Author: Smart Wealthhabits

key pointsSCHD has a low expense ratio and offers a great combination of yield and dividend growth.SDY is geared towards investors who value sustainability.DGRO focuses on companies that have the potential to grow their payouts over time.When looking for long-term yield, income investors have two basic options: dividend stocks and dividend exchange-traded funds. Dividend stocks tend to have a little more stability – especially when choosing stocks with a long history of dividend growth and a respectable yield. Investors who choose these stocks know exactly what kind of payout (and payout growth) they can expect.But even with that advantage, I…

Judy Williams’ recent flight from Seattle to Billings, Montana was a painful lesson in self-service fatigue. She stood in two lines at the airport to drop off a checked bag. Then the machine rejected it again and again. The insult was not to the messy kiosk. It was three nearby employees who ignored him. “They were engaged in personal conversation and hugging,” said Williams, a Billings attorney. Check out Elliott Confidential, the newsletter the travel industry doesn’t want you to read. Each issue is packed with breaking news, deep insights, and exclusive strategies for becoming a better traveler. But don’t…

© hodoimage / Shutterstock.com Fifty four. i.e. many years in a row PepsiCo (Nasdaq: PEP | pep price prediction) will increase its dividend when a 4% increase in the annual dividend per share takes effect, with payment due in June 2026. The company, which now trades at a market capitalization of $200 billion, confirmed this streak in its Q1 FY2026 earnings release recorded on April 15, 2026, bringing its annual payout to $5.92 per share. For a retirement-focused reader who cares about income that keeps showing up, that’s the same story. What does it mean 54 years of journey keeps…

©Shutterstock.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 yearshelp you get rich trusted by millions of readers Many everyday items cost more because of where you buy them, not because they are better. A quick comparison of some common retailers shows where people often pay more, and where the same types of…

BOSTON–( BUSINESS WIRE )–July 10, 2026–Harborvest Partners (“HarborVest”), a global private markets asset manager, today announced the final close of the HarborVest Partners Co-Investment Fund VII program (“HCF VII”) with approximately $4.75 billion in total commitments. HCF VII has exceeded its $4 billion target, reflecting strong demand from the global group of new and existing limited partners.HCF VII seeks to provide investors access to a diverse global portfolio of direct co-investments in buyout and growth equity strategies alongside some of the industry’s leading private markets sponsors. In addition to HarborWest’s core buyout strategy, the program includes a dedicated fund that…

©Dave Ramsey 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 yearshelp you get rich trusted by millions of readers Key findings from the GOBankingRates survey of 1,063 Americans revealed that 73% of all Americans currently have an open savings account. A separate question asked how much money they had in their savings account,…

How long does it take to make friends in retirement?gettyMost investors understand that wealth grows over time. What fewer people appreciate is that friendships do, too, and the returns on that investment can be just as consequential as those for a fulfilling retirement.As a money manager and retirement researcher, I spend a lot of time analyzing what separates the happiest retirees from those who struggle. The answer is not always a larger portfolio. This often reaches the community. The data is clear, the anecdotal evidence from retirees I have studied is consistent, and yet it is one of the most…

The Commerce Department on Friday moved toward easing export controls on the United Arab Emirates, including saying it would “favorably review” export license applications for MGX, the UAE-backed investment firm that used a stablecoin linked to President Donald Trump’s family to finance its $2 billion investment. Binance.unpublished version of new 17 page rule Noticeable in the Federal Register includes a sentence about the Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security favorably reviewing applications involving MGX semiconductors and servers bound for the UAE. The rules are due to be officially published on Tuesday, July 14.Massachusetts Democrat Senator Elizabeth Warren immediately criticized the…

In Malaysia’s wealth structuring landscape, the difference between having a structure in place and having a structure that actually works is greater than many families realize. Trusts, foundations and holding companies are readily available, but without real governance, clear purposes and mechanisms that track how families relate to each other, these arrangements risk becoming hollow tools that fail precisely when they are needed most. At the recent Malaysia Wealth Management Forum 2026 organized by Hubbis in Kuala Lumpur, a panel chaired by Ruben van Dijk, Director of Melbourne Capital Group, examined how wealth structures should evolve for Malaysian households meeting…

PixelsEffect / 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 yearshelp you get rich trusted by millions of readers Given the intense cycle of US and Israeli airstrikes against the oil-rich country of Iran that began on February 28, it may be difficult to separate facts from noise – especially with regard…