Americans’ credit scores continue to improve. But credit scores don’t tell the whole story of how consumers are faring financially. A new report from Experian EXPN, +1.15% found that the average FICO Score in the U.S. reached an all-time high in 2019 of 703, up from 701 a year earlierRead More →
During the last Alzheimer’s disease support meeting I attended at my mother’s assisted living center, I sheepishly asked if anyone else was worried about their own risk for the disease. A lot of hands went up. At age 65, your risk of being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s is 2% a year.Read More →
Retirees have a healthy concern for their health-care options. Health, in fact, is the No. 1 concern for retirees, according to a survey by T. Rowe Price. Indeed, 70% of retirees felt concerned about both their health and the cost of health care heading into retirement, the financial-services firm found.Read More →
Just five lifestyle habits can transform your health prospects in old age, and while they are uncomplicated, they may not be easy to implement all at once. There are five habits in particular that, if established in middle age, could free an individual from chronic diseases later in life, accordingRead More →
Gorgeous beaches, warm weather and no state income tax. These are just some of the perks of retiring in Florida, which is the best state to retire in, according to personal finance site WalletHub, which ranked states on metrics like affordability, quality of life and health care. Other research alsoRead More →
Retirement dreaming on such a winter’s day. More than half of workers say traveling and spending more time with family and friends are what they’d relish when they step away from the workplace, and almost half cite devoting time to their hobbies. A notable 30% of workers, however, hope toRead More →
Dear Moneyist, I have what I hope is a simple question. My stepmom and father gave me $16,000 from their joint savings days before my dad passed away. She said it was a gift. Now that he has passed, she wants the money back. I paid $2,000 for the funeral. Also see:Read More →
Dear Moneyist, My husband wrote a new will when our relationship was in bad shape. I do not know what is in this will, but it’s still current and in his brother’s possession. The good news: We are in a happier place now! However, I would like to write myRead More →
Finland was No. 1 out of 156 countries on the 2019 “World Happiness Report,” followed by Denmark, Norway, Iceland, the Netherlands and Switzerland. The U.S. trailed at No. 19. The top countries ranked highly on all the main factors found to support happiness: caring, freedom, generosity, honesty, health, income andRead More →
Dear Moneyist, My mother died about 15 years ago and the only asset she had was her home. I was living there at the time, and had taken out a loan on the home with her knowledge. I married and moved out, and my son and his family eventually movedRead More →
Looking for a six-figure job that makes you happy in 2020, but is also increasing in demand? Front-end engineers had an average overall job satisfaction score of 3.9 on Glassdoor, making theirs the No. 1 profession for 2020 in terms of job satisfaction, salary and job openings, according to aRead More →
Dear Moneyist, My husband and I live in Minnesota. My husband’s only child lives in Tennessee with her husband and their daughter. They both have very good incomes. I am an only child and, when my parents die, I will have no family at all. When I married my husband,Read More →
Happy Monday, MarketWatchers. Don’t miss these top stories: Personal Finance Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, worth $117 billion, is getting burned online for only donating $690,000 to Australian wildfire relief Metallica is donating $750,000, and Kylie Jenner is giving $1 million. ‘Real Housewives’ TV mogul wants to broker a deal withRead More →
Britain’s Queen Elizabeth issued an unprecedented statement on the future of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. “Today my family had very constructive discussions on the future of my grandson and his family,” the queen wrote in a statement. “My family and I are entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan’s desireRead More →
Chase JPM, -1.00% is increasing the annual fee on its popular Sapphire Reserve card, intensifying the ongoing competition with American Express’ Platinum card. Starting later this month, people who sign up for the Sapphire Reserve credit card will be charged an annual fee of $550, which is $100 higher thanRead More →
I’m on a mission to get everyone looking after their brain as routinely as they look after their teeth. Here’s eight easy ways to keep your brain young. 1. Love learning Learning rejuvenates your brain by generating new brain cells. It also enriches brain networks and opens up new routesRead More →
Elizabeth Giorgi was used to pitching her company to all-male teams of venture capitalists. Her Denver, Colo.-based company, Soona, specializes in shooting photographs and video, and delivering the results the same day. She recently landed funding from a male VC. Giorgi said she shared her dreams and vision for makingRead More →
Dear Moneyist, I am one of three children, and we are all 60-plus years old. A vacation property that belonged to my parents is now in my mother’s name and my late father’s three children’s names. My sister scoffs at me when I suggest selling our family vacation property. She,Read More →
New year, new resolutions — and maybe a new life in retirement. Resolutions are often top of mind at the turn of the new year. Not everyone keeps them (about 80% of these promises are broken by mid-February) but thinking through and implementing a few steps could lead to aRead More →
Don’t miss these top stories: ‘Meghan Markle found out she would be a civil servant in a tiara.’ How Meghan and Harry’s American adventure will make them rich beyond their wildest dreams With advice from friends like Oprah, the royal couple will likely follow the Obamas’ lucrative post-White House careerRead More →
It’s been said that behind every great man is a great woman. In Prince Harry’s case, it’s three wealthy and media-savvy women. Prince Harry receives income from Prince Charles, but they have vowed to become “financially independent.” Prince Harry owes his fortune to three famous women: his mother, the lateRead More →
We’re in a state of low savings. Depending on what state you choose to retire in, you could need anywhere from $666,000 to upward of $2 million saved. And that’s outside of what you get from your Social Security checks. Those figures are according to an analysis released Thursday byRead More →
As the top few hundred tennis players in the world prepare to compete in the $71 million Australian Open, thousands of others are playing in small tournaments you’ve never heard of to win enough matches to one day play in a Grand Slam event like the one in Melbourne. MarketWatchRead More →
Dear Moneyist, I’ve been living with the same man for close to 27 years. Of course, our relationship was good in the beginning. Most are. However, he has always had an inability to handle money. Our home has always been in my name, usually because of his poor credit. I’veRead More →
New year, new you — but only if you keep at it. About four in 10 Americans make New Year’s resolutions each year, with things like eating healthier, getting more exercise and saving more money topping the list. Despite that, most of us fail at our resolutions, with some dataRead More →