Personal finance
Health-care costs hit a post-pandemic high. These moves during open enrollment can help
About 165 million Americans get their health insurance through work, and yet most don’t spend much time considering what their employer is offering in the way of benefits and what it will cost. In fact, employees only spent about 45 minutes a year, on average, deciding which benefit options suit them best, a report from Aon found. Open […]
Read More
Elon Musk is on track to become a trillionaire by 2027. Here’s why the rich keep getting richer
Elon Musk is on track to become the world’s first trillionaire by 2027, according to a recent report from Informa Connect Academy. Of the world’s billionaires, Musk is the closest to that 13-figure mark, and his wealth is growing. At the start of 2020, Musk was worth about $28.5 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires […]
Read More
Here’s the deflation breakdown for September 2024 — in one chart
Key Points Deflation has occurred in segments of the U.S. economy over the past year, according to the consumer price index. Some imported goods, consumer electronics, and energy and food items have seen declines in price. Deflation is rare across the broad economy, economists said. Businesses don’t typically reduce prices. Source
Read More
Ozempic is driving up the cost of your health care, whether you can get your hands on it or not
About 165 million Americans rely on employer-sponsored health insurance and yet, workers may still not get the coverage they want — particularly when it comes to drugs like Wegovy and Novo Nordisk’s diabetes drug Ozempic. One in three employees are looking for more resources to combat obesity, according to a recent report by consulting firm Gallagher. […]
Read More
These income-generating assets are paying yields of more than 5%
Interest rates are coming down, but investors can still find some solid opportunities for yield in the preferred securities market, according to UBS Financial Services. Preferred securities combine attributes of bonds and stocks. They trade publicly on exchanges but they also pay a quarterly stream of income. Issuing companies are often banks and utilities. Yields […]
Read More
Here’s the inflation breakdown for September 2024 — in one chart
Key Points The consumer price index rose by 2.4% in September 2024 on an annual basis, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Inflation declined amid a pullback in gasoline prices and moderation in housing inflation. There were some trouble spots, however, such as groceries and car insurance. Source
Read More
As interest rates fall, it’s a ‘fantastic time’ to revisit bonds, advisor says — here’s why
Lucy Lambriex | Stone | Getty Images As the Federal Reserve cuts interest rates, investors should review their bond portfolio, which could see a boost from dovish Fed policy. The central bank in September kicked off its first easing campaign in four years with a 50 basis point rate cut, which brought its benchmark rate […]
Read More
Life spans are growing but ‘health spans’ are shrinking. What that means for your money
Key Points The average American is living longer. But older people live fewer years in good health. Their “health span” is shrinking. Chronic medical conditions are generally associated with higher healthcare expenses. Source
Read More
Warren Buffett’s S&P 500 bet paid off. Experts weigh in on whether it’s still a winning strategy
Warren Buffett, Berkshire Hathaway CEO and chairman. Cnbc | Nbcuniversal | Getty Images In 2007, Warren Buffett made a $1 million bet that he could outperform hedge fund managers over the course of a decade by investing in an S&P 500 index fund. In 2017, he won. Some individual investors are making similar bets on […]
Read More
Harris proposes expanding Medicare to cover long-term care at home
US Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris is pictured in studio at ABC during a break during the recording of the show “The View” in New York on October 8, 2024. Charly Triballeau | Afp | Getty Images Vice President Kamala Harris announced a new proposal on Tuesday that would require Medicare to […]
Read More