Tag: Spending Habits

How Saving Habits Changed

Apr 5, 2021

Saving in house
American saving habits have taken a clear direction

Among the many changes arising from the pandemic, one of the most noticeable was a change in American spending and saving habits.

A survey released in March 2021 by Pew Research shows that Americans have increasingly chosen to put away what extra money they have rather than spending or investing. It spreads across all income levels, with a 32% increase of wealthier Americans saving more, 17% more for those at lower incomes, and an overall increase of 23%. Studies show that the total may amount to $1.8 trillion, and is expected to increase to $2.5 trillion by the summer. (more…)

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Managing Drug Costs

Nov 27, 2020

Drug Costs medicine in bottle on money
How can households meet the challenge?

Are prescription drug costs burdening your finances? Some people find it a challenge to manage the cost of prescription drugs. Americans pay an average of $1,200 per year for medicine. For those facing greater and more dangerous ailments, some drug costs are $10,000 per month or even lump sums in excess of $80,000 for certain drug therapies. Yes, health insurance and Medicare Part D can help you, but not everyone has access to Medicare, and not every insurance company has the same formulary. This means that your coverage may fall short—not something you want to hear when wrestling with a major diagnosis.1 (more…)

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A Windfall Inheritance Comes Your Way

Nov 16, 2020

lottery windfall winning dice numbers
Just because it’s a nice problem to have, doesn’t mean it’s not still a problem.

Here’s a windfall scenario for you: You pick up what appears to be a lottery ticket. You check the numbers for a laugh and discover a winning combination, offering you millions of dollars in prize money. What are the chances of that? (more…)

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Bad Spending Habits That Can Be Corrected

Jun 12, 2019

Americans have a great deal of disposable income relative to many other nations, yet our free spending can take us further and further away from the potential for financial freedom. Some people fall into crippling spending habits and injure their finances as a consequence.

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More Insights

FAFSA Simplification Act
Jun 18, 2021

As a parent or grandparent, you know firsthand the challenges of funding a child’s education. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Act was passed at the end of 2020 and has changed some of the qualifications for students to receive financial aid.

Inflation & the Real Rate of Return
Jun 16, 2021

The real rate of return is an important personal finance concept to understand. And it goes hand-in-hand with the rate of inflation. It’s the rate of return on your investments after inflation. The real rate of return indicates whether you are gaining or losing purchasing power with your money.

Are You Ready for the Second Act of the Secure Act?
Jun 14, 2021

Recently, you may have seen headlines regarding the Securing a Strong Retirement Act, also referred to as the second version of the SECURE Act, or SECURE Act 2.0.

A COLA With Your Social Security?
Jun 11, 2021

If there is a “silver lining” to all the inflation talk, it may be that Social Security benefits are expected to see a larger-than-normal increase in 2022. Preliminary COLA Social Security estimates call for a 4.7% cost-of-living increase (COLA) in Social Security benefits next year, which would be the highest since 2009. Benefits rose 1.3% … Continue reading “A COLA With Your Social Security?”

America’s Economy Recovering from COVID
Jun 9, 2021

With COVID, there were some who believed that progress on this health issue was a necessary precondition to economic recovery. In recent weeks, we have seen some promising trends emerge on the health front. The CDC is reporting the provision of 295 million vaccinations; 51% of Americans have had at least one injection.1

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