Personal Finance
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My son, 34, is getting married. My wife and I want to give him $10,000, but we’re afraid he’ll squander it. What do you suggest?
My 34-year-old son is getting married this summer. We have an on-and-off relationship, which is especially complicated by the fact that he was dependent on us financially throughout his 20s. We are bitter that he is ungrateful for the support we gave him. He is bitter because he thinks we try to control him with…
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Why the stock market will struggle to rally until debt ceiling, bank woes are in rearview mirror
So much for the stock-market climbing the proverbial wall of worry. The S&P 500 index continues to struggle in a tight range and some analysts see little prospect for a breakout until two, very big worries are in the rearview mirror. No surprise, the culprits are the persistent worries about regional U.S. banks following the…
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Should couples combine finances or keep separate accounts? One option leads to a happier marriage, study finds.
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]. Wedding season is upon us. Couples…
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‘The Fed is problem No. 1 in American finance,’ right now, says prominent market pundit
A debt-ceiling dilemma, regional-banking woes and the market’s apparent predilection for ultralow interest rates have one common factor, according to Jim Grant, prominent author of Grant’s Interest Rate Observer: The Federal Reserve. Grant has been a particularly tough critic of the central bank, which he says has caused a lot of damage to the economy and…
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What’s your retirement ‘number’? How to figure it out.
There’s a lot of numbers to weigh when it comes to retirement—but what’s your number? Working Americans think they need $1.1 million to retire, according to the Schroders 2023 U.S. Retirement Survey, but how does each individual really figure out what they will need in a retirement that could last decades? “It is very difficult…
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Some brokerage sweep accounts are paying more than 4% on uninvested cash—is this a good place for your savings?
This article is reprinted by permission from NerdWallet. The investing information provided on this page is for educational purposes only. NerdWallet does not offer advisory or brokerage services, nor does it recommend or advise investors to buy or sell particular stocks, securities or other investments. The Federal Reserve has increased its benchmark interest rate nine times…
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You don’t have to be rich to retire well — here’s how you do it
Unquestionably, the best time to retire is after you have accumulated more money than you will ever need. But that’s not possible for everyone, and today I’ll show you how to retire with savings that aren’t necessarily as ample as you’d like. This is Part 5 in a series of articles I think of as…
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Can you row after 50? It’s a great low-impact exercise with many benefits.
I credit Google, the pandemic and my love of the water for my start in athletic rowing at 57 years old. A move to Florida in the first months of the pandemic left me searching for an outdoor activity where I’d feel safe from COVID. I searched “Orlando rowboat,” thinking I’d buy a small boat…
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I’m sick and tired of tipping 20% every time I eat out. Is it ever OK to tip less? Or am I a cheapskate?
I’m afraid to bring this up with friends in case they call me a “Karen” or tell me I’m being selfish or a skinflint. Over the past 12 months, I have seen my rent go up by 25%. I’m paying $3,200 for a one-bedroom apartment. I will never be able to save for my own…
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Working mothers talk about ‘mom tax’ — the financial toll of motherhood on their careers and salaries
As millions of Americans put in orders for flowers, massages, and other treats for Mother’s Day, working mothers spoke to MarketWatch about the “mom tax” or “motherhood penalty” – a toll that impacts women when they become mothers and raise a child, by increasing their responsibility at home and limiting their earnings and income. Women…