Author: Smart Wealthhabits

An outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease has been reported in Manhattan, leading to the number of cases – currently 18 – expected to rise. Here’s what you need to know about Legionnaires’ disease and the current outbreak. What is Legionnaires’ disease? The city health department said Legionnaires’ disease is a type of pneumonia caused by the growth of bacteria in hot water. How is Legionnaires’ disease spread? People are at risk of getting Legionnaires’ disease if they breathe water vapor contaminated with bacteria. The health department says you can’t get it from drinking water, cooking or using AC units. NYC Health…

Here are 5 important investing skills you must develop for successful long-term investing (typically 10+ years or more). Long-term investing, especially in equities through shares or mutual funds, has historically beaten inflation and created significant wealth for patient investors. However, success depends more on skills and behavior, not on market timing or chasing hot tips.1. patience and emotional discipline – Markets are volatile – corrections, downturns and euphoria are common. Indian equity markets (Nifty/Sensex) have delivered strong long-term returns despite several declines. Panic selling during downturns (for example, the COVID-19 crash or election instability) minimizes losses, while staying invested allows…

Most people think that the biggest cost of having a personal job is travel, but it’s much more serious than that. When you work from home for long periods of time, it’s easy to wonder what you’re missing. I missed the company of colleagues, leaving home for work and having a clear end to the workday…. Most people think that the biggest cost of having a personal job is travel, but it’s much more serious than that. When you work from home for long periods of time, it’s easy to wonder what you’re missing. I miss the company of coworkers,…

Nike’S (NKE +2.44%) The iconic global brand is not delivering the steady growth that investors are accustomed to. The stock has been on a decline since hitting all-time highs during the COVID-19 pandemic and is down 32% year to date. This discount has brought the dividend yield to 3.7%, which is more than three times S&P 500 average. Is this produce too good to pass up? Let’s assess the health of Nike’s dividend payout before determining whether it’s the smartest dividend stock to buy in 2026. Image source: The Motley Fool. Dividend coverage is weakening Nike is still dealing with…

I thought I was doing everything right. I paid my bills on time, saved a little, and didn’t buy expensive cars. But when I finally sat down to look at my retirement numbers, I felt a knot in my stomach. I was wasting cash without knowing. It wasn’t the big purchase that hurt me – it was the silent leak. At the age of 40, I had neglected small expenses which would cost me thousands by the time I reached the age of 60. Don’t make the same mistake. Here are the 7 money leaks I wish I’d stopped years…

Income investors entering July will face a friendlier arrangement than six weeks ago. The 10-year Treasury yield sits at 4%, down from May’s peak of 5%, while the 2026 Social Security Colla Came in at just 3%. That combination, low risk-free rates and modest cost of living, is pushing retirees back toward dividend equities that pay out every 30 days. Income receipts on assets reached $4,281.5 billion in the first quarter of 2026, underscoring how dependent boomer cash flows now are on portfolio income. Below are five monthly salary names worth researching for July. Each ticker has been verified for…

The first wave of Social Security payments for July are scheduled to be distributed this week. Social Security benefits — paid mostly to recipients who are elderly or retired — are typically scheduled to be paid on Wednesdays. Social Security will face a shortfall by 2032. If Congress does nothing, the research shows, retirees would see a 28% cut in monthly benefits. This has led many groups to propose their own ways to fix the program. One of them was a Washington, D.C., think tank that recently caused a stir with a report proposing limiting annual Social Security benefits to…

Here are 5 important investing skills you must develop for successful long-term investing (typically 10+ years or more). Long-term investing, especially in equities through shares or mutual funds, has historically beaten inflation and created significant wealth for patient investors. However, success depends more on skills and behavior, not on market timing or chasing hot tips.1. patience and emotional discipline – Markets are volatile – corrections, downturns and euphoria are common. Indian equity markets (Nifty/Sensex) have delivered strong long-term returns despite several declines. Panic selling during downturns (for example, the COVID-19 crash or election instability) minimizes losses, while staying invested allows…

You find the right home, contact the lender, and submit your application. You feel a sense of accomplishment. Then, 10 minutes later, your phone rings. This is a number you don’t recognize. You ignore it. It rings again. And then. Within hours of your lender pulling your credit report, you may receive dozens of calls, texts and emails from random mortgage brokers aggressively trying to get your attention. This is no coincidence, and your lender has not leaked your number. You are a victim of trigger lead. It’s a legal, highly profitable data exchange that happens instantly behind the scenes,…

Local residents walk past a burning garage outside a multi-storey residential building damaged after a Russian missile attack on the Ukrainian capital Kiev, July 6, 2026, amid the Russian offensive in Ukraine.Zhenya Savilov AFP | getty imagesThe long-running Russia-Ukraine war appears to have entered a new phase ahead of major developments over the weekend and the NATO summit.Over the past 72 hours, US President Donald Trump reportedly held separate talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukrainian drones struck an oil terminal and port in St. Petersburg and the surrounding region, and Russia launched its second…