Author: Smart Wealthhabits

On March 1, 2026, a Navy ship was seen sailing into the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway through which most of the world’s oil and gas passes. Sahar Al Attar | AFP | getty imagesPresident Donald Trump imposed a “blockade” of access to Iranian ports in the Persian Gulf with great fanfare on Monday, announcing his intentions on social media and then announcing the implementation on his scheduled deadline.But what does it actually mean to block access to this area? Oil What do exports through the Strait of Hormuz mean and what does Trump want to achieve?A former Biden-era…

© jitawit21 / Shutterstock.com High-yield dividend stocks provide cash flow with perfect liquidity, meaning you can add, trim, or exit a position on any trading day. That combination of yield and flexibility is why income-focused investors love telecommunications, energy infrastructure and health care real estate. We scoured our 24/7 Wall St. Dividend Equity Research database for massive dividend-paying stocks and found a collection that could generate over $5,790 per year in passive annual income if you invested $30,000 in each stock at the time of this writing. Healthpeak Properties Stock #3: Healthpeak Properties (NYSE:DOC) Yield: 7% $30,000 worth of shares:…

Commitment to our readers The GOBankingRates editorial team is committed to providing you with unbiased reviews and information. We use data-driven methods to evaluate financial products and services – our reviews and ratings are not influenced by advertisers. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and our review methodology for products and services. 20 yearsHelping you become richer trusted by millions of readers If you’ve ever stood in a warehouse aisle wondering whether you’re really getting a better deal or whether you’re buying more snacks than you need – you’re not alone. Buying in bulk can feel like a…

Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., speaks during a House Democrat hearing marking the five-year anniversary of the attack on the Capitol at the Capitol Visitor Center on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026.Tom Williams | CQ-Roll Call, Inc. | getty imagesRepresentative Eric Swalwell, the former Democratic candidate in the race for California governor, resigned from Congress on Monday amid sexual misconduct allegations.Swalwell announced his resignation in a statement Posted on his ex accountWhile still denying some of the allegations made against him in recent times.Swalwell said in the statement, “I am deeply sorry to my family, staff, and constituents for the mistakes in…

Three-quarters of workers over 50 surveyed are delaying retirement and nearly two-thirds are using their savings early, advisers say, leaving room for improvement fast narrowing. A sizable portion of older workers in the U.S. are feeling financial pressure as inflation and tariff concerns are forcing a fundamental rethink of retirement, according to new survey findings. LiveCareer’s Retirement Reality Check report, based on responses from 878 U.S. workers age 50 and older, found that 91% say inflation or tariffs have affected their retirement plans. Three-quarters of respondents said they are delaying retirement due to recent market volatility – a figure that…

Mark Cuban / Mark Cuban Commitment to our readers The GOBankingRates editorial team is committed to providing you with unbiased reviews and information. We use data-driven methods to evaluate financial products and services – our reviews and ratings are not influenced by advertisers. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and our review methodology for products and services. 20 yearsHelping you become richer trusted by millions of readers Mark Cuban may be a billionaire, but his money advice is surprisingly practical for the spending habits and investing strategies of everyday Americans. The “Shark Tank” star built his fortune by…

We investors are often looking for promising stocks, and we can also get ideas from stock recommendations we find online and by digging around. For example, you might spend some time in a mall, observing which retailers are doing good business. You can also look at the record of insider buying and selling to see which companies’ insiders are buying shares. Here are some dividend-paying stocks that some insiders have been buying recently. Image Source: Getty Images. 1. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing With the market cap recently topping $1.7 trillion, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM 0.27%) There is a giant among semiconductor…

hispanolistic/iStock/Getty Images Commitment to our readers The GOBankingRates editorial team is committed to providing you with unbiased reviews and information. We use data-driven methods to evaluate financial products and services – our reviews and ratings are not influenced by advertisers. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and our review methodology for products and services. 20 yearsHelping you become richer trusted by millions of readers It’s easy to assume that certain tax strategies only apply to the wealthy who want to protect their assets. But there are ways to reduce tax liability that even the average taxpayer can take…

Kevin Warsh, fellow in economics at the Hoover Institution and lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, speaks during the Sohn Investment Conference on May 8, 2017 in New York City, US. Brendan McDiarmid | reutersFederal Reserve chair candidate Kevin Warsh has submitted the necessary paperwork to the Senate, two people familiar with the matter said Monday, requesting anonymity to discuss sensitive information before public release. The filing of his financial disclosures brings Warsh one step closer to a Senate hearing. Earlier plans to hold the hearing this week had to be delayed due to paperwork delays. Warsh is…

© FunTap / Shutterstock.com visa (NYSE:V | V value prediction) collects a fee every time a card bearing its logo is swiped, tapped or clicked anywhere on the planet. That toll-booth model generates exceptional free cash flow and has one of the most consistent dividend growth records in the market. The current annual dividend on a trailing basis is $2.52 per share, with the current run rate being $2.68 per share. The yield is modest at around 0.82%, but the growth behind it is the real story. metric price Annual Dividend (Current Run Rate) $2.68/share dividend yield ~0.82% consecutive years…