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The Latest Breaking News from The Free Financial Advisor

Bond Funds Still Confuse Investors Who Thought Fixed Income Was Supposed to Feel Safe

Bond funds occupy an uncomfortable and awkward corner of investing. They carry the reassuring phrase “fixed income,” often pay regular distributions, and can sit inside portfolios designed to reduce stock-market drama. Then the account statement arrives after a rough stretch for bonds, and the supposedly sensible investment has lost money.

The Free Financial Advisor · Oct 5

Does A Young Person Really Need Life Insurance?

A young person does not automatically need life insurance. If nobody relies on that person’s income and no one would face a serious financial burden after their death, buying a policy may solve a problem that does not exist.

The Free Financial Advisor · Oct 5

Your Employer Picks the Investments in Your 401(k) — What Happens When Workers Say They’re Bad Choices?

Your employer usually does not decide where every dollar in your 401(k) goes. Instead, the company or its retirement-plan committee generally chooses the investment menu, while workers choose from that menu. That distinction matters because employees can object to the choices, but simply disliking a fund does not mean the…

The Free Financial Advisor · Oct 5

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Here’s What Changes When You Become a Preferred Customer At Your Bank

Becoming a preferred customer at a bank can change far more than the name printed on your account screen. Depending on the bank and the program, customers with larger balances or deeper relationships may receive better deposit rates, reduced fees, loan discounts, enhanced rewards, or access to a dedicated banking…

The Free Financial Advisor · Oct 5

You’re Still Paying for Last Month’s Groceries — Is Buy Now, Pay Later Helping or Hurting?

Buy Now, Pay Later can make a $160 grocery bill look much friendlier at checkout. Instead of handing over the entire amount, a shopper might split the purchase into several smaller payments. The trouble starts later, when the groceries have disappeared but the payments keep arriving.

The Free Financial Advisor · Oct 5

New $1,700 Federal Scholarship Tax Credit Starts in 2027 — IRS Proposes Rules for Who Can Claim It

A new federal tax credit could be worth up to $1,700 for taxpayers who donate to qualifying scholarship organizations beginning in 2027, and married couples filing jointly could potentially claim twice that amount.

The Free Financial Advisor · Oct 5

IRS Wraps Up 2026 Tax Forums — Here’s What Tax Pros Were Told About the 2027 Filing Season

Nearly 13,000 tax professionals attended IRS events across five U.S. cities this year, getting an early look at issues that could affect taxpayers when the 2027 filing season arrives.

The Free Financial Advisor · Oct 5

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10 Dividend Stocks That Could Put Money In Your Pocket All Year

Dividend stocks can turn owning a piece of a company into something more tangible: cash arriving in your brokerage account throughout the year. That does not make them automatic money machines, though. Share prices move, dividends can change, and a juicy yield sometimes signals trouble rather than opportunity.

The Free Financial Advisor · Oct 5

Federal Reserve Changes How Big Banks Are Stress Tested — Here’s Why It Matters for Financial Stability

The Federal Reserve is changing how it calculates capital requirements for America’s largest banks, with the goal of making those requirements less volatile from one year to the next.

The Free Financial Advisor · Oct 5

The Free Tool More Investors Are Checking Before Trusting Someone With Their Money

A financial professional can have a polished website, an impressive title, and a very convincing explanation of why your money belongs with them. Before signing anything, there is a free tool that can tell you something a sales pitch cannot: what regulators have on file about that person or firm.

The Free Financial Advisor · Oct 5

Retirees Are Already Recalculating Their Budgets Ahead of the 2027 COLA

Retirees are already penciling in possible changes to their 2027 budgets, even though Social Security has not announced the official COLA yet. The Senior Citizens League currently projects a 3.5% increase, which would give the average beneficiary roughly $68 more per month.

The Free Financial Advisor · Oct 5

You’re 65 With a Paid-Off House and $750,000 — What Could You Safely Spend Each Month?

