Author: Smart Wealthhabits
Smart Wealthhabits shares practical insights on personal finance, wealth building, and small business strategies to help readers make smarter financial decisions and achieve long-term financial success.
Wattgate/Shutterstock.com Editor’s note: This story was originally published here construction coverage.Today’s real estate market is challenging for buyers. While home prices have declined since their peak in the COVID-19 pandemic, the typical cost of a home in the US has increased by more than 23% from the beginning of 2020 to the end of 2025. Compounding the problem of housing affordability, mortgage rates Remain at high levels not seen since the Great Recession. Additionally, high rents and the effects of inflation have made it difficult for many potential buyers to save up to purchase a home. The simple fact behind…
Huntington, W.Va. – A multi-session seminar at Marshall University aimed at helping residents overcome financial uncertainty in preparation for retirement, providing in-depth instruction on topics ranging from risk management to long-term investment strategies. The Retirement Planning Basics Course, led by financial advisors from Baird Wealth Management, will run for three consecutive weeks beginning in mid-April. Each session will last approximately two and a half hours, with a total of more than seven hours of instruction. According to Tyler Hutchison, vice president and financial advisor and program participant at Baird Wealth Management, the seminar is designed as a comprehensive overview for…
April Supplemental Security Income checks are scheduled to be issued on April 1. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments are typically issued on the first day of the month, but sometimes payments go out early when the first calendar day of the month is a weekend or holiday. According to the Social Security Administration’s calendar, in April, the first day of the month falls on Wednesday, and payments will be made on April 1. This begins a period of four consecutive months in which SSI checks will be issued on the 1st of the month. Then, in July, August checks will…
Working in tech, Nancy Marzouk was used to being the only woman in the room. But that doesn’t mean he liked it. “I felt like I consistently performed better, yet was potentially under more scrutiny than other people,” said Marzouk, 52. She went to school for fine arts, but after graduation got into advertising and fell in love with the industry. As she moved up the ranks at various marketing and tech agencies, she felt like she was always working harder than those around her, but not moving up the ladder at the same rate. He said, “The companies weren’t…
Stacey Bush: Investing amid sticky but declining inflation Published Friday, March 27, 2026 at 7:53 am By Stacey Bush, Bush Wealth Management Inflation remains a decisive variable for investors as early as 2026. While price pressures have cooled from the 2022-2023 peak, most forecasters expect inflation to remain above the central bank’s target, especially in services and wage-driven categories. The consensus estimate is that US inflation will range between 2% and 3% in the coming year, rather than a clear return of 2%. For investors with a long horizon, this environment presents a dual reality. On the one hand, cash…
©Audi 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 Transportation costs are one of the heaviest expenses for retirees on Social Security, yielding an average monthly benefit of $2,071.30, according to social Security Administration (SSA) Data from December 2025. That same month, Kelley Blue…
You cut the cord to save money, right? This was the promise. But take a look at your credit card statement right now. If you’re subscribing to Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, and Disney+, you’re probably paying about the same as you did for old-school cable. Netflix is the king of the slow bleed. This increased the prices once again. according to Los Angeles TimesThe Premium plan is now a staggering $26.99 per month, and even the ad-supported tier drops to $8.99. That’s more than $320 per year for the premium tier just for watching television. And honestly, half the time…
Jay_Zynism / 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 There are few things scarier than the looming tax deadline. As April 15 approaches, many taxpayers are struggling to collect their forms and file documents. However, for some people, starting the tax filing…
More people have fallen ill amid an ongoing outbreak linked to raw dairy products, and at least one person has developed a serious complication. More cases of E. coli poisoning, a foodborne illness, have been traced to Raw Farms-brand unpasteurized cheeses, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said in an update Thursday, March 26. A total of nine people have been confirmed sick across the three states, more than half of whom are children under 5, according to the agencies. Three people have been hospitalized, and one developed a complication called…
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