'I keep hearing about break-ins in my neighborhood': Should I keep valuable items in a safe-deposit box? What are my options?
I read that the bank discourages people from storing jewelry and coins in the boxes, so I did not rent one' Dear Quentin, Is it safe to keep valuables in a bank safe-deposit box? It sounds like a ...
'She has two financially stable children': Does it make sense for my wealthy mother, a recent widow, to take out a $100,000 life-insurance policy?
My recently widowed mother asked me if I think we should get a life-insurance policy (it was fresh on her mind as we handled everything for Dad). She is 72, in great health, and independently wealthy.
Smart Investor: 3 Contrarian Plays, Why the Stock Rally Has Legs, What’s Next for the 60/40 Portfolio
The stock market took a surprise turn south, thanks to the outlook for interest rate cuts the Federal Reserve unveiled after ...
'She is single and has a low-wage job': I want to give my daughter, who is in her 30s, $50,000 for retirement. What could go wrong?
I want to give $50,000 to my adult daughter as she has nothing saved for retirement. I want her to open a brokerage account. She can save for about 27 years until retirement. She is single and has a ...
How do the rich give away their money? With a smart strategy.
To be tax-smart about giving to individuals, givers have to be mindful of the IRS annual gift-tax exclusion, which is $18,000 in 2024 and $19,000 in 2025. A person can give that amount to as many ...
'I worked hard for my savings': I'm 71 and a retired teacher. I want to give my kids money - but my daughter spends lavishly and my son is wealthy.
Give each child an equal amount and allow them to make their own mistakes. If you don't trust your daughter to spend the money wisely, have a separate conversation with each child about their needs, ...
'I'm betting on another 22 spins around the sun': I'm 65 and have $3.9 million. How much should I realistically spend on a house?
I'm betting on another 22 spins around the sun, given all relevant factors. I would like to settle down. My question: Responsibly, how much can I afford to spend to buy a home? Related: 'Don't be ...
The stock market's wild party is ending. Here's how you can avoid the hangover.
Narrowing market breadth can signal trouble for the stock market. In a sense, it means that a pullback has already begun around the edges in most stocks. You just don't see it in the indices getting ...
This is the first whiskey to be granted a new federal designation in over 50 years
American single-malt whiskey, which uses the same key ingredients - malted barley, yeast and water - that go into single-malt Scotch, has now been recognized by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade ...
'I take pride in being debt-free': My husband owes thousands of dollars in student loans and credit-card debt. Will I be on the hook if he dies?
My husband has a parent PLUS Loan debt for his daughter from his first marriage, totaling several thousand dollars. He has also incurred a five-figure credit-card debt in his name only during our ...
Congress passed the Social Security Fairness Act. Millions of people could see more in benefits as a result.
The change benefits public-sector workers such as teachers, police officers, firefighters. As of November 2024, more than two million Americans had their Social Security benefits reduced by the WEP.
Trump is attacking the wrong deficit if he hopes to right the economy
If the U.S. economy were in recession, Trump's antipathy to trade deficits might be more on point. A trade deficit means that domestic residents are spending more on goods from abroad than they sell.