How to separate or combine accounts with a spouse is a difficult decision. I have a system that has worked well. When we first got married, my wife was rightfully worried about me analyzing all of her purchases. And honestly, she wasn’t wrong to think that. I’m the type who tracks every dollar, but I…
529 plans are way more flexible than people realize, and if you know the rules, there are smart ways to use those funds without getting hit with penalties. Considering that as of June 2024, there were 16.8 million 529 plan accounts in the U.S., holding a total of $508 billion in savings, it’s clear this…
Taxes are a headache. Audits are worse. Nobody wants to deal with the IRS sending a letter, asking for records, and possibly demanding more money. But is an audit something most people should actually worry about? My CPA friend Bo from The Crunch has gone through IRS audit data to separate fact from fiction. Bo…
Ever feel like your money just disappears? It’s not the big splurges that hurt the most, it’s the little habits that drain your account without you noticing. These small leaks add up fast, making it harder to save, invest, or even just breathe easier financially. A study found that 28.2% of Netflix users in the…
Money isn’t just about earning, it’s about keeping it. Some risks are worth taking, but plenty of financial mistakes will cost you more than you realize. The problem is, most people don’t see the damage until it’s too late. A recent survey found that three in five adults have made expensive financial mistakes due to…
Every single day, we make choices that shape our financial future, often without even realizing it. The little choices about what you spend, save, or even ignore might seem minor at the moment, but over time, they add up in ways you can’t imagine. Wealth isn’t about what you earn, but how you manage what…
Wealth isn’t created equally. Some inherit it, guard it, and move through the world like it’s always been theirs. Others earn it, spend it, and make sure everyone knows they made it on their own. A recent study shows that 79% of today’s millionaires built their wealth instead of inheriting it. That’s a massive shift,…
Debt isn’t just a number, it’s a weight that keeps people stuck. Paying it off is one thing, but staying debt-free? That takes a whole new level of discipline. The difference between those who stay free and those who fall back in is the habits they build. A survey by the Money and Mental Health…
You might’ve heard whispers about the “Buy, Borrow, Die” strategy. Sounds like something only billionaires in boardrooms talk about, right? But it’s not. It’s a perfectly legal play hiding in plain sight, used by people who know exactly how to bend the tax code without breaking it. While most people grind for decades, taxed on…
New doesn’t always mean better. A lot of things people pay full price for when they lose value the second they’re out of the box. The secret to keeping more money isn’t about cutting back, it’s about buying smart. Second-hand doesn’t mean settling for less. Plenty of things are built to last, and some barely…
Budgeting sounds boring. No one wakes up excited to track expenses or set spending limits. But ignoring it? That’s how people stay broke, stressed, and stuck in the same financial mess year after year. Over 55% of Americans don’t use a budget, which explains why so many struggle with debt, unexpected bills, and never having…
Money habits aren’t just personal choices, they’re passed down, picked up, and followed without question. Some build wealth, others drain it. The problem is, most people don’t stop to ask if the financial lessons they’ve inherited still make sense. Nearly 70% of wealthy families lose their fortune by the second generation, and 90% by the…
Checking accounts do more than hold money until bills are due. Most people use them without thinking, missing out on features that could save cash, cut fees, and even add extra perks. Banks won’t go out of their way to tell you, but the benefits are there if you know where to look. A recent…
Finances control more of life than most people realize. The difference between stress and freedom often comes down to money decisions made years earlier. Waiting too long to get serious about financial stability is a mistake that’s hard to fix later. Only 44% of Americans have at least three months of expenses saved. That means…
Finance changes, but some advice sticks around like an old myth that refuses to die. Bad financial takes get passed down like family recipes, even when they don’t work anymore. I retired early because I ignored a lot of these so-called “rules.” I wrote this article so you can ignore them too. In this article,…
Some people think inheritance means instant financial freedom. In reality, it’s easy to waste, mismanage, or lose it before it ever has a chance to build real wealth. Without a plan, a windfall can disappear faster than you ever imagined. A 20-year study by the Williams Group found that nearly 70% of inheritances are gone…
