The average 401(k) balance slid 4% to $141,000 after this year’s market swings
Millions of American workers opened their first-quarter 2026 retirement statements to find smaller numbers. The average 401(k) balance dropped roughly 4% to $141,000 after a stretch of volatile trading that hit equity-heavy portfolios hard between January and March. The decline, driven by a mix of oil-price swings, geopolitical friction, and uneven jobs data, raises a […]
Read MoreThe average 401(k) balance slid 4% to $141,000 after this year’s market swings
Millions of American workers opened their first-quarter 2026 retirement statements to find smaller numbers. The average 401(k) balance dropped roughly 4% to $141,000 after a stretch of volatile trading that hit equity-heavy portfolios hard between January and March. The decline, driven by a mix of oil-price swings, geopolitical friction, and uneven jobs data, raises a […]
Read MorePersonal Finance
Insurance & Protection
Naming a power of attorney now spares your family a costly court fight if you’re incapacitated
Families who skip basic estate planning before a medical crisis often face a painful choice: petition a court to appoint…
Personal Finance
Insurance & Protection
Naming a power of attorney now spares your family a costly court fight if you’re incapacitated
Families who skip basic estate planning before a medical crisis often face a painful choice: petition a court to appoint…
Markets & Investing
Banking & Credit Cards
Credit Cards & Rewards
A secured credit card rebuilds damaged credit using a refundable deposit as your limit
Consumers with poor or thin credit histories face a familiar catch: they need credit to build a score, but lenders rarely extend credit without one....
Credit Cards & Rewards
Most credit-builder cards still cap the late fee near $8, even after a court tossed the federal rule
Consumers who rely on credit-builder cards to establish or repair their credit scores are still seeing late fees near $8 on their monthly statements, even...
Fraud & Scams
Americans reported losing billions to scams that started on social media, the FTC says
Americans reported losing $2.1 billion to scams that started on social media in 2025, according to the Federal Trade Commission. Nearly 30% of people who...
Fraud & Scams
AIC will pay data-breach victims about $50, or up to $5,000 with proof, by July 22
People whose personal data was exposed in the American International College breach can expect payments by July 22, with most receiving roughly $50 and those...
Fraud & Scams
Turning on account alerts for every transaction can catch fraud the same day it happens
Reported fraud losses in the United States hit $12.5 billion in 2024, and federal regulators are now telling consumers that a single settings change on...
Fraud & Scams
Scammers are impersonating the FTC’s own chairman to talk people into emptying their savings
Scammers are calling Americans and claiming to be FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson, pressuring targets to drain their bank accounts, 401(k) plans, and savings under the...
Real Estate
Real Estate
A transfer-on-death deed passes your home straight to heirs without going through probate
California homeowners gained a direct way to pass residential property to heirs without a probate filing when the state enacted…
Retirement & Taxes
A free IRS Identity Protection PIN blocks crooks from filing a tax return under your Social Security number
A one-time six-month window after you turn 65 lets you buy any Medigap plan without health questions