Price volatility – larger ups and downs – returned to the US stock market during the first quarter of 2018. These unpredictable and unexpected sizable movements can make investors wary. But they give some not-so-gentle reminders to do a few things: tune out the daily stock market noise understand the market doesn’t just move on […]
Congress recently enacted changes to the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) that will give federal retirees flexibility to withdraw money from their accounts. These changes are helpful. But getting your TSP money will still not be as flexible as in the private sector. In the private section, IRA distributions can be made in different amounts, at […]
Savings opportunities abound for 2018 DC health plans despite premium increases from 2017. On average, premiums for health insurance in the individual market increased 15.4% from 2017. These increases, however, mask the variation in the rates among insurers and among plans. Some premiums will rise by 8.0% from 2017 while others will rise 25.2%. The increases […]
You can simplify your finances by making a few changes to cut the clutter and streamline your monthly bill paying. Your finances should be easy to administer with few moving parts. Most people have too many accounts that makes it hard to monitor. They also don’t have a systematic way to pay their bills and […]
Use these steps to freeze your credit reports at the three major credit reporting agencies: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. By now you’ve heard about the massive data breach at Equifax. Information (including Social Security numbers) from 143 million consumers was potentially compromised by the agency entrusted with your personal information. I’m over being outraged. Protect yourself […]
You know you should save money. Whether it is for retirement, a new car, or just to build your emergency fund. But how do you start if you don’t have a good savings track record? These four tips can help you save more money. They are based, in part, on insights from research in psychology, […]
These five tips can help you spend less money. They fix the faulty thinking that many of us have when it comes to money. The tips help you identify the money trap and then offer a way to avoid falling into it. These insights are from research in psychology, behavioral science, and neuroscience. More can […]
Use these six tips to repay your student loans. They address issues that recently surfaced about student loan servicers. The lawsuit by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau against Navient, a large student loan servicer, highligted several features that federal student loan borrowers should know. Navient’s response to the CFPB’s lawsuit tellingly says they have absolutely […]
Carefirst’s 2018 health plan premiums for DC Health Link plans are unnecessarily high, discriminatory, and likely to distort consumer decision-making. The expected number of buyers of the plan, and not the plan’s features, drives the proposed premium increases. DC should review Carefirst’s 2018 premiums with an eye towards how consumers buy health insurance. Consumers view […]
The District of Columbia recently revamped its 529 College Savings Plan. The new plan offers lower cost investment options than the old plan’s offerings. DC also eliminated the high-cost advisor sold option! These changes are a welcome improvement. DC, however, missed an opportunity for its 529 plan to become the low-cost leader. And I don’t […]
