Author: troyashbacher

Editor’s note: This is the first article in a series about financial and/or estate planning issues that we all should know but might be too embarrassed to ask about. First up: life insurance trusts.As a lifelong baseball fan, I have always appreciated knowing that certain players — Hank Aaron, Cal Ripken and Joe DiMaggio, for example — held some amazing records.But as the years have gone on, and more baseball data points get thrown around with new names, I often find myself nodding along without really knowing what all of the new sabermetrics mean. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger…

Brian Waters was destined to work until he was at least 63 years old. Now, just five years after starting to invest intentionally, he’s got 16 rental units that can retire him a decade earlier! How’d he do it? A combination of easy, done-for-you out-of-state investment properties and the ever-profitable BRRRR method.Brian’s work isn’t sitting at a desk or crunching numbers. He’s a firefighter and is routinely one serious injury away from his career being over. With a family to support, losing his work wasn’t an option. So, in his 40s, he decided to pivot and go all-in on building…

Key Takeaways Shares of health insurers tumbled after President Donald Trump called on Congress to change the way the federal government helps Americans pay for health insurance.A Washington think take estimated this year health insurers received $138 billion in federal payments. Centene (CNC), HCA Healthcare (HCA) and Molina Healthcare (MOH) are among the worst-performing stocks in the S&P 500 Monday after President Donald Trump suggested federal health care money should circumvent insurers and go directly to people. Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social over the weekend that he’s recommending the Senate and House change funding covered by…

Hiring in a financial planning firm often represents an important inflection point, where the decision to expand headcount can temporarily strain profit margins in the pursuit of long-term growth. But the investment of time, training, and onboarding resources often only pays off if the newly hired employee stays for the long-term. Firms dedicate an immense amount of time and resources to the hiring process, often focusing on ascertaining an employee’s technical and communication skills. However, technical competency and enthusiasm for the day-to-day work may not be enough to guarantee a long-term fit. In fact, when it comes to long-term retention,…

Old Navy has pj pants on sale today for just $8 each.   There are a bunch of seasonal prints, plaid styles that can be worn all winter, some Mickey themed and more.  There are kid styles and adult styles, normal pants and joggers.  Click here to see all the pj pants.   There are cozy socks on sale as well for $2.00 each.  Click here to see those options.

Key Takeaways A new study found that more than half of 401(k) plans from 2009 to 2013 offered consumers at least one investment fund option that shared revenue with the plan’s administrator.That means higher hidden costs, which can add up to thousands in lost value by the time you retire. Do you really know how your 401(k) plan is invested? If not, you might be putting your money in costlier mutual funds and not know it, new research suggests. Researchers analyzed the 1,000 largest 401(k) plans between 2009 and 2013—the only years when the Department of Labor required detailed public…

During my free financial review of my rollover IRA, I was feeling pretty good about how far it had come. Back when I retired from finance in April 2012, I had about $300,000 in my 401(k). After leaving, I rolled it into an IRA and invested in index ETFs and individual stocks. Since then, it has grown to over $1.5 million. $1.5 million in a single retirement account at age 48 is nothing to sneeze at. If I were 62 with this balance, I could withdraw $60,000 – $75,000 a year and live comfortably, especially when combined with roughly $36,000…

For those of us who lived through the 2007 to 2008 global financial crisis, the lessons are indelibly imprinted in our minds.But it’s been more than a decade, and many of those who could best make use of those lessons weren’t in kindergarten yet. That’s why the resurgence of the “zero-down mortgage” is concerning.Zero-down mortgages have existed in various forms for years, but typically, you must be part of a specific group to qualify. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Be a smarter, better informed investor. CLICK FOR FREE ISSUE Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters Profit and…

As with almost any new technology, AI promises exciting new applications, while also posing significant threats. From environmental damage to economic upheaval, we’re still untangling exactly what challenges we will face from AI.One of the most serious problems AI poses for job seekers is the potential elimination of entire classes of jobs, as well as a reduction in demand for many white-collar positions. The issue is so contentious that Congress introduced a bipartisan bill that would require companies to report jobs lost due to AI to the Department of Labor.The other way AI can mess with your job search? AI…

This train of thought began after I saw a headline, and I can’t even remember what the headline was, or exactly where I saw it!  It had something to do with the difference between numbing and coping, which is something I have thought about a lot over the last few years. And we’re just gonna ride my train of thought, even if it’s a little disorganized.  Numbing vs. Coping In my mind, numbing mechanisms are things that block negative, unpleasant feelings; I think of substance use (alcohol, drugs, smoking), excessive spending, excessive eating, overworking, doomscrolling, and so on. These don’t…