Many Americans cannot pay for an unexpected $1,000 expense. Here’s why

Many Americans cannot pay for an unexpected ,000 expense. Here’s why

Brand X Pictures | Stockbyte | Getty Images When faced with an unexpected $1,000 expense, more than one-third of Americans would borrow the money, according to a new Bankrate survey. That may include tapping their credit cards, seeking money from friends or family or taking out a personal loan. Most would not turn to cash … Read more

World will have its first trillionaire within a decade, report finds

World will have its first trillionaire within a decade, report finds

In just three years, the world has witnessed a “supercharged surge in extreme wealth,” new data shows.   In the U.S. alone, billionaires are 46% richer than they were in 2020, while the three wealthiest men — Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Larry Ellison — have increased their net worth by 84%, a recent Oxfam … Read more

Here’s the rate of return to expect on your retirement portfolio

Here’s the rate of return to expect on your retirement portfolio

GlobalStock | Getty Images When you invest toward retirement, experts often like to say you are letting your money work for you. But how much can you realistically expect to earn on your money? The annual rate of return — defined as the percentage change in an investment’s value — is an estimate of the … Read more

How to make the most of it

How to make the most of it

Just months ago, we were coveting Loro Piana cashmere baseball hats and $300 Smythson notebooks in the name of “quiet luxury” and justifying such expensive purchases using “girl math.” But in 2024, there’s a new idea taking hold that overtly rejects the urge to overspend and promotes speaking up about saving money — welcome to … Read more

House Republicans reintroduce bill to repeal ‘death tax’

House Republicans reintroduce bill to repeal ‘death tax’

Rep. Jason Smith, R-Mo., speaks during a House Oversight and Accountability Committee impeachment inquiry hearing into U.S. President Joe Biden on Sept. 28, 2023. Jonathan Ernst | Reuters House Republicans this week reintroduced legislation to permanently repeal what they’re calling the “death tax” — or federal estate tax, which is levied on inherited property above … Read more

Gen Z says they have it harder than their parents did

Gen Z says they have it harder than their parents did

Gen Zers are having a harder time making ends meet, let alone building wealth. Roughly 38% of Generation Z adults and millennials believe they face more difficulty feeling financially secure than their parents did at the same age, largely due to the economy, according to a recent Bankrate report. Gen Z is generally defined as those born between 1996 and … Read more

Why 2024 will be ‘a very good year for savers,’ particularly with CDs

Why 2024 will be ‘a very good year for savers,’ particularly with CDs

Simpleimages | Moment | Getty Images Higher interest rates were good news in 2023 for savers who were able to earn the best rates on their cash in years. Even with the possibility of looming rate cuts by the Federal Reserve, 2024 still stands to be a great year for returns on cash. “Yields are … Read more

How much money you need to retire in every U.S. state

How much money you need to retire in every U.S. state

The cost of retirement can vary by as much as $1.36 million depending on where you live in the U.S., according to an analysis by personal finance website GOBankingRates.com. To determine the amount of money needed to retire, GOBankingRates calculated the annual expenses for housing, food, utilities, transportation and health care in each state for … Read more

Here’s what to know about the first bitcoin ETFs

Here’s what to know about the first bitcoin ETFs

Recep-bg | E+ | Getty Images The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday approved the first U.S. spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds. But experts urge caution before piling into the long-awaited ETFs. The agency signed off on 11 bitcoin ETF applications, including funds from BlackRock, Fidelity, Ark Invest, WisdomTree and Grayscale. The new investment provides … Read more

Consumer spending growth will slow in 2024, NRF chief economist says

Consumer spending growth will slow in 2024, NRF chief economist says

Consumer spending remained remarkably resilient throughout 2023, even in the face of prolonged inflation and high interest rates. But that’s unlikely to continue, according to Jack Kleinhenz, chief economist at the National Retail Federation. “A year ago, many commentators were skeptical and calling for a recession, but the recession never came. With each passing month, … Read more