Author: troyashbacher

Before you buy your first (or next) real estate deal, you need to know one thing—how to calculate cash flow on a rental property. The problem? 99% of investors do this wrong and get burned as a result. That’s why after buying dozens of rental properties, we’ve come up with arguably the most accurate way to calculate real estate cash flow, and today, we’re showing you how to do it, too.Joining us is Ashley Kehr from the Real Estate Rookie podcast, who’s been buying rentals routinely for over ten years now. We’ll use the BiggerPockets Rental Property Calculator (which you can…

Austan Goolsbee, President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, speaks to the Economic Club of New York in New York City, U.S., April 10, 2025. Brendan McDermid | ReutersChicago Federal Reserve President Austan Goolsbee on Friday explained why he voted against this week’s interest rate cut, saying policymakers should have waited until they had more information before easing further.”While I voted to lower rates at the September and October meetings, I believe we should have waited to get more data, especially about inflation, before lowering rates further,” the policymaker said in a post on the Chicago Fed’s website.Goolsbee…

(Image credit: Getty Images)If you want to see a group of folks instantly become evasive, ask them two questions at a dinner party: “So who are you voting for?” and “Do you have life insurance?”One of those questions starts arguments. The other leads to an uncomfortable silence, followed by someone saying, “I mean … I have something through work, so I’m probably fine.” (Note: Rarely are they fine.)Life insurance is not fun to think about. That’s kind of the point. It’s financial planning for the scenario where you are not around to do financial planning anymore. But going without it…

Not knowing the difference between a “good” real estate deal and a “bad” one keeps many rookies on the sidelines. If this is the one hurdle preventing you from buying your first rental property, don’t worry—today’s episode will give you the confidence to find, analyze, and buy a great deal in 2026!Welcome back to another Rookie Reply! We’ve got three new questions from the BiggerPockets Forums, the first of which comes from someone who’s struggling to find the right investment property. As you’re about to hear, a good deal for one person might be a bad deal for another, so…

(Image credit: Getty Images)When retirees map out income in retirement, most think about their tax bracket, investment returns and required minimum distributions (RMDs).What often gets overlooked is how Medicare premiums can rise dramatically if income crosses certain thresholds — a penalty known as the income-related monthly adjustment amount (IRMAA).For higher-income retirees, IRMAA can quietly erode thousands of dollars a year. Worse, it can be triggered by financial moves that seemed smart at the time, like a Roth conversion or capital gains harvest. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Become a smarter, better informed investor. Subscribe from just $107.88…

I’m in a cash crunch, and it doesn’t feel good. After buying my house in 2023 and living paycheck to paycheck for six months, I promised myself I would never return to this state. Yet here I am. Part of it is just bad luck, but part of it comes down to poor planning on my end. I never expected a $20,000 capital call to land right in the middle of the winter holidays. WTH. During my latest bout of financial hopelessnes, that unwelcome feeling where no matter how hard you try, you just can’t seem to get ahead, I…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Penny stocks are fraught with risk. So much so that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requires brokers to provide investors with a formal risk statement before they’re permitted to trade in this category of investments.That warning notes, among other things, that it’s possible to lose the entirety of your initial investment in penny stocks.Despite these risks, interest in penny stocks remains strong. Indeed, many folks believe these small companies have the potential to deliver life-changing profits. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Become a smarter, better informed investor. Subscribe from just $107.88 $24.99, plus…

Last Updated: Dec. 12, 2025 at 6:30 a.m. ETFirst Published: Dec. 11, 2025 at 5:15 a.m. ETCan you work a minimum wage job and retire with $2 million?A gentleman reader asks this question: “We read news about some people making six-figure incomes while living paycheck to paycheck. My Taiwanese friend moved here, couldn’t read or write English, married an American GI, moved to Texas, worked at Walmart for minimum wage — worked for almost 60 years — and retired a few years ago only because her husband got sick. At 87, her stock portfolio is about $2 million. She owns two houses…

Being named the executor of a family member’s or friend’s estate is often seen as a compliment. But the reality is that managing the final wishes of the deceased is a daunting task that comes with its fair share of headaches.”It’s a thankless job,” said Eric Bond, president of Octave Wealth Management in Long Beach, Calif. In addition to all the paperwork and interactions with the probate court, executors must also brace themselves for intense scrutiny from heirs and beneficiaries. “The beneficiaries,” said Bond, “always think they can do it better, even though they’ve never done it before.”No doubt, people…

(Image credit: Getty Images)The headline finding from the latest Corebridge Financial longevity research reveals that Americans have a positive outlook about living a very long life.Half the individuals responding to our survey (50%) say they think it’s possible they could live to age 100.The complication, however, is that while many working adults believe in their potential to live that long, they’re not carrying that possibility over to their thinking about retirement planning. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Become a smarter, better informed investor. Subscribe from just $107.88 $24.99, plus get up to 4 Special Issues CLICK FOR…