I’m going to preface this by saying that I know I am in a great long-term position. It’s the short term that is of concern. I am 62, single with no dependents. I own my smallish home outright and it’s worth $1 million due to the location. I own my…
Cash-back credit cards vs. travel-rewards cards: Which one gives you the most bang for your buck?
Hello and welcome to Financial Face-off, a MarketWatch column where we help you weigh a financial decision. Our columnist will give her verdict. Tell us whether you think she’s right in the comments. And please share your suggestions for future Financial Face-off columns by emailing our columnist at [email protected]. Vacation season…
How many working Americans need food stamps? The answer may surprise you.
The debt-ceiling deal struck by President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy over the weekend contains many compromises for both Republicans and Democrats. Those include changes to the federal government’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as the food-stamp program. “The agreement prevents the worst possible crisis, a default,…
‘I’m 63 and desperately hate my work’: Should I pay off my mortgage, claim Social Security and quit my job?
Dear Quentin, I’m 63 and desperately hate my work. I’ve had the same job for the last 19 years and every day I’m there, I just want to quit. I have $330,000 in cash and investments, $30,000 in my employer’s retirement fund and a remaining mortgage of $83,000. The payment…
Retired doctor known as the ‘yellow man’ sentenced for selling toxic chemical as weight-loss drug that killed customer
Retired New Jersey doctor William Merlino spent his golden years selling weight-loss drugs online. But the problem was that the pills he sold were made from DNP, or dinitrophenol, a chemical used as a herbicide or wood preservative that is toxic for human consumption, federal prosecutors said. He compounded and…
Beyond OpenAI: 7 promising startups that have saved lives, sped up drug development and improved manufacturing
OpenAI is stealing the spotlight as the definitive artificial-intelligence startup — for now. Backed by Microsoft Corp. MSFT, +0.85%, the progenitor of ChatGPT-4 has become the focus of the AI wave, but other AI startups are emerging in fields including healthcare, education and manufacturing. Based on recent interviews with venture…
‘Ability is ageless’: New York City helps retirees get back to work and fill open jobs
In what looks to be a win-win for New York seniors and businesses, New York City said it plans to train older adults for new career paths using a $4.5 million grant that provides new job skills and opportunities for retirees who want to return to work. The Silver Corps…
Here’s everything new coming to Amazon’s Prime Video in June 2023
From killer robots to spies to rom-coms, Amazon’s Prime Video has a little bit of everything in June 2023. “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan” (June 30), returns for its fourth and final season, with John Krasinski’s Jack Ryan now the acting deputy director of the CIA who uncovers deep corruption and…
Almost half of today’s working households are at risk of a lower standard of living in retirement
The Center for Retirement Research first released its National Retirement Risk Index (NRRI) in 2006. The goal was to summarize in a single number the extent to which today’s workers would be prepared for retirement. The Index uses the Federal Reserve’s triennial undefined to compare projected replacement rates — retirement…
Five college towns worth staying put in after graduation
Your diploma has been framed, the cap and gown are in storage, and you’ve been to more going-away parties than you can count. Now, where to focus that job hunt and narrow down where to live after graduation? If your destination wish list includes lots of culture, a smaller-town feel…