As a childfree person, there's a point when you can have too much wealth. I'm not trying to build generational wealth - in fact, I'd like to die with very little money. That means my career isn't driven by financial gain. I focus on purpose, not profit.
They plan months ahead but stay flexible. The most successful budget holiday families start planning in January for their August trip. Not because they're control freaks, but because early planning opens up options that disappear later. This combination of advance planning and flexibility creates space for magic. When you're not stressed about finding last-minute accommodation at triple the price, you can say yes to that unexpected detour.
We were kind of on autopilot. The internet says, 'Max out your 401(k).' We did that, but we didn't really think much beyond that. Within a year of investing in a financial planner and reevaluating their strategy, the New York City couple were surprised to learn that they had already reached financial independence.
Happy Birthday: Set your sights on financial goals that will put your mind at ease and your budget in place for the year. A healthy attitude and a year filled with physical activity or pursuing something you feel passionate about will lead to personal contentment. Invest in quality of life, health and emotional well-being, and personal growth, positive attitude and self-improvement will follow. Love, money and opportunity are yours to behold. Your numbers are 4, 12, 25, 27, 33, 38, 42.
My friends and I are early 30s professionals living in one of America's most expensive cities and making middle-class incomes. None of us can afford to buy or save for a home here. We all rent, but we're not broke. We save for kids and retirement and illness, but a home isn't in the cards. But recently, we think we might have found an unconventional loophole.
My husband and I were happily renting in New York thanks to a pandemic rent deal (four months over two years free!). Real estate prices in New York felt completely out of reach and frankly, the three-bedroom, well-lit, high-ceiling place we found was perfect. Then, a series of events happened that made me itchy to buy a home. The first is that the home I shared with my grandparents during my formative high school years was sold.
For a while, the biggest professional problem Brad Morgan faced was figuring out how to get toothpaste into a tube. Before you chuckle ... "Believe it or not, pumping toothpaste is one of the most complicated phenomenons you'll ever experience. It's a fluid that, as you pump it faster, it gets thinner," Morgan said. "So without going into great detail, I was working with MIT professionals, the smartest of the smartest on how we can pump toothpaste faster. That was my job."
A related misstep is choosing between the lump sum and annuity on instinct instead of analysis, even though that decision locks in tax timing, investment options, and how long the money is likely to last. Financial writers note that many winners default to the lump sum without modeling scenarios with professionals and understanding that, after taxes, the headline $1.7 billion quickly shrinks.
Calendars fill, inboxes overflow, and suddenly you're juggling festive plans, family logistics, travel costs, year-end deadlines, and a swirl of expectations. It's no surprise that even the most grounded financial intentions can get pushed aside this time of year. But December doesn't have to be the month where your financial confidence takes a back seat. With a little clarity and a few intentional practices, you can enjoy the season fully while still honoring the goals you've worked hard to set.
A financial advisor is a professional who helps individuals and families manage their money and grow their wealth by offering guidance on a variety of financial topics. They help with investments, retirement planning, taxes, budgeting, insurance, and long-term financial goals. A good financial advisor assesses your current financial situation, helps you create a personalized strategy, and adjusts that plan as your life changes.
Discrepancies in salaries within a marriage are common and can stem from differences in career fields, education, work experience, or personal choices about balancing family and professional life. While income gaps don't inherently cause problems, they can create tension if couples don't openly communicate about expectations, financial responsibilities, or feelings related to money and contribution. Some partners may feel pressure, guilt, or resentment depending on who earns more, while others may struggle with societal norms around gender and income.
In a new, very special Death, Sex & Money and Slate Money crossover, Felix Salmon and Anna Sale are once again joined by Felix's financial advisor Adrianna Adams from Domain Money to talk aboutparents. They dig into the emotions of trying to take care of your aging parents while also growing your own wealth, the importance of setting goals, and how to deal with aging children AND aging parents at the same time. For a visual experience, you can watch this episode on YouTube.
The prospect of taking an extended unpaid break from work can be daunting. But with the right financial planning, it can be an opportunity to pause, spend time with family and explore new avenues
But that same morning, a $900 charge for her GLP-1 prescription landed on her credit card. Whatever she was saving at the supermarket felt dwarfed by the cost of her medication. Drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound are being hailed as medical breakthroughs. They're not just changing waistlines-they're changing household budgets. And as these shifts ripple through everyday spending, the financial industry has an important role to play in helping people rethink, rebalance, and plan for this new reality.
People can feel a lot of shame about being in credit card debt. They think it means they're bad with money. That it's something to avoid, or a burden they can never pay off. But for financial educator Rita-Soledad Fernandez Paulino, founder of Wealth Para Todos, we should simply see debt for what it is. "It's just what we use when we don't have access to cash reserves." And unfortunately, our assumptions and emotions around debt can prevent us from managing our money with confidence,
