I live in Maryland but have a cell phone number from Pittsburgh. Every single day, I get calls from a 412 area code because my number is a 412 number. I know it’s a scammer. Scammers do this because they are trying to simulate a local caller on the off chance I answer it because … Read more

Many people assume they’re ready simply because they’ve saved consistently or paid off major debts, but retirement brings a new set of challenges and decisions. From healthcare costs to taxes and market swings, small oversights can have big consequences. These signs will help you assess whether you’re financially prepared to retire, or if a few … Read more

Founded in 2021, CD Valet is a searchable database of certificate of deposit rates created by John Blizzard through Seattle Bank, where he has been President and CEO since April of 2014. Though it was created through a single bank, it lists over 30,000 CD rates across the country. CD Valet’s strength is that it … Read more

Summary: Vanguard offers those with $500,000+ in assets a way to lend out those shares to earn additional income, called the Vanguard Fully Paid Lending Program. It’s an easy way to earn additional income if you hold shares in companies that investors want to short. Don’t expect to earn more but could provide additional income … Read more

The end of the year is one of the most powerful moments to improve your financial life. A few intentional moves before December 31 can lower your tax bill, strengthen your savings, and set you up for a smoother year ahead. You don’t need a full financial overhaul—just a focused checklist and a little follow-through. … Read more

Summary: Yes but it’s only a replacement for space heaters and can never replace an electric heat pump because they are far more efficient. If you can tolerate the extra work, noise, and hassle, a bitcoin miner may be a fun way to generate heat and bitcoin as a small rebate. Every winter, I see … Read more

When I read The Millionaire Next Door by William Stanley, I was amazed at how many millionaires lived in plain sight. If you think about popular exposure to wealth – it’s pretty flashy. We’re trained, by television and social media, to think that millionaires live a life of excess. Big mansions, expensive cars, lots of … Read more

It’s easy to think the stock market is overvalued. There are so many measures that point in that direction. The simplest one is the Cyclically Adjusted PE Ratio (CAPE Ratio). It’s the price to earnings ratio for the S&P 500 and right now it’s over 40. The mean ratio is a bit over 17 and … Read more

Every year, the IRS updates various limits due to inflation. This covers everything from your tax rates and standard deductions to contribution limits for retirement accounts. Earlier this month, the IRS released the 2026 contribution limits for a variety of retirement accounts and despite their best efforts, it’s formatted like an encyclopedia. Here they are … Read more

If you’ve ever wondered how scammers know so much about you – your name, relatives, addresses, and even old phone numbers – it’s because of data brokers. And most of that information is public. If you want to fight back, you need to get your data deleted. It is a time consuming process so you … Read more