MONEY 08/27/2018 04:39 pm ET Let's stop overselling the benefits of a traditional college education to a generation that can't afford it. By Casey Bond Graduate from high school. Go to college. Earn a degree. Get a good job. Live happily ever after. The conventional path to success in the U.S. has looked the same for many generations. There’s a good chance your parents expected you to pursue a traditional, four-year education to land a respectable career ― and if you have a child nearing adulthood, you probably expect the same. But considering that Americans now collectively owe $1.5 trillion in student loan debt, it’s time for families to take a step back and seriously rethink whether that’s the best option. Is college worth it? If you examine whether college is worth it from a purely statistical standpoint, the answer is yes. A 2015 study by Georgetown University found that on average, workers with a bachelor’s degree earn … [Read more...] about Dear Parents: It’s Time To Reconsider Whether College Is Worth It
Find out how much a savings bond is worth
Countdown to retirement: A 5-year plan
For most of your working life, it wasn’t exactly a pressing concern. You might have pondered it for a few minutes as you skimmed your company’s benefits handout, checking to see if your new glasses were covered or if you’ll be reimbursed for your gym membership. Retirement was more like a vague, distant concept rather than something that would actually happen one day. Then, suddenly, you hit your late 50s or early 60s and you realize, almost without being aware of it, that you’ve begun paying closer attention to those commercials about annuities, reverse mortgages and Medicare Part B, and you’re no longer reflexively tossing those AARP mailings straight into the trash. Now, retirement looms with terrifying urgency. Do you have enough savings? Is your money invested too aggressively — or not aggressively enough? Do you need long-term-care insurance? Do you have a will? What even is a reverse mortgage? This abrupt awakening/panic attack often hits five … [Read more...] about Countdown to retirement: A 5-year plan
Countdown to Retirement: A Five-Year Plan
Sections SEARCH Skip to content Skip to site index Business Day Subscribe Log In Subscribe Log In Advertisement Supported by Retiring ByPeter Finch July 6, 2018 For most of your working life, it wasn’t exactly a pressing concern. You might have pondered it for a few minutes as you skimmed your company’s benefits handout, checking to see if your new glasses were covered or if you’ll be reimbursed for your gym membership. Retirement was more like a vague, distant concept rather than something that would actually happen one day. Then, suddenly, you hit your late 50s or early 60s and you realize, almost without being aware of it, that you’ve begun paying closer attention to those commercials about annuities, reverse mortgages and Medicare Part B, and you’re no longer reflexively tossing those AARP mailings straight into the trash. Now, retirement looms with terrifying urgency. Do you have enough savings? … [Read more...] about Countdown to Retirement: A Five-Year Plan
Before Splurging On Prime Day, Find Out If Amazon Prime Is Worth It Anymore
MONEY 07/03/2018 03:46 am ET Amazon lets you download your entire spending history. By Casey Bond Prime Day, Amazon’s exclusive annual shopping holiday, is a roughly 30-hour period during which prices are slashed on everything from tech to home goods. For Prime members, the anticipation surrounding Prime Day is like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Christmas, Hanukkah and National Margarita Day rolled into one. But are Amazon Prime members really benefiting in the end? Depending on your shopping habits, Amazon Prime is either a money-saving godsend or a tricky tool designed to get you to overspend. And every time Prime Day comes around — particularly after the recent $20 jump to $119 a year — it prompts the question, is Amazon Prime worth it? Thanks to Amazon’s custom reports feature, you can find out if it’s a good deal for you. How To Review Your Amazon Prime Spending According to research firm Consumer Intelligence Research … [Read more...] about Before Splurging On Prime Day, Find Out If Amazon Prime Is Worth It Anymore
Here’s how much you should have saved by 30
If you’re searching for guidance on how much you should have saved, chances are you’re trying to confirm some suspicions: Either that you’re nailing things, or you’re … not. Research about retirement savings tells us that for most people, the latter is much more likely. How much to have saved by 30 You’ll find that one retirement-savings benchmark gets the most airtime: It comes from Fidelity Investments and says you should have an amount equal to your annual salary saved by age 30. Don’t leave, we’re not done. Fidelity’s advice is countered by lesser-known but slightly more digestible guidance from T. Rowe Price, another broker known for its retirement products. It suggests having half your annual salary saved at age 30, shifting more responsibility to your later years. Both benchmarks feel big and intimidating if you haven’t met them. In an ideal world, we’d all start saving for retirement right out of college … [Read more...] about Here’s how much you should have saved by 30