Personal finance

Hero Images | Getty Images Even if Medicare’s open enrollment period sounds like a big snore fest, you might sleep better next year if you take advantage of it. For the program’s 60 million beneficiaries, that yearly fall window — Oct. 15 through Dec. 7 — offers the chance to make changes that take effect

If retirement legislation now under consideration in Congress becomes law, your 401(k) plan might have a new look. The Secure Act, which passed the House in May and awaits Senate action, includes a provision that would make it easier for companies to include annuities in their retirement plans. And while people may be drawn to

Alliance | Getty Images If you’re thinking of tidying up your balance sheet by taking out a personal loan, consider doing some research first. It could save you thousands of dollars. That’s because the interest rates lenders charge on personal loans can vary significantly, even if you have pristine credit, according to an analysis by

Kenneth Fisher, chief executive officer of Fisher Investments, speaks at the Forbes Global CEO Conference in Sydney, Australia, on Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2010. Gillianne Tedder | Bloomberg | Getty Images The City of Boston is ending its relationship with Fisher Investments, pulling $248 million in pension assets from the firm. Mayor Martin Walsh announced on

Peter Dazeley | Photographer’s Choice | Getty Images Here’s an awkward question for your spouse: Would you be willing to get divorced to save a few dollars? Proposed wealth taxes from presidential candidates Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders are stirring up chatter around so-called strategic divorce to avoid the levy. The Tax Cuts and

A man fishes in a lake. Twenty20 With some experts warning that $1 million in retirement savings might not even do the trick these days, it’s understandable if you’re kept up at night wondering: Will I have enough? Here’s another question worth asking: How should I spend what I have? A good answer to the

If you’ve settled an arbitration case with your broker at some point, there’s a chance it isn’t showing up in the popular database used by consumers to check financial advisors’ backgrounds. A new report from an investor advocacy group claims that some brokers and brokerages — with the aid of a handful of law firms

Martin Barraud | Getty Images It’s the time of year for people on Medicare to give their coverage a checkup. The program’s annual enrollment period runs from Oct. 15 through Dec. 7, which is when you can make changes to your coverage that will take effect Jan. 1. During this window, you can: • Switch

Fertnig | E+ | Getty Images When Aaron Shapiro dug through the workplace benefits his mother was entitled to as a 30-year employee at United Healthcare, he noticed a big missed opportunity. The health insurer’s employee stock purchase plan gave her the ability to buy shares at a 15% discount with a feature called a

Terry Vine | DigitalVision | Getty Images No one likes to think about needing long-term care. Yet the reality is that many people will at some point in their life. About 60% of those turning 65 can expect to use some form of long-term care in their lives, according to the U.S. Health and Human

Towfiqu Photography | Moment | Getty Images If you can find your husband or wife online, why not your financial advisor? That’s why Andres Garcia-Amaya launched Zoe Financial, an online matchmaking engine that hooks up investors with registered investment advisors. A recent Stanford University study found that 39% of people surveyed met their spouse through

All older Americans, regardless of income, are at risk of financial abuse. Various studies estimate that seniors in the U.S. are scammed out of anywhere from $3 billion to $37 billion a year. Between 2013 and 2017, those over age 70 lost an average of $41,800 to elder financial exploitation, according to an analysis by

My 21-year-old sister, Janna McPartland, has a lot on her mind. Graduating from college. Finding a job. Dire predictions about global warming. The other day, I asked her how she was doing. “The planet is dying,” she said. I was surprised, then, when she showed eagerness recently in starting to save for her retirement. I’d

People waited patiently to be among the first to get into the Second Presbyterian Church sale in June. Jill Cornfield | CNBC If you love yard sales as much as you love bargain travel, there’s one Midwestern metropolis that’s a perfect match for you. Indianapolis, population 820,000 or so, boasts a number of the usual

 ERproductions Ltd | Getty Images Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders is proposing to wipe out an estimated $81 billion in past-due medical debt. Up to 80 million Americans could be impacted. “People definitely need to have their debt either forgiven or negotiated lower, so they can afford it without a hardship,” said Craig Antico, the

Steve Shepard | Getty Images Most people consider getting in to college a numbers game. However, in the wake of last year’s college admissions scandal, which underscored how much pressure parents and students feel to be accepted into elite universities, admissions directors are quietly turning their attention to something besides test scores. Today, “almost every

Pedestrians pass in front of the New York Stock Exchange. Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images The Great Recession has officially been over for a decade. For many Americans, there’s little reason to celebrate. Many people’s finances haven’t recovered from the recession’s blows, according to a survey by personal finance website Bankrate.com. “There are

Ken Fisher Crystal Mercedes | CNBC After a rough week, billionaire money manger Ken Fisher is apologizing. Fisher, who is best known to a broad audience for his distinctive TV ads, was accused in a viral tweet (well, as viral as a tweet in the financial advisor community can go) of making sexist comments while

Hero Images | Hero Images | Getty Images Certified financial planner Ken Waltzer has an older female client who suffers from congestive heart failure. Given the high cost of her prescriptions, Waltzer recently became concerned by how much money she and her husband were spending. “I suggested that maybe I should talk to her doctor

Matt Bird | Corbis | Getty Images Where is the future of financial advice headed? The answers always seem fraught with risk and uncertainty. While the bull market in stocks has gone a long way to helping the advice industry recover from the reputational fallout of the financial crisis, technology, demographics and regulatory confusion continue