Finance

Empowering investors to make more informed financial decisions is a big mission — one that’s very hard to tackle. We’re lucky to have FINRA on the job. A few days ago (Oct. 13, 2026), FINRA released a set of new…

Every couple of years, whenever midterm or presidential elections come around, I like to remind my readers of a few things. And many times, it’s in response to emails I get similar to this one: “I’m afraid that this upcoming…

Investors need to know that there is a visible and vocal advocate for investor protection and financial education looking out for them. That person is Christine Kieffer, the new president of the FINRA Investor Education Foundation (FINRA Foundation). FINRA (the…

Maybe all of you are getting tired of Social Security. Why do I think that? Well, I got on my calculator and figured out that in the past 29 years, I have written about 1,500 columns about Social Security. And…

If you are a client of a financial institution known for innovative tax planning, you may have come across a tax-savings vehicle that could turn out to be “too good to be true.” Here is the problem: The Treasury Department…

The Most Insignificant Social Security Benefit I’m always amazed that the most insignificant of all Social Security benefits seems so significant to so many people. I am talking about the crummy little one-time $255 death benefit. I’m always getting emails…

If you are between the ages of 20 and 65 and you want to feel more prepared for retirement, consider taking these seven steps, which are designed for all types of markets. Step 1: State your investment goals. What are…

Repeat After Me: ‘SSI and Social Security Are Not the Same Thing!’ I can tell from my emails that it’s time for me to trot out another version of my “SSI and Social Security Are Not the Same Thing” column.…

I’ve talked about the issue of bad husbands and Social Security before. But if my emails are any indication, there still are a lot of rotten husbands out there! That’s why I keep telling my wife she should fall down…

Meet Tom, Dick and Harry There is no question I am asked more frequently than this one: “When should I file for my Social Security?’ And then they will frequently follow that up with these additional questions: “Should I take…