personal Finances

The Financial Risk of Early Decision

Mark Kantrowitz | May 8, 2022

Students who apply to a college for “early decision” and who are accepted commit to enrolling in that school. Problem:…

15 Fuel-Saving Driving Strategies
Money Savers

15 Fuel-Saving Driving Strategies

Wayne Gerdes | May 4, 2022

The recent run-up in fuel prices is straining budgets and making some drivers wonder why they bought gas-guzzling SUVs and…

Best Places to Stash Your Cash Now
Banking

Best Places to Stash Your Cash Now

Ken Tumin | May 3, 2022

Lift-off! After punishing savers with two years of near-zero short-term interest rates, the Federal Reserve expects to hike its benchmark…

Beware This Loan for Energy-Efficient Upgrades
Money Savers

Beware This Loan for Energy-Efficient Upgrades

Jake Zimmerman | April 22, 2022

The caller is promoting a program to help homeowners invest in efficiency upgrades. You can get a new furnace, roof…

Avoid These Social Security Traps
Personal Finances

Avoid These Social Security Traps

Martha Shedden, CRPC, RSSA | April 4, 2022

How wise are your Social Security decisions? Social Security benefits account for approximately one of every three dollars received by…

Long-Term-Care Insurance Can Pay for In-Home Care
Money Savers

Long-Term-Care Insurance Can Pay for In-Home Care

Claude Thau | March 21, 2022

Many people would prefer to age at home rather than move into an assisted-living facility or nursing home. But for…

Go Rogue! Using Unconventional Wisdom to Guide Your Financial Decisions
Personal Finances

Go Rogue! Using Unconventional Wisdom to Guide Your Financial Decisions

Laurence J. Kotlikoff, PhD | March 15, 2022

Top economist and Wall Street gadfly Laurence J. Kotlikoff, PhD, believes that the way most of us go about planning…

How To Hire The Right Plumber At The Right Price
Money Savers

How To Hire The Right Plumber At The Right Price

Ed Del Grande | March 8, 2022

Overwhelmed by the thought of finding a plumber—a good one who will do the work correctly and charge you fairly?…

Bridging the Gap Between Siblings’ Finances
Personal Finances

Bridging the Gap Between Siblings’ Finances

Alex Melkumian, PsyD, LMFT | March 1, 2022

It can be difficult when one sibling has greater financial means than another. Here’s how to maintain your relationship despite your different financial situations.

Little-Known Tools for Retirement and Estate Planning
Estate Planning

Little-Known Tools for Retirement and Estate Planning

Robert Carlson | February 15, 2022

The upsides of IRAs and living trusts for retirement and estate-planning are widely known, but even savvy savers might not…

Ways to Estimate Life Expectancy
Personal Finances

Ways to Estimate Life Expectancy

David Blanchett, PhD, CFP, CFA | February 13, 2022

Instead of focusing on how long your parents lived, or using the Social Security calculator, here are better ways to estimate your life expectancy.

How to Choose a Charity Worthy of Your Money
Charitable Giving

How to Choose a Charity Worthy of Your Money

Stacy Steele | February 13, 2022

The year is winding down…and that means donation time is nearing. Nonprofits will start filling mailboxes and airwaves with appeals…