Key Takeaways Unhealthy debt, such as revolving credit and predatory loans, can make it much harder to reach your long-term goals Healthy debt, such as mortgages and student loans, aims to increase net worth, but too much can impede your goals A financial pro can help you set the right balance Debt. It’s the ultimate […]

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Here’s the thing about emergencies: They’re never planned. And if you find yourself without backup emergency savings to cover, say, a medical crisis or even a flat tire, you could end up in an ugly downward financial spiral. “It’s hard to get people to save money and to take care of their future selves,” says […]

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Wondering how to invest your inheritance? Coming into a large amount of money might seem like a free pass to quit your job, buy a new car, or take your dream vacation. But financial advisors say the best strategy may be to do nothing. That’s right, keep this windfall out of your checking account for […]

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U.S. consumers are on pace to rack up another $55 billion-plus in credit card debt in 2015, according to Card Hub. And for many, the weight of revolving credit card balances can scuttle retirement planning. “There are some baby boomers who are putting off retirement because of the debt they are holding,” says Rosa Maymi, […]

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Emergency fund needs change as you and your household change. That’s especially true in retirement, when you’re no longer collecting the comfy paycheck you’d gotten used to. A few situations to consider: Perhaps your house is smaller, but it will still need TLC from time to time—leaky roofs and furnace replacements are not cheap. Maybe […]

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It may be the real American dream: a monetary windfall drops square in your lap. Maybe it’s an inheritance from that ridiculously rich aunt you never knew, or simply the budget bonanza scored when you finally get all the kids out of daycare. You pinch yourself to make sure it’s real. Then you panic. What […]

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It’s easy enough to find evidence that Americans aren’t saving adequately, and while these sorts of reports certainly sound the alarm, they don’t do much to help us form better money habits. For some of us, the savings mountain seems so high that we may as well not bother climbing it. On the other end […]

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A key problem when it comes to personal finance and saving for retirement is that people don’t necessarily associate money with happiness. Sure, they might think that when they have more money, they’ll be happier, or when they’re basking in their retirement dream scenario, they’ll be happy. But when it comes to managing money, saving […]

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The sharing economy is exploding. It’s also known as collaborative consumption, or the peer economy, but no matter what you call it, disruptors like Airbnb are here to stay. A recent finder.com survey counted a surplus of 33.6 million bedrooms across America, which equates to roughly $174.9 billion in untapped opportunity. Want to get in […]

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An emergency fund isn’t just a repository of cash to dip into when the tires wear out or the dishwasher breaks down. Those emergency dollars can actually be critical to one’s overall investing strategy. Let’s look at two different investors, one of whom has spent a few years building an emergency fund, with that money […]

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