Author: Smart Wealthhabits

Originally a software company, strategy (mstr 3.01%)What was once known as microstrategy is now almost entirely a Bitcoin (BTC 0.20%) Treasury Company. The software business generated revenue of only $124 million in the first quarter of 2026. On the other hand, the 843,738 BTC it has accumulated is worth about $65 billion (as of May 19). Loans are one of the ways the strategy purchases Bitcoin, making it a leveraged Bitcoin investment. This approach has been criticized, but has produced positive results. Over the past five years, the strategy has outperformed Bitcoin by a large margin, returning 262% compared to…

Most people think that estate planning is for the rich. Or for the elderly. Or “Later, when things have calmed down.” This is exactly how families end up in the courtroom. According to Trusts & Will’s 2026 Estate Planning Report, released in April 2026, 56% of American adults do not have any estate planning documents. No desire. no trust. No power of attorney. Nothing. Worse, only 26% of Americans now have a will – down 5 percentage points from 31% in 2025. Awareness has increased. Online tools are easier than ever. And the action has actually gotten worse. I have…

for immediate RELEASE Chicago, IL – May 26, 2026 – This week’s article features stock MKS Inc. MKSI, UMB Financial Corp. UMBF and Clean Harbors, Inc. Are CLH. Invest in these 3 sales growth stocks to ride out market volatility US equities have shown resilience so far this year, bouncing back from early volatility and rising to record highs. However, gains have been highly uneven, driven primarily by strong corporate earnings, AI-related optimism and a still-supportive economic backdrop that has helped offset persistent broader concerns. Investor sentiment continues to change with changing Fed-rate expectations, fluctuations in Treasury yields, oil price…

If you haven’t gotten much of a raise recently and you’re wondering whether it might be worth it to jump ship to a better pay opportunity, Bank of America says to do so if you’re young. Millennials who changed companies saw their after-tax salaries rise twice as fast as those who stayed put, bank data shows. It added that Gen Z performed even better, with earnings growth increasing fourfold. Although the wage increase that job switchers will receive in 2022 will be significantly lower than during the “great resignation” period following the COVID-19 pandemic, Bank of America said in a…

This article adheres to strict editorial standards. Some or all links can be monetized.For decades, Berkshire Hathaway’s annual meetings gave shareholders the opportunity to pick former CEO Warren Buffett’s brain on a variety of topics.But one investor who attended the conference in 1999 gave up pursuit.”Mr. Buffett, How Do I Make $30 Billion?” He asked (1).lifts upThe IRS typically taxes gold as a collectible—but this little-known strategy lets you keep physical bullion tax-free. Get your free guidance from goldcoAs always, the Oracle of Omaha expressed complex answers in simple words. Here are three important rules that helped a 95-year-old man…

Russia said on Tuesday its government has warned US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to evacuate diplomats and US citizens from Kiev as Moscow plans a new attack on the Ukrainian capital. According to the Russian government, in a call with Rubio on Monday, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov “officially informed” Washington that Russia would launch “systematic and persistent attacks” against Ukrainian military facilities and what Moscow calls “decision-making centers.” CNBC contacted the US and Ukrainian governments for comment. The call came as the Russian government issued a statement urging foreign citizens, diplomatic personnel and international organizations to leave Kiev, warning…

If you’re looking to save more, early retirees and financially independent individuals say the goal isn’t to skimp on every little pleasure. The key is to be more intentional about where your money goes and make sure more of it stays with you.Business Insider collected the top savings tips from people who have achieved financial independence, retired early, or made big progress toward their big money goals.Not every strategy is realistic for every household, but the common thread is to make savings intentional rather than accidental.Know your numbers and avoid lifestyle mistakesWhatever your goal, keeping more of your income starts…

More than half of retirees stopped working earlier than planned, according to a new report. And the decision was often out of their control. The Retirement Risk Survey released in May by the Society of Actuaries Research Institute found that 59% of retirees left the workforce sooner than they expected. Only 6% retired later than expected. The report joins a body of research that suggests most Americans retire earlier than planned. On average, American workers retire at age 62, according to two respected annual surveys of working and retired Americans, one from the Employee Benefit Research Institute, the other from…

Ah, ChatGPT. How did we live without you a few years ago? You do a lot – more than we thought. You have the power to pass advanced exams in almost every field. Some people use you as a personal assistant. Others even turn to you for therapy (a controversial trend, but a trend nonetheless). Many of us use you most to provide accessible answers to complex questions – and to present ideas we might not have thought of ourselves.And so we turn to you in this time of economic turmoil, when even people earning six-figure salaries may be living…

In spring 2026, the cost of home financing remains extremely high. Recent average rates on 30-year fixed mortgages increased to 6.75%Erasing the brief respite that buyers saw earlier in the spring. This jump represents a meaningful shock to the system. For a buyer putting 20% ​​down on a typical $420,000 home, the monthly principal and interest payments increase by about $200 compared to a few weeks ago. When rates move toward 7%, traditional financial strategies stop working. Cash-out refinancing – a staple of the low-rate era – becomes a huge mathematical mistake if it means trading a 3% or 4%…