'I'm betting on another 22 spins around the sun': I'm 65 and have $3.9 million. How much should I realistically spend on a house?
I'm betting on another 22 spins around the sun, given all relevant factors. I would like to settle down. My question: Responsibly, how much can I afford to spend to buy a home? Related: 'Don't be ...
'She is single and has a low-wage job': I want to give my daughter, who is in her 30s, $50,000 for retirement. What could go wrong?
I want to give $50,000 to my adult daughter as she has nothing saved for retirement. I want her to open a brokerage account. She can save for about 27 years until retirement. She is single and has a ...
How do the rich give away their money? With a smart strategy.
To be tax-smart about giving to individuals, givers have to be mindful of the IRS annual gift-tax exclusion, which is $18,000 in 2024 and $19,000 in 2025. A person can give that amount to as many ...
'I worked hard for my savings': I'm 71 and a retired teacher. I want to give my kids money - but my daughter spends lavishly and my son is wealthy.
Give each child an equal amount and allow them to make their own mistakes. If you don't trust your daughter to spend the money wisely, have a separate conversation with each child about their needs, ...
As the wealthy keep spending, here's why the middle class is in for a tough 2025
Middle-income Americans, many of whom continue to struggle with elevated prices following the pandemic recovery, could face more inflation and a tight job market in 2025 - increasing pressure on a ...
This is the first whiskey to be granted a new federal designation in over 50 years
American single-malt whiskey, which uses the same key ingredients - malted barley, yeast and water - that go into single-malt Scotch, has now been recognized by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade ...
Congress passed the Social Security Fairness Act. Millions of people could see more in benefits as a result.
The change benefits public-sector workers such as teachers, police officers, firefighters. As of November 2024, more than two million Americans had their Social Security benefits reduced by the WEP.
'I take pride in being debt-free': My husband owes thousands of dollars in student loans and credit-card debt. Will I be on the hook if he dies?
My husband has a parent PLUS Loan debt for his daughter from his first marriage, totaling several thousand dollars. He has also incurred a five-figure credit-card debt in his name only during our ...
The race is on to buy an EV while the $7,500 tax credit is a sure thing. Drivers should still go slow and ask these questions.
The incentives do not count the federal tax credits that currently pay up to $7,500 for qualifying new EVs and up to $4,000 on qualifying used EVs, according to Stephanie Valdez Streaty, director of ...
'She has two financially stable children': Does it make sense for my wealthy mother, a recent widow, to take out a $100,000 life-insurance policy?
My recently widowed mother asked me if I think we should get a life-insurance policy (it was fresh on her mind as we handled everything for Dad). She is 72, in great health, and independently wealthy.
Market timers have given up on stocks - which is exactly what you want to see now
This optimism is based on a contrarian analysis of stock-market-timer sentiment. Market timers, on average, have been extremely exuberant in recent months, and a pullback was overdue. But this week's ...
Trump is attacking the wrong deficit if he hopes to right the economy
If the U.S. economy were in recession, Trump's antipathy to trade deficits might be more on point. A trade deficit means that domestic residents are spending more on goods from abroad than they sell.