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Articles filed under Retirement.
Who Gets Your Social Security if You Die Tomorrow?
Most of us never see the first 6.2% of our paychecks. That money goes straight to Social Security taxes. If you live long enough and earn the required 40 credits — which translates to 10 years of work — you’ll get a monthly retirement benefit someday. But who gets your Social Security if you die...
Apr 18, 2026
Kiss the Commute Goodbye With These 49 Home Business Ideas
Bitten by the entrepreneurial bug? Here are the 26 best home-based business ideas for 2019.
Apr 4, 2026
How Does Social Security Work? 12 Things You Can’t Afford Not to Know
You probably know that saving and investing are essential to retirement planning. But just as important to the equation: Social Security planning. It’s impossible to overstate the importance of Social Security to retirees. The truth is, Americans aren’t saving or investing enough for a secure retirement. Without Social Security, approximately 4 out of 10 people...
Apr 18, 2026
What Is a Required Minimum Distribution on Retirement Plans?
If you want to be a smart investor now and lower your tax liability later, here’s what you should know about required minimum distributions.
Apr 18, 2026
What is Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) and Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI)?
Learn how to calculate your adjusted gross income and modified adjusted gross income
Apr 25, 2026
If You Relate to Any of These 3 Things, It’s Time to Dump Your Budget
Does thinking about your budget make you groan? Are you so frustrated that you want to give up? You might think you’re just terrible with money or that you’ll never get the hang of how to manage your finances, but the real problem might actually be with your budget itself. Here are three situations where...
Apr 18, 2026
Will You Owe Taxes if Your Student Loan Debt Is Forgiven?
If you’re among the millions of Americans who are eligible for the sweeping student loan forgiveness, your relief may be short-lived if you’re worried about owing taxes on your canceled debt. On Aug. 24, President Joe Biden announced plans to forgive up to $10,000 in federal student loan debt for individual borrowers who earn less...
Apr 4, 2026
Dear Penny: My Dad Says I Owe Him $400/Month When He Retires. Is This Fair?
Dear Overwhelmed, It’s not your fault that your parents can’t afford to retire. Responsibility for that rests on your parents’ shoulders. The money your dad paid for these loans would certainly be helpful to your parents. But it’s unlikely that $45,000 would have been enough to buy a comfortable retirement, even if your parents had...
Apr 18, 2026
Looking to Rake in Extra Dough? This App Will Pay You for Shoveling Snow
This *cool* Shoveler app will help you make money shoveling snow this winter.
Apr 4, 2026
Divorced? Here’s How to Claim Your Ex’s Social Security
Love and marriage don’t always last forever. But if your matrimony lasted 10 years or more, the financial benefits can last a lifetime. That’s because you may be able to take Social Security based on your ex-spouse’s benefits instead of your own, even if you divorced decades ago. The philosophy is that both spouses often...
Apr 18, 2026
Looking for Seasonal Work? Here’s Who’s Hiring for the Holidays
The impending holiday shopping rush means many of us are making gift lists and trying to set aside as much money as possible. For workers, it also means thousands of opportunities for permanent and seasonal positions. Seasonal jobs are a great way to recoup the cost of holiday travel and gift-giving. They could even lead...
Apr 4, 2026
Dear Penny: I’m Disabled, Married and Nearing Retirement. How Can I Maximize My Social Security Benefits?
Dear Trying, Short answer: Wait until you turn 67 to apply for your husband’s Social Security, and you’ll get the maximum amount from both of your accounts. Here’s why: When you receive SSDI (a.k.a. disability) benefits, they’ll automatically convert to Social Security retirement (SSR) benefits once you reach full retirement age. That age is based on...
Apr 18, 2026