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A major decision in retirement planning is whether to make pre-tax or Roth (after-tax) 401k contributions. Pre-tax contributions go into your retirement account with money that has not been taxed, and then taxes will be paid when the funds are withdrawn in retirement. With Roth contributions, taxes will be taken from the money prior to … Read more

The U.S. housing market partied hard in 2021 and early 2022, as record-low mortgage rates and pandemic-induced demand set off vicious bidding wars and sent home prices soaring.  The fun didn’t last. The Federal Reserve began raising interest rates in March 2022, turning off the easy-money spigot that fueled the boom. By the fall, homebuyer … Read more

Investing in the stock market, real estate, or crypto has never been easier. Gone are the days when you had to be an expert or work with a stock broker to buy company shares or invest your money. You can invest your money in several ways, with options for every level of risk tolerance and … Read more

If you’re under 30 years old, this is the best time in your adult life to buy a certificate of deposit (CD). That’s not hyperbole. It’s a data-driven fact. After years of languishing near zero, CD rates spiked in 2022 and are now higher than they’ve been since at least 2008, right before the economy … Read more

Quick Look The Credit Card Competition Act is a bipartisan bill intended to lower credit card processing fees. The goal is to inject some much-needed competition into the credit card network market, lowering prices on retail goods and allowing smaller businesses to compete on a more even playing field. But the law could have some … Read more

Early retirement has become a popular financial goal. And well it should be. Even if you never retire early, just knowing that you can is liberating! And it may just be the strategy that frees you up to take on even bigger challenges in life. That can happen when you reach the point where you … Read more

I’ve managed to get this far without ever carrying an interest-bearing credit card balance. But I’ve taken advantage of more 0% APR introductory promotions than I can count though, and I know how to spot a great opportunity when I see one. The Truist Future Credit Card is such an opportunity. Though if I’m being … Read more

The Roth IRA vs traditional IRA – they’re basically the same plan, right? Not exactly. While they do share some similarities, there are enough distinct differences between the two where they can just as easily qualify as completely separate and distinct retirement plans. To clear up the confusion between the two, let’s look at where … Read more

Are you trying to win the Mega Millions, but your numbers never seem to come up? It may be time to look for better ways to make money. Fortunately, you can earn extra cash without going and getting a “real job.” What are the best ways to avoid sitting in a cubicle all day? Some … Read more

You’ve decided to set some money aside for a rainy day. You want to keep it somewhere until you need it. You consider your options. A piggy bank? Too childish (and, let’s be honest, it can only hold so much). Under your mattress? It could be fun to sleep atop all your wealth like a … Read more