Author: troyashbacher

When both spouses in a married couple retire before 65, they most likely will buy health insurance from the ACA marketplace unless they have retiree health insurance coverage or they only have a short gap that can be covered by COBRA. When there’s an age difference between the two spouses, the older spouse will start Medicare at 65, leaving the younger spouse in ACA health insurance. Reader Charlie brought up this exact scenario. Both Charlie and his wife have ACA health insurance now. After Charlie becomes eligible for Medicare next year, his 58-year-old wife will continue on the ACA plan.…

This little Brightroom Caddy is really cute and could be such a fun gift idea.  They call this a holiday organizing caddy and show it filled with gift tags and such. I think this could be used for arts and crafts, jewelry making or other smaller craft projects.  It is really cute and unique and I wanted to mention it just in case this sparks an idea for the holidays.  It is priced at $22.  We might see it go on sale but typically with new releases they exclude them from promotions.  Click here to take a look.

Key Takeaways The National Retail Federation estimates core retail sales rose 0.6% month-over-month in October; its research may be of more interest now that the shuttered federal government isn’t releasing economic data.Despite feeling bad about the economy, Americans continue shopping and are expected to spend $1 trillion this holiday season, the NRF said. Americans are spending through the malaise. Retail spending, exclusive of restaurant, bar, gas station and car-related bills, grew 0.6% month-over-month in October, reversing a 0.5% decline in September, the National Retail Federation said. The trade group’s monthly analysis comes as consumer sentiment hits historic lows and analysts…

The financial independence retire early (FIRE) community is a very supportive and tight-knit one. Because the community is made up of folks who have different backgrounds and different ages, it’s very diverse (not just Caucasian bros from high tech).  One thing I appreciate from the diverse FIRE community is that there are people ahead of us who are always willing to share their knowledge and help others slightly behind them on the FIRE journey. Earlier this year, after having been financially independent for a while, Dividend Daddy decided to step away from work to pursue other passions! Since stepping away…

Creeping stagflation and a sour job market have workers clinging to their jobs — whether they like it or not.Because workers are stuck in jobs they don’t want, they are “quiet cracking,” a damaging new turn in the employee-employer relationship that is creating even greater strain on the companies that are allowing these cracks to grow.Like quiet quitting before it, the trend of quiet cracking stems from dissatisfied and disengaged employees who revert to doing the bare minimum to collect a paycheck. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Be a smarter, better informed investor. CLICK FOR FREE ISSUE…

In a year defined by relentless volatility and uncertainty in financial markets, Tom Lee — Wall Street’s most vocal bull — remains unshakably optimistic and, to the frustration of bears, often correct.

TranscriptYou might have learned there are three basic tax types: taxes on what you earn, buy, and own. But did you also know that there are different LEVELS of taxation? Here’s why: The US has a federalist system of government that divides authority across three levels—federal, state, and local. Each level generates its own tax revenue to provide different services. Together, they form the full picture of the taxes we pay. Most federal taxes are paid from income to fund things like national defense, Social Security, Medicare, and infrastructure. State and local taxes are more varied. State taxes are typically…

Mortgage rates rose a little today, but we’re still holding steady below 6.25%. The average interest rate on a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage rose to 6.16% APR, according to rates provided to NerdWallet by Zillow. This is two basis points higher than yesterday but one basis point lower than a week ago. (See our chart below for more specifics.) A basis point is one one-hundredth of a percentage point.A potential government reopening could buoy markets and get economists feeling better about the chances for a third consecutive rate cut from the Federal Reserve in December. That could push mortgage rates lower.Note:…

Warren Buffett laid out a plan to “step up” the pace of giving away his $149 billion estate to his children’s foundations, while still allowing for a short period that lets Berkshire Hathaway shareholders gain confidence in incoming CEO Greg Abel.Buffett, in a Thanksgiving letter that will become an annual tradition, said he needs to accelerate the disbursement of his Berkshire stock to his three children’s foundations because of their own advanced ages and that by doing so it will “improve the probability that they will dispose of what will essentially be my entire estate before alternate trustees replace them.”Abel,…

[EDITOR’S NOTE: With interest rates dropping, is real estate investing a good fit for you? WCI founder Dr. Jim Dahle will answer that and all of your other questions on Thursday, November 20, at 6pm MT during our free online session, What Doctors Must Know About Real Estate Investing. He’ll talk about how to boost returns, lower taxes, and build wealth and how all of that can expedite your financial independence. If you want to learn how to pick the right investments for your portfolio, maximize tax deductions, and avoid common real estate investing mistakes, WCI and Dr. Dahle are…