Personal finance
Couple balances 15 credit cards with no debt—it’s helped them save nearly $500,000, but expert warns the strategy ‘isn’t for everyone’
Juggling 15 credit cards might sound excessive, but Air Force officers Quinn and Brittney Sturgis use them strategically to earn perks and build credit — just one of the disciplined habits that helped them save nearly $500,000 in their 20s. “We never carry a balance,” says Quinn, a 30-year-old pilot. “Whatever the balance was for […]
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A smart hedge if the Magnificent 7 earnings next week don’t quite live up to lofty expectations
Investors’ Super Bowl is next week when most of the AI-themed “Magnificent Seven” (Mag 7) companies deliver their highly anticipated Q4 earnings reports. These names pushed the S & P 500 to fifty-seven record all-time highs in 2024, and the benchmark index established another new all-time high this week. In the event future returns have […]
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Wealthy leaders share financial advice they gave their kids: Invest early, learn from failure — and think carefully about inheritance
Converge Wealthy leaders share financial advice they gave their kids: Invest early, learn from failure — and think carefully about inheritance Published Thu, Jan 23 20256:16 PM EST Lucy Handley@in/lucy-handley-b2b0a61a/@lucyhandley WATCH LIVE Source
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Return-to-office policies are ‘creeping up,’ researcher says. Many workers would rather quit
Key Points About half of workers say they’d rather quit than return to the office full-time, according to a Pew Research Center poll. Big companies like Amazon, AT&T, Boeing, Dell Technologies, JPMorgan Chase, UPS and The Washington Post have initiated return-to-office mandates for at least some employees. Workers value hybrid work similarly to an 8% […]
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Vanguard’s $106 million target-date fund settlement offers a key lesson about taxes
Key Points Vanguard Group settled with the SEC on Friday over allegations tied to its target-date funds and investor taxes. There’s a lesson about “asset location” for investors. This strategy pairs tax-inefficient assets like many bonds and actively managed mutual funds with tax-advantaged account types like 401(k) plans and individual retirement accounts. Source
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Mortgage rates aren’t likely to fall any time soon — here’s why
Key Points Rates on a 30-year fixed mortgage rose above 7% in the week ended Jan. 16, according to Freddie Mac data. Mortgage rates were below 3% as recently as late 2021. They are unlikely to fall below 6% until 2026, economists said. That’s partly due to investor worries tied to President Donald Trump’s policy […]
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The 15 most expensive U.S. states to retire—No. 1 requires over $2 million in savings
You need to be a millionaire just to cover basic retirement costs in 15 U.S. states, according to a new analysis by GOBankingRates. The states with the highest retirement expenses tend to also have the highest housing costs, whether it’s big-city hubs like New York and California, or Hawaii, where the natural beauty and mild […]
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What to expect from travel prices in 2025 — and which destinations have the best vacation bargains
Osaka, Japan. Jiale Tan | Moment | Getty Images The new year has many travelers thinking ahead to 2025 vacation plans — and how much those trips may cost. About half — 51% — of Americans say flight cost will determine their destination choices this year, according to Skyscanner. And 50% said hotel costs are […]
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CFPB fines Equifax $15 million for errors on credit reports
Key Points The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau fined Equifax $15 million for credit reporting errors. The CFPB alleged the credit bureau failed to properly investigate consumer disputes. Credit reports have a significant impact on consumer finances, experts said. They may dictate someone’s success in qualifying for a loan, renting an apartment or getting a job. […]
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Cushion your portfolio in 2025 with these fixed income assets. Where to put your cash to work
Investors are facing the prospect of “higher for longer” interest rates, and that presents an opportunity for those who want to build up portfolio income. The Federal Reserve dialed back its expectations for 2025 rate cuts at its December meeting, penciling in only two reductions this year – down from the four predicted in September. […]
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