PeopleImages / Shutterstock.com Advertising Disclosure: When you buy something by clicking links within this article, we may earn a small commission, but it never affects the products or services we recommend. You’ve probably heard that it’s ideal to wait as long as possible to claim Social...

refrina / Shutterstock.com Workers in funky shirts, bells ringing, the cozy-sized stores. There’s just something different about Trader Joe’s compared with its much larger grocery competitors. And its die-hard customer base would agree. From its humble beginnings in Pasadena, California, in...

LightField Studios / Shutterstock.com Millions of Americans count on their Social Security check to make ends meet during retirement. Knowing when your benefit payment will arrive each month can help you budget better. Contrary to what you might believe, recipients do not all get paid on the...

Ollyy / Shutterstock.com Most of us think about insurance in terms of the basics: health, auto, homeowners, and maybe life. But what happens if something big goes wrong — the kind of accident or lawsuit that blows past the limits of your standard policies? That’s where umbrella insurance comes...

simona pilolla 2 / Shutterstock.com Identity thieves are looking for ways to use your personal information to run up charges in your name, steal medical account information and even grab tax refunds. Consumers filed more than 2.6 million identity theft reports with the Federal Trade Commission...

Fevziie / Shutterstock.com It’s always smart to be prepared. That means knowing what’s worth stockpiling in case of emergency or even if you just need to spend more time at home. Of course, stocking up on a year’s supply of something just to have it go bad in a couple of weeks would be a waste...

ViDI Studio / Shutterstock.com If you use protein powders and shakes to supplement your intake of the macronutrient, you might also be getting an unhealthy dose of lead. That is especially true if you choose the wrong product. Consumer Reports says more than two-thirds of the 23 powders and...

Pla2na / Shutterstock.com Advertising Disclosure: When you buy something by clicking links within this article, we may earn a small commission, but it never affects the products or services we recommend. The price of gold recently exceeded $4,000 per ounce and seems to set new records daily...

Dasha Petrenko / Shutterstock.com Selling a home has become more difficult recently. The inventory of homes for sale has surged in many markets, and relatively high mortgage rates have reduced affordability, giving potential buyers second thoughts. So, home sellers are looking for any edge they...

fizkes / Shutterstock.com Medicare has a lot of moving parts, and it’s easy to miss deadlines or choose the wrong plan. This is especially true if you’re still adjusting to retirement and new financial priorities. That said, many of the most common Medicare mistakes are entirely avoidable with...

Grusho Anna / Shutterstock.com By now, most travelers know the drill: You cannot carry a container of any liquid that is more than 3.4 ounces if you plan to board a plane. If you need a refresher, here is what the Transportation Security Administration says: Try to break this rule, and the...

insta_photos / Shutterstock.com If you have spent decades building a nest egg and retirement finally has arrived, hold on to your wallet! In ways you might not expect, Uncle Sam and other governments regularly reach into retirees’ wallets and quietly grab their share of hard-earned savings...

Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock.com Becoming a U.S. citizen when you aren’t naturalized at birth can be a long and arduous process. It’s not as simple as just signing up to take the citizenship test. The road to becoming an American citizen typically starts with getting a green card...

Maridav / Shutterstock.com We’re always looking for ways to save money, and one surefire way to do that is to buy products from companies with lifetime warranties. So they will repair or replace something if it breaks. You may spend a bit more upfront, but quality items — and ones with awesome...

Drazen Zigic / Shutterstock.com A cliche says the only things you can count on in life are death and taxes. But there is one other certainty: change. When you retire, the federal income tax burden you face is likely to change substantially. That may or may not be true of state income taxes...

Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock.com Tired of fighting with fallen leaves every fall? Here’s the secret: work smarter, not harder. Start with the basics — grab a lightweight rake, let the wind help you, and use tarps to haul everything. Then level up with leaf vacuums, mulching, and...

Ruslan Guzov / Shutterstock.com Let’s be honest: It can be awkward for adult children to talk about money with their parents — especially if you haven’t done it much before. But avoiding the money talk, especially as our parents age and their needs change, can lead to a host of financial...

Dusmart / Shutterstock.com Roadways are a vital component of infrastructure in the United States. The vast majority of goods are transported by truck, highlighting the economy’s need for reliable roadways to connect supply chains and move goods and services efficiently across borders. Most...

Nejron Photo / Shutterstock.com Although it’s a surprise to many who reach retirement, Medicare is not free. Throughout your working lifetime, you paid taxes to support the program. In addition, once you finally start using Medicare, you must shell out more cash to cover a monthly premium...

fizkes / Shutterstock.com More than 7.2 million people (5% of those 65-74 years old, 13% of those 75-84 years old, and 33% of those older than 85) have Alzheimer’s, and as the baby boomers age, that number is projected to double by 2050. Additional research from the Alzheimer’s Association...