Written by Chris O’Shea Tips to help maximize your Social Security benefits If you are nearing retirement, you’re likely wondering when you should claim Social Security benefits. Unfortunately, there’s no exact answer because everyone’s situation is different. However, you can think the decision through and come up with a number that fits you. Here are […]
Written by Jean Chatzky Social media influencers make an old-school budgeting plan popular again Have you heard about the new “cash stuffing” trend on TikTok? There is a slew of short videos on the social media site that demonstrate how to take the cash from your paycheck and then divide it up into categories by […]
Want to impress others on the beach with your summer reading and get smarter about personal finance at the same time? The Wall Street Journal asked several personal finance experts to recommend their favorite books on personal finance. And our own Theresa Trimble recommended a 6th book about the meme stock craze from 2021 that should be required […]
If you are like many, no matter how much we learn about text scams, when you get the one that says, for example: “Credit Union Alert: Did you attempt a wire transfer of $4,690.00? Reply YES or NO” my stomach drops, my adrenaline surges, as I scramble to deny the transaction. But will denying the […]
Unfortunately, check fraud is on the rise! Fraudsters steal checks from mailboxes (personal and USPS), alter them, and then cash them. When you can, try to make payments electronically with bill pay or Zelle®. If you do write a check, take these steps to protect yourself: Use blue or black gel ink, as it soaks […]
Featured in Savvy Money Daily – Authored by Jean Chatzky Making a will 101 and what happens if you don’t have one. High on the list of things people don’t like to think about: bills, taxes, calories and, yes, death. That goes a long way toward explaining why only 42 percent of U.S. adults have […]
Featured in Savvy Money Daily – Authored by Jean Chatzky How this pay-down-debt method works and how to use it. Americans are swimming – make that drowning – in credit card debt. The balances being carried by people who owe money on their revolving credit card accounts saw a $61 billion increase in the last […]
Featured in Savvy Money Daily – Authored by Chris O’Shea Good money habits begin with the proper outlook. The way you think about money can impact many things, from the way you live your life to how much money you make when you retire. In some cases, if you think it, it will happen. So […]
Featured in Savvy Money Daily – Authored by Chris O’Shea Savvy tips for improving financial health! April is Financial Literacy Month. It’s a good time to reset your money mindset and get back to basics. Here are some budgeting tips for you to ring in the month. Make it Automatic Instead of relying on yourself […]
Featured in Savvy Money Daily – Authored by Jean Chatzky There’s a saying you’ve probably heard before about the few absolutes there are in life: None of us will live forever and taxes are practically unavoidable. We should add one more: Almost everyone needs a budget, even if they don’t know it yet. In our […]