Margin loan recommendations are often presented by brokers as tax-savvy strategies that allow clients to access “tax-free” cash while keeping their portfolios intact. In many cases, however, the math benefits the advisor more than the investor.

One serious risk to financial wellbeing in retirement that is difficult to talk about is financial exploitation. Someone whose cognitive abilities are declining is vulnerable to harm from both financial predators and their own financial misjudgments.

In 2025, the United States has shifted from an open-trade economy to one burdened by some of the highest tariff rates in modern history.

A college degree may be a milestone that represents one possible career path. But it’s not your only route toward a future that is both financially sound and deeply fulfilling.

Lasting change happens through something called “memory reconsolidation.” It is the brain’s way of updating emotional patterns we have carried for years — often since childhood.

How do you make sure your nest egg lasts as long as you do? Figuring out a safe withdrawal rate is tricky, because life is unpredictable. Markets and inflation rise and fall, tax laws change, and political philosophies come and go.

While the U.S. and U.K. have different economic and regulatory landscapes, there are clear opportunities for the U.S. to improve retirement readiness by adopting some best practices from across the pond.

We all respond differently to financial uncertainty. Some lean into hyper-vigilance—tightening budgets, tracking every headline. Others shut down, turning toward distraction. Still others press on as if nothing has changed.

Social Security does face challenges. The trust fund reserves, built up during years when payroll taxes exceeded payouts, are projected to run dry around 2033. If Congress does nothing, benefits will need to be cut by about 20%. That’s serious, but it’s a solvency issue, not a scam.

Back in 1980, fear persuaded me that gold was a sure thing. I forgot an essential caveat—there are no sure things in investing.

Bitcoin and its peers are speculative assets. They have value because enough people believe they do, not because they’re backed by a central authority or tied to any intrinsic utility.

Even the best financial plans sometimes hit an unexpected sour note: an investment seemingly doesn’t work out, an emergency expense appears to throw off a budget, or an impulsive splurge leaves us with a case of buyer’s remorse. When this happens, we need to improvise as we respond to the financial twists and turns.

Recently I have realized that cryptocurrency might be something even bigger and stranger than currency. It is not just digital money; it’s a bet on the huge global demand for financial autonomy.

There’s nothing like a good sale to get people excited—unless that sale happens in the stock market. Instead of celebrating a chance to buy at a discount, investors panic, dump stocks, and brace for economic doom.

If you have ever filed a homeowners insurance claim, you know it can feel more like an endurance test than a straightforward process. While insurers are legally required to honor valid claims, they have strong financial incentives to delay, underpay, or deny them whenever possible.

One of the fastest and easiest ways to unravel your financial security is to have the wrong person gain control of your money.

Overall, it is a system deeply rooted in familial interdependence. The responsibility for widows rests squarely with family members, reflecting a culture where support networks are built on kinship rather than institutional safety nets.

For many of us, the Die Broke mentality is not about recklessness or extravagance. It’s about learning to let go. Despite our bold talk of spending down to the last penny, most of us will likely leave behind more than we planned. And maybe that’s just fine.

While we may joke about spending it down to the last penny, chances are there will still be plenty left for you when all is said and done. We just don’t necessarily want to admit it.

This process will not necessarily be easy or comfortable. Yet making the effort to understand your Internal Financial System can reward you with increased financial clarity, balance, and peace of mind.

When you think about money behaviors that don’t serve you well, I suggest tuning in to your financial boardroom. Start with a little curiosity. What emotions surface? Which voices are the loudest?

We need to face the reality that we’ve chosen a system that prioritizes lower taxes over centralized health care.

Thanks to technology and the rise of passive investing, putting together a sophisticated, diversified portfolio has never been easier.

Financial loss is one of the most common secondary losses. The death of a family breadwinner can bring crushing financial uncertainty. Even when the deceased was not the primary earner, grief can derail financial stability.

If you find holiday spending overwhelming, it might be time to ask yourself a question: Who is doing your shopping? It may be an inner four-year-old.

Waiting until 67 or 70 may not feel like the best choice in the moment. Yet the extra income could mean more freedom from financial stress and more ability to enjoy your later years with peace of mind.

For couples, merging two financial lives can be tricky. Not every financial planner has the skills to effectively help you navigate that challenge. Yet the right advisor can guide you away from chronic money conflict and toward a successful partnership.

Understanding how to help a couple explore each partner’s financial history and validate their goals and anxieties can make all the difference in helping them reach a middle ground without feeling sidelined or resentful.

Don’t wait for financial symptoms to show up. Annual financial checkups can help maintain your current financial fitness and support your long-term financial wellbeing.

Despite being the generations with the most knowledge, experience and potential resources, many are still unsure about their financial future.

Politicians often promise to cap prices, but success is unlikely and would result in worse outcomes.

With polls showing Kamala Harris and Donald Trump in a close race, how do the key economic metrics favor each candidate?

Choosing to make your coffee or your lunch at home instead of hitting the café every day is not just about saving a few dollars—it’s about setting yourself up for long-term financial success.

If we all acted purely on logic, coffee shops would be out of business. Is that likely to happen any time soon? Don’t bet your latte on it.

Reaching age 65 with a net worth of $1 million dollars is a way to provide a comfortable and secure retirement. It is also a reasonable and achievable goal for many middle-class workers who would, quite accurately, never describe themselves as wealthy.

What is your personal financial code of conduct? Whether you’re consciously aware of it or not, chances are you have an internal set of standards and taboos that guide the way you handle money.

Despite these positive developments, many people continue to feel uneasy about the economy.

How do you convey your value and convince qualified prospects that hiring you will be a worthwhile investment without breaching your compliance obligations as an advisor?

If your home and/or its contents are destroyed or damaged by a disaster such as a fire or flood, the insurance company will need a complete list of what was lost. Do you have such a list?

Whether someone’s problematic relationship is with food or money, recovery involves addressing the trauma and issues that underlie the behavior.

Given the inevitable ups and downs of the financial world, the joy of missing out on the frenzy might be a strong component of long-term financial and emotional wellbeing.

Exaggerated concerns about the viability of Social Security continue to circulate like a persistent urban legend that refuses to die. They have only intensified during the political silly season leading up to the November elections.

What does a “private equity firm” do? You may not know or care. Yet one of these specialized companies might possibly own your favorite restaurant—or your hospital.

You don’t need a fortune to channel your giving through a DAF. These funds are designed for everyday people who want to make charitable donations in a way that offers tax efficiency, flexibility, and choices.

Travel insurance is a game-changer. It can keep a physically and emotionally stressful travel experience gone wrong from becoming a financial disaster. But only if you have the coverage you need.

I thought I knew a lot about travel insurance until recently, when I learned something new. It was an expensive lesson.

How safe is your IRA? Not from economic ups and downs, but from your own vulnerability to scammers? While financial scams are often perceived as targeting senior citizens, younger generations are equally susceptible.

There is a benefit to simplified language that can help consumers understand and engage with economic issues. Yet oversimplifying nuanced concepts to the point of inaccuracy only fosters miscommunication and misunderstanding.

Why do people so consistently underestimate their lifespan? Their thinking is influenced by the money scripts, financial circumstances, stories, and emotions that drive a person’s cognitive biases, or mental shortcuts.

A planner using a fee-offset model sets an annual fixed fee for their services. Then any commissions earned from the sale of products, usually insurance products, are credited back to the client, offsetting and reducing the annual fee by the amount of the commission.