Author: troyashbacher

If you’re looking for a week of simple, comforting meals that won’t break your budget, this plan is for you. Each day includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner for a family of four, using a mix of pantry staples and fall favorites like pumpkin, apples, and sweet potatoes. Below you will find the shopping list, estimated prices (from Walmart, using generic ingredients when available), the meal plan for the week, and the recipes you will need to make. Prices are based on pricing at my closest Walmart store in Wyoming. To make this meal plan for a family of 2, you…

A recent decision by the Securities and Exchange Commission to begin allowing fund companies to create ETF share classes of traditional mutual funds is expected to lead to a flood of new ETFs on the market, but State Street’s fund management arm, State Street Investment Management, has other ideas.The ETF giant, which manages roughly $1.7 trillion in its SPDRs ETF family — including the oldest and most-widely traded S&P 500 exchange-traded fund, SPY, and the biggest gold ETF, GLD — sees the SEC greenlight as an opportunity to bring a new ETF challenge to the retirement plan market.It’s planning to…

Wealth management is no longer powered by people using technology, it’s powered by firms built on it. As artificial intelligence, data and digital experiences reshape the industry, the winners will be those who modernize from the inside out, and where infrastructure, integration and culture work together to deliver scalable, human-centric advice.In this episode of The WealthStack Podcast, host Shannon Rosic sits down with JP Pattinson, chief information and digital officer at MAI Capital Management, to unpack how leading RIAs are transforming their tech foundations to prepare for what’s next. Drawing on his unique journey from advisor to technologist, JP shares…

Today, mortgage rates slid back to where they were last week.The average interest rate on a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage dropped to 6.14% APR, according to rates provided to NerdWallet by Zillow. This is 14 basis points lower than yesterday and 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 rate drop is eye-catching, but bear in mind that you should consider mortgage interest rates’ overall direction, not just what’s going on today. That said, if you’re liking what you see, it might be time…

If you bought or leased a Toyota, Lexus or Subaru in the past few years, it may be worth checking whether your vehicle is part of a new safety recall. Many models with advanced camera systems are affected.Toyota and Lexus have recalled more than one million vehicles due to a software issue in the Panoramic View Monitor. Subaru models using the same system are included. The problem can cause the rear camera image to freeze or go blank when reversing.This matters because rear visibility is a required safety feature. Even a brief loss of the back up camera image can…

As the government shutdown continues, public support remains high for extending the enhanced ACA tax credits set to expire at the end of the year, with three quarters (74%) of the public in favor of extending them, a new KFF Health Tracking Poll finds. The expiring tax credits are a central issue in the ongoing Congressional budget standoff, as Democrats want the tax credits extended as part of a budget deal while Republicans want to reopen the government before negotiating over an extension. Without the enhanced tax credits, ACA Marketplace enrollees who benefit from them would on average have to…

Key Takeaways Despite a 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2026, 39% of middle-class Americans fear Social Security benefits will be cut in the coming years, according to a recent report. Many retirees say the annual COLAs haven’t kept up with real-world costs, and polling shows broad skepticism that the raise is “enough.” Retirees now know the Social Security COLA for next year is 2.8% Payments reflecting the increase begin in January 2026, but the modest bump of $56 per month, on average, won’t likely quell deeper concerns about the program among. Many retired workers fear that their actual costs are rising…

This week, I am thankful: for a few days off I worked five 12-hour shifts in the last six days, and while I didn’t really mind it (they were day shifts!), I’m definitely glad for some days off. My body and brain are a little tired!  I love hospital life for sure, but it’s also nice to spend some time in non-hospital world. I’ve barely been outside the hospital since last Thursday, so these thankfuls will probably be pretty hospital-centric! that it’s not dark when I leave for work  The end of daylight saving time has not changed the light…

Dave:Housing demand is up, but prices are dropping. Mortgage rates have been a little bit better, but layoffs are all around us. The upside down economy that we’ve been in for years is rolling on, but we’re here to help you make sense of it. Everyone, welcome to On the Market. I’m Dave Meyer, joined by James Dainard, Kathy Fettke and Henry Washington today to talk about the latest news and try and instill some sense, some narrative that makes sense about what’s going on. Kathy, I think I’m gonna call on you first ’cause you got an uplifting story…

An IRS notice said employers and other payers will not face penalties for tax year 2025 if they do not provide a separate accounting of amounts reasonably designated as cash tips or the total amount of qualified overtime compensation as required by information-reporting provisions in the sweeping new tax law. In Notice 2025-62, the IRS also said employers and other payers will not be penalized for not providing the occupation of the person who received the tips. The penalty relief applies only to tax year 2025, the IRS said, because it will not issue new forms for that year. It…