Personal Finance
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Put your hobbies to good use to create a ‘greener’ retirement
After he retired from teaching in public high schools on Chicago’s South Side in 2002, Jim O’Connor, 77, discovered a new calling, as a volunteer for ecological restoration projects. “I started volunteering when I was teaching in the late 1980s,” O’Connor says. “After retirement I obtained an [herbicide] applicator’s license from the state to apply…
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10 ways to save money on a trip to Disneyland
One-day theme park tickets to Disneyland Park in Anaheim, Calif., and its sibling, Disney California Adventure Park, start at $104 per person, so calling Disneyland cheap is about as believable as saying an elephant can fly. But at Disneyland, elephants do in fact fly (Dumbo, anyone?) — and successfully planning a trip to Disneyland on…
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These 7 simple funds have beat the S&P 500 for more than 50 years
Long-term investors who can manage a 10-fund equity portfolio, as I described last week, have what I consider the absolute best shot at attractive returns no matter what happens in the stock market. This time, in Part 2 of a series for do-it-yourself investors, I’ll tell you how to get much of that benefit with…
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13 must-dos for your preretirement checklist
“Experts need checklists—literally—written guides that walk them through the key steps in any complex procedure,” according to Atul Gawande, author of “The Checklist Manifesto.” And no matter whether you’re an expert or not, you too need a checklist for retirement planning, especially if you’re five to 10 years away from retiring. Here, according to experts,…
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This space stock is taking off ?
Here are our top investing ideas today – these setups look primed! Be the best prepared trader on the Street! AKA – Up over 28% in pre-market after earnings beat LUNR – Up over 33% in pre after announcing $719 million award from NASA BBBY – 2nd day play, trades up over 25% in…
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Pell grants are a drop in the bucket—how parents and students can minimize student loan debt
Many years ago, one federal grant could cover all tuition and fees for the most at-need college students. And though the rise in the cost of college has slowed considerably in the past decade, the Pell Grant’s impact has dwindled to a fraction of what it once was. My mother relied on the Pell Grant…
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Why getting a car loan is becoming more complicated
Amid a banking crisis, getting a car loan is growing more complex. America’s lenders approved more auto loans in March, and the share of subprime loans for those with troubled credit increased. But the story isn’t as simple as “credit access is loosening.” Lenders insisted on shorter loan terms – removing the option of stretching…
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Ramit Sethi’s 5 lessons on how to get rich — from his new Netflix series
If Ramit Sethi had his wish, we’d never use the phrase “financial literacy” again. “People want to be rich! They want to live a life of freedom,” Sethi tells MarketWatch. “We have to change the framing of the way we talk about money.” This has been Sethi’s mission over the last 20 years, since he…
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Treasury yields hold mostly steady as traders continue to price in May rate hike
Treasury yields were mostly little changed Tuesday morning as traders expressed increasing certainty of another rate increase by the Federal Reserve in May. What’s happening The yield on the 2-year Treasury note TMUBMUSD02Y, 4.232% advanced to 4.207% from 4.186% on Monday. Yields move in the opposite direction to prices. The yield on the 10-year Treasury…
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Do state and local pension plans really need to be fully funded?
The Center for Retirement Research’s most recentundefined makes a strong case for shifting the focus of fiscal sustainability for state and local pension plans from full funding to stabilizing their pension debt as a share of the economy. While full funding is tidy in the sense that, if the pension were to shut down, assets…