Articles in Money Matters
Pinklining: The Financial Threat More Women of Color Are Facing
The Great Recession is over. The economy is back on its feet. That’s the popular narrative Americans see and hear every day, but the impact of the financial crisis is still being felt across the …
Investment Tips for Grads
My Comments: Interview with Christine Benz by Jeremy Glaser. Really great advice as always from Morningstar.
Putting it on plastic again – Record number of credit cards issued in 2015 surging 90 percent from 2009. 60 million credit cards issued last year alone.
We love credit cards as much as we hate paying bills. As a nation we have an addiction to instant gratification. In the not so distant past, Americans actually had to save money before making …
How To Spot A Home Repair Scam And Contractor Fraud – Life at Home – Trulia Blog
Contractor fraud and home repair scams are all too commonplace. No matter how many reviews you’ve read online, follow these rules to avoid being ripped off.
Imagine: You’re having lunch and a contractor knocks on your …
The education and employment myth: Almost two-thirds of people in the labor force do not have a college degree.
There is an ongoing perception that most of the workforce has a college degree. When we say college degree we mean at a minimum a bachelor’s degree. You would think that with $1.3 trillion in …
1 out of 3 American households can no longer afford rent, food, and transportation. The biggest rise in expenditures comes from rising housing costs.
The real unemployment rate is nearly twice as high as the stated headline unemployment rate. Only 44 percent of the adult population is engaged in full-time employment. This is also reflected in the 94 million …
Is Borrowing From A 401K Smart? – Money Matters
It is possible to use your 401K for a down payment, but borrowing from a 401k isn’t a great idea. Find out why you shouldn’t use your 401k for down payment assistance.
Source: Is Borrowing From …
The Great Inflationary Lie: How you’ve been lied to about inflation and the cost of living since 2000.
You’ve been lied to about inflation. That is the truth. The banking apparatus wants you to believe that there is little to no inflation so they can continue with their money expanding ways but all …
Your chances of becoming poor may be higher than you think
Researchers can assess your odds based on just four key factors
The odds of striking it rich by playing the Powerball are 1 in 292 million — worse than the odds of being struck by lightning — …
Retirement FOMO: 5 things young investors can should do to save for retirement
Reflecting on National Save for Retirement Week, my co-workers and I have been thinking a lot about those close to or in retirement. However, we shouldn’t ignore the fact that our advice might actually be …
Don’t Rely on These 3 Flawed Strategies to Protect You From a Market Setback
Going to cash is a really bad idea.
At some point the volatility that’s been roiling the stock market this year will culminate in a good old-fashioned market meltdown. But no one knowswhen that will happen. …
What age is best to start drawing Social Security benefits? Truth is, it depends.
Waiting till 70 is often advised due to longer life spans, but sometimes starting sooner makes most sense.
If there is one piece of advice that financial advisers seem nearly unanimous on, it’s Social Security and …
5 of the most important facts everyone gets wrong about Social Security
When presented with a true-or-false quiz on Social Security, only one person — out of more than 1,500 tested– answered all 10 questions correctly, according to the report from MassMutual.
There’s no denying that Social Security …
5 things to think about on your journey to retirement
Sometimes how you envision your retirement differs from how it actually plays out, and there may be periods of uncertainty. Another way to approach the discrepancy between your retirement dream and the reality is to adjust …
The secret to being rich is surprisingly simple
Life is a lottery, and the most important part isn’t how smart you are or even who your parents are. It’s where you were born.
That, at least, is what economist Branko Milanovic found when he …
“The Advisor Effect” | Vanguard Blog for Advisors
“The Vanguard Effect” has been cited in the media in both the United States and abroad to describe the tendency for investment providers to lower mutual fund and ETF expense ratios when Vanguard enters a …
Is Early Retirement More Attainable Than We Think?
In 2002, veteran Doug Nordman reached a crossroads that would redefine the way he viewed work, life, and early retirement. After serving 20 years in the U.S. Navy’s submarine force, he faced the possibility of …
Vanguard introduces a low-cost advice service to more investors
Should I prioritize saving for my child’s college education over my retirement? What is the best mix of investments to reach my retirement savings goal? How can I ensure that my savings last through my …
Sector Rotation Strategy: Diversification With a Tilt | Scottrade, Inc.
Portfolio diversification suggests that you would have adequate exposure to multiple sectors at the same time. However, it’s highly unlikely that all stock sectors will perform equally the same at the same time. Some invariably …
Risk Tolerance in your Investment Portfolio | Scottrade
Risk means different things to different people. Someone with high risk tolerance might be entirely comfortable with a large exposure to the stock market and the volatility that comes with it, even as retirement years …
How to make kids financially foolproof
I believe that children live what they learn.
If you want your children to be better money managers, you need to model that behavior in your home. They need to see you saving, spending wisely and …
There is a right way to talk to your kids about money – The Washington Post
Start by teaching them that there are benefits in waiting for things.
Being a parent presents us with daily challenges, including decisions about what things to expose our children to. One of the questions I am …
2 Key Decisions for Your Retirement Withdrawal Strategy
So, you’ve accumulated what seems like a sufficiently sized nest egg coming into retirement. The next step is to figure out how to get your money out of it.
At first blush, the answer seems simple: …
5 Tips for a Relaxing Retirement
Thoughts: Excellent article below from USAA on preparing to retire. I don’t necessarily subscribe to tip 1 though. I think that anyone who retires as late as 70 will not have a relaying retire; most …
When You Do—and Don’t—Need a Pro to Manage Your Money
Q: “At what net worth should I consider getting a money manager?”
A: There is no magic number for when you need help. Similarly, you don’t have to wait for your net worth to hit a …
When Death Comes Calling: 5 Things to Do After a Terminal Diagnosis
My husband was only 36 when we sat in the exam room and received the bad news we already knew was coming. The cancerous tumor in his esophagus had returned, and it would kill him.
“We …
Year-End Review: 9 Tips to Cut Homeowners Insurance Costs
Although you may dread doling out large sums of cash for your homeowners policy year after year, you simply can’t afford to go without it. That would be crazy. However, you don’t have to break …
Best and Worst Times to Buy a New Car
When it comes to car shopping, timing is everything. But the formula for figuring out the perfect time to make the purchase can be complicated.
If you’re shopping for your next new car, keep the following …
