Taking RMDs During a Downturn Hurts. Here’s How to Manage the Pain.

Is it better to rip off a bandage and get the pain over with or to remove it slowly and gently, limiting the pain while prolonging it? That’s essentially the question facing seniors who have spent dec...

‘I respect every profession equally, but I feel like so many people look down on me for being a waitress’: Americans are tipping less. Should we step up to the plate?

I read your article about tipping. I’ve been serving and bartending for almost 16 years now, since I was 18. Waiting tables is so hard on your body, and a lot of people don’t appreciate all of the wor...

Retirees on edge over inflation and stock volatility can take these 5 steps

If you’re like many retirees, the combination of inflation and stock market volatility may set you on edge. “It is one of the higher risk environments for retirees,” says certified financial planner J...

These 19 large-cap stocks have now dropped at least 60% from their 52-week highs

The latest inflation figures on June 10 were worse than expected and the effect on stock prices was brutal. A list of stocks in the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq-100 Index that have fallen at least 60% f...

Mortgage prepayments have fallen 62% from a year ago. This is what that says about the housing market.

Ultimately, as long as buyers are able to keep up with their regular monthly payments, fewer people making extra mortgage payments probably isn’t going to have a massive impact on the broader housing ...

How bear markets trick gullible investors

Bear markets like to trick you into thinking they have come to an end. They do that by mounting explosive one-day rallies. Those jumps more often than not turn out to be traps that lure the gullible b...

Suze Orman says to do this right now if you’re worried about inflation

The rate of U.S. inflation reached a 40-year high of 8.6% in May as overall prices for things including rent, gas and food all remain on the rise. Financial commentator and host of the “Women & Mo...

‘I’m being taken advantage of by my own husband’: I pay all the bills and gave the down payment for our home, and all he does is buy stuff and contribute to his 401(k)

I’m being taken advantage of by my own husband. I have been married for almost 10 years. When my husband and I were first married, he convinced me to stop working after the first year or so, which I r...

Why saving in a 401(k) plan may be tough for frequent job switchers

Damircudic | E+ | Getty Images Saving in a 401(k) plan may be tough for workers who switch jobs frequently — a dynamic that’s come into greater focus amid the Great Resignation. In 2021, 14% of ...

Annuity sales buoyed by fear, higher rates. What to know before buying

Svetikd | E+ | Getty Images Annuities are on track for a banner year as consumers flee stock volatility and insurers offer more attractive rates. Limra, an insurance industry group, forecasts annuity ...

Consider a portfolio of 100% stocks if you’re at least 10 years from retirement

This year’s stock market isn’t what it seems. “It wasn’t supposed to be this way!” That’s the refrain from many investors who are looking at a U.S. stock market SPX, -1.08% decline so far this year of...

Tax-loss harvesting turns losses into gains. Here’s when to skip it

When the stock market dips, a strategy known as tax-loss harvesting can be a silver lining. But it doesn’t make sense for all portfolios, financial experts say.   Here’s how tax-loss harve...

Apple is offering ‘buy now, pay later.’ 4 reasons to think twice before signing up

After months of speculation, Apple AAPL, -0.45% finally unveiled its buy now, pay later offering this week, wading into an industry that’s experienced explosive growth. But consumers should be wary of...

I lived in motels and ‘forgot to live’: I’m 48, have almost $900,000 and want to retire next year. What can I do?

I am 48 years old, single and have lived in various states and done diverse jobs.  Genetically, I foresee my life span being around 20 more years, as I lost my parents at a very young age. In this 15 ...

My parents-in-law sold their home and bought an RV. They have $200K in the bank. How can they protect their assets from being used for nursing-home costs?

My father-in-law has health issues. While he is not quite ready for a nursing home, that may be a necessity in the near future. He has state retirement benefits and a very small Social Security check....

Your next quarterly 401(k) statement may be alarming. Here’s why

Your internal alarm bells may ring when reading your next 401(k) plan statement — at first blush, at least. Traditional 401(k) statements — regular notices that arrive by mail or online — show investo...

Picking a socially responsible fund can be confusing. Here’s what to know

Tetra Images – Erik Isakson | Brand X Pictures | Getty Images Investment funds that promote values like the environment and social good have become more popular. But trying to pick a so-called E...

Are Stocks Undervalued Yet? – WSJ

Everyone wants to know when the stock market, after its recent declines, will be a good value again. The sobering news is that even at its lowest point in mid-May, the S&P 500 index wasn’t even cl...

These Mortgage-Backed Securities Offer Hefty Yields, Mild Risk

Text size Bonds from Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac are more attractive than Treasuries or corporates. David Paul Morris/Bloomberg Move over TINA, it’s time for TARA. The latter stands for “T...

Weekend reads: If you agree that inflation has peaked, buy stocks in this sector

If everyone agreed about the direction of the economy, investing would be easy. But there are mixed signals about whether the rate of inflation has peaked, at least in the U.S. If you are among those ...

House Democrats push for repeal of rule blocking SALT cap workaround

Rep. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., speaks during a news conference announcing the State and Local Taxes (SALT) Caucus outside the U.S. Capitol on April 15, 2021. Sarah Silbiger | Bloomberg | Getty Images Three ...

Buy now, pay later loans make it tough to get a handle on your credit

Payment history often not reported BNPL companies generally don’t report to the credit-scoring companies when consumers use these loans. That makes it a challenge for a lender to know how many l...

The Best Retirement Spending Advice From Our Readers

Regarding “rules” for budgeting in retirement, I set aside $100,000 in what I call my “Stuff Happens” account. It’s designed to get me through five years of unexpected and one-time expenses. My buddie...

Biden open to canceling $10,000 in student loans per borrower — what that means for your budget, credit score and tax bill

If $10,000 vanishes from your student debt, you may want to celebrate. This is a question millions of student loan holders may be facing soon if President Joe Biden proceeds with a controversial plan ...

‘I’d love to be married now. I would love to be a dad by now. I’d love to have a home by now’: The winners and losers in Biden’s plan to cancel $10,000 in student-loan debt

The Biden administration is planning to cancel $10,000 in student-loan debt for borrowers earning below a specific income threshold. But for borrowers like Johnathan Perkins, 36, the amount of debt fo...

Nick Maggiulli On Why You Should ‘Just Keep Buying’

Nick Maggiulli, Ritholtz Wealth Management Chief Operating Officer and Data Scientist Photo courtesy of Nick Maggiulli Even in a bear market, Nick Maggiulli thinks you should Just Keep Buying. That...

IRS working to boost audit rates for higher earners

Jeffrey Coolidge | Photodisc | Getty Images The IRS is working to boost its audit rates for the wealthiest Americans, according to a statement recently released with the agency’s annual Data Boo...

I invested in Tesla early and now have an 8-figure nest egg. Do I need a financial adviser?

How do you know if you need a financial adviser or not? Getty Images Question: I’m considering quitting working soon. I invested in Tesla early on and 100x-ed and am at a very low eight-figure value n...

Small-cap growth stocks are at their lowest P/E valuation in at least 24 years.

Growth stocks typically trade at premium prices. But in this market, rising interest rates have turned small-cap growth stocks into a bargain group. This may be a beautiful setup for long-term investo...

Our retirement system hurts the middle class

America has a vast and elaborate system of public policies supposedly designed to help us all save for retirement and avoid the catastrophe of a penurious and poverty-stricken old age. But does this s...

Consumers spend $133 more monthly on subscriptions than they realize

Jose Luis Pelaez Inc | DigitalVision | Getty Images There’s a decent chance you don’t have a good handle on how much your subscriptions are really costing you. Consumers’ offhand gue...