Bonnie Parker, of Bonnie and Clyde steal-and-murder infamy was asked why she robbed banks. She reportedly replied, “I rob banks because that’s where the money is.” And so it goes with scammers and retirees. Older people are a great target for scams because they have saved money and have assets to steal. Here are 3…
Taking a break from the heavy financial stuff to celebrate Dads! “Remember: What Dad really wants is a nap. Really.” —Dave Barry “When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant, I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was…
Nope, that is not the name of a delicious new candy bar with chocolate, Rice Krispies, pretzels, salted caramel, and almonds. I wish, and if anybody decides to manufacture this terrific idea, please let me know where to buy them. Times are tough for tens of millions of student loan payers. Over 5 million payers…
Part of the insanity of the early 2025 investment scene is the wild ride of bonds. Yes, even the stalwart US Treasury options have seen big moves due to the tariff situation. There is a ton of money in money market funds these days because they were yielding up to 5% at one point. What’s…
I’ll get straight to the point: I believe that MOST homeowners should have a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC). Why? First, let’s start with the What: A home equity line of credit (HELOC) is a revolving line of credit secured by your home, allowing you to borrow against the equity you’ve built up. Basically,…
Every once in a while, I like to offer ideas on saving money while buying items I know you will purchase anyway. The hope is that if you don’t spend as much on, say, Halloween costumes, you will save more in your 401(k). I am ever the optimist. Along those lines, I know you are…
Sometimes it’s nice to just revisit the basics of good #personalfinance. This could be a refresher for you or something to talk to your kids about. This is a quick list of what to do (in order) if you have a windfall of money. Like, maybe, a tax refund. Pay off credit card debt…
With the current uncertainty about every single thing happening with the federal government, a question I get asked a lot is what I think will happen to Social Security. While I do believe reducing Social Security would be difficult to enact unilaterally (and SO unpopular that no sane politician would try it), there is the…
Sure, religious holidays shouldn’t be made fun of. But let’s face it, the idea of a well-dressed giant rabbit hiding eggs (at $1.10 per pop!) all over your yard is an easy target for comedians. “I lied on my Weight Watchers list. I put down that I had three eggs… but they were Cadbury…
I read an interesting article about the factors that might contribute to people living to age 100. For grins (or maybe “grims”) here are how some of the study findings apply to me. Why is this important? Well, if I’m counting on living to age 95, my projected retirement spending can be higher than if…
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