Author: Smart Wealthhabits

Research Methodology GOBankingRates looked at the following factors for all banks (except neobanks) to determine the rankings: (1) total assets received from the FDIC; (2) the number of branch locations received from the FDIC; (3) Minimum deposit amount to open an account; (4) 12-month CD APY rate; (5) 60-month CD APY rate, and (6) average mobile app rating between Google Play (Android) and Apple Store. All factors were then scored and combined, with the lowest score being the best. Factors (1) and (2) were weighed 0.5 times, factor (3) 2 times, and factors (4) and (5) 4 times. All data…

DennisTangini Jr. / iStock.com 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 Retirement costs – especially health care and housing – continue to rise across the US, making it even more important to consider where a person chooses to retire. There are currently nine…

Fizzcase / Shutterstock.comYou did everything right. You kept your income moderate, sold a few appreciated stocks, and assumed most of your profits would fall into the 0% capital gains category. Then you filed, and your capital gains tax was an unpleasant surprise. Capital gains and qualified dividends can quietly push you into a higher capital gains category as they figure on top of taxable income in your return.

This photo illustration, created on April 13, 2026, shows a photo of US President Donald Trump on a screen and an AI-generated photo he posted on his Truth social platform portraying himself as Jesus Christ after criticizing Pope Leo XIV. Mandel Ngan | AFP | getty imagesPresident Donald Trump’s Truth Social account removed an image of Trump looking like Jesus Christ on Monday morning after it faced criticism.Trump’s account posted the image, which appears to have been generated by artificial intelligence, on Sunday night, after the president criticized Pope Leo XIV for criticizing US military actions against Iran and Venezuela.The…

© GeorgeRudy/iStock via Getty Images Dividend investors have seen reliable income streams come under pressure recently as inflation, soft demand and balance-sheet stress make tough choices even at established payout producers. In 2024 alone, three former dividend kings – Walgreens Boots Alliance, Leggett and Platt (NYSE: LEG), And 3M (NYSE:MMM) cut their dividend. Walgreens later accepted a buyout from a private-equity firm. Sycamore Partners – completed last August – and now Leggett & Platt has made a similar move: It has today agreed to the acquisition Somnigroup International (NYSE:SGI) In an all-stock transaction worth $2.5 billion. The deal, announced this…

Gemini/GoogleA new, “highly mutated” COVID strain is rapidly taking hold in the United States, according to new data. The variant BA.3.2, nicknamed “cicada,” first attracted the attention of health officials earlier this year when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization noted that it had appeared in at least 23 countries and was responsible for up to 30% of cases in some eastern…

US President Donald Trump welcomes Russian President Vladimir Putin at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska on August 15, 2025. Contributor | Getty Images News | getty imagesThe ouster of Hungary’s conservative nationalist leader Viktor Orban is being seen as a victory for liberal democracy and the EU.The leaders of Poland, France and Germany and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen were among prominent EU figures to congratulate Prime Minister-elect Peter Magyar on Monday after he won a decisive victory in the country’s election on Sunday.The ousted prime minister regularly used Hungary’s veto power to block EU decisions, fiercely…

Mar Vista Investment Partners, LLCAn investment management company released its “Mar Vista US Quality Strategy” first quarter 2026 investor letter. A copy of the letter may be downloaded here. Despite significantly evolving market leadership in the first quarter, US equities entered 2026 with continued momentum. Prior to geopolitical challenges, initial support in equities was disrupted by tariff uncertainty, doubts about AI-driven growth sustainability and emerging private credit concerns. US equities were the lowest performer this quarter in a volatile environment driven by rising oil prices, inflation and changing interest rate expectations due to the Middle East conflict. The Mar Vista…

US President Donald Trump and Rupert Murdoch. Julia Demery Nikhinson Jonathan Ernst | reutersA federal judge in Florida on Monday dismissed President Donald Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against media giant Rupert Murdoch and The Wall Street Journal, which claimed the newspaper defamed Trump with a story that said the president sent a “lewd” letter to notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein on his 50th birthday.But Trump will be given the chance to file a new amended lawsuit regarding the Journal’s letter, published in July 2024, Judge Darrin Giles said in his statement. Decision in US District Court in Miami.Giles said he…

Distributed by EIN PresswireLaunched financial education and estate planning consulting service with independent licensed attorneys in Connecticut, New York and Florida “My mission is to help our clients better understand the estate planning process and make more informed and confident decisions by knowing all of their options,” Burns said. – Founder and Chief Prosperity Officer, Literacy for Legacy Mentors Fairfield, CT, United States, April 10, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ – Deborah Pratt Burns Personal finance educator and prosperity mentor launches her own financial education and estate planning consultancy with three established law partners Burns’ mission is to meet the growing need for…