At 65, owning a paid-off house and holding $750,000 in investments gives retirement a very different starting point. Housing no longer includes a mortgage payment, but property taxes, insurance, repairs, utilities, and maintenance still consume cash. The bigger question involves how much of that $750,000 can support monthly spending without…

The Free Financial Advisor · Oct 4

The Biggest Retirement Mistakes Boomers Are Making Today

Retirement mistakes do not always involve failing to save enough money. For many Baby Boomers, the bigger danger comes from what happens after the saving years end. A Social Security filing date, a large 401(k) withdrawal, or an overlooked tax rule can change the shape of retirement income for years.

The Free Financial Advisor · Oct 4

7 Backup Plans That Can Help You Survive a Sudden Job Loss

A sudden job loss can turn an ordinary monthly budget into a countdown clock. The paycheck stops, but rent, mortgage payments, insurance premiums, groceries, and other bills keep arriving with impressive punctuality.

The Free Financial Advisor · Oct 4

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The Free Financial Advisor · Oct 4

Retirement Coping Skills Most People Don’t Know They Need

Retirement coping skills rarely appear in a financial plan. Yet retirement can change your daily structure, social life, spending habits, identity, and even your sense of time.

The Free Financial Advisor · Oct 4

6 of The Hardest Documents You’ll Ever Have to Fill Out and Your Will Is Not One of Them

A will can force you to make uncomfortable decisions, but filling one out usually does not require reconstructing your entire financial life. The hardest documents often ask for something much more demanding: precise information that must match records, dates, accounts, debts, employment history, or supporting evidence.

The Free Financial Advisor · Oct 4

The Great Wealth Transfer Sounds Huge — But Who Is Actually Getting the Money?

The Great Wealth Transfer gets tossed around like every American is about to receive a surprise check. That is not how inheritance works.

The Free Financial Advisor · Oct 4

Before Taking a 401(k) Hardship Withdrawal, Check These 7 Alternatives First

A 401(k) hardship withdrawal can feel like the cleanest solution to an ugly money problem. The account already has cash, the expense feels urgent, and the paperwork may look easier than finding another source.

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The Free Financial Advisor · Oct 3

7 Ways to Get Rid of Student Loans When Forgiveness Isn’t an Option

Student loan forgiveness does not fit every borrower, and waiting around for a cancellation program can leave a balance hanging over your finances for years. If forgiveness is not available, the debt still has an exit door. You can attack the balance directly, change the loan’s structure, use workplace benefits,…

The Free Financial Advisor · Oct 3

Here’s The Real Financial Cost of Day Trading

Day trading can make a brokerage account look busy without making it more valuable. The financial cost goes far beyond the occasional losing trade. Frequent buying and selling can create transaction costs, tax complications, margin exposure, technology expenses, and a time commitment that rarely appears on an account statement.

The Free Financial Advisor · Oct 3

Can A New Smartphone Ruin Your Budget?

A new smartphone can quietly become a budget problem long after the excitement of opening the box disappears. The phone itself may cost hundreds or even more than $1,000, but the real strain can come from the payment plan, wireless service, accessories, insurance, and other recurring charges attached to it.

The Free Financial Advisor · Oct 3

Mortgage Rates Are Over 7%-Here’s How You Can Still Afford That House

Mortgage rates have pushed back above 7%, making the price tag on a house only part of the affordability problem. Freddie Mac reported a 7.28% average for a 30-year fixed mortgage on October 1, up from 7.03% the previous week.

The Free Financial Advisor · Oct 3

10 Things That Get Easier Once You Have $50,000 Saved

Having $50,000 saved does more than make a bank balance look impressive. It changes the number of financial choices that can happen without immediate panic.

The Free Financial Advisor · Oct 3

The Bank Declines a Large Purchase Even Though You Have the Money — What Happens Next?

A bank can decline a large debit-card purchase even when your account shows more than enough money to cover it. That does not necessarily mean the bank thinks you are broke. The transaction may have hit a daily purchase limit, triggered a security system, or run into a problem with…

The Free Financial Advisor · Oct 3

Social Security Can Take 50% of Your Monthly Check for an Overpayment — Here’s How to Ask for Less

A Social Security overpayment can turn a normal monthly benefit into a much smaller check. The Social Security Administration can withhold up to 50% of certain benefits to recover an overpayment, depending on the type of benefit involved.

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