Are you unsure about whether you’re on the right track with your savings and investments? Finding yourself with new responsibilities, such as the care of a child or an aging parent?Facing other life events, such as marriage, divorce, the sale of a family business, or a career change? Too busy to become a financial expert but needing to make sure your assets are being managed appropriately? Or maybe you simply feel your assets could be invested or protected better than they are now.
Even if your asset allocation was suitable for you when you chose it, it might not be now. It may need to change as your circumstances do and as new ways to invest are introduced. Just as a piece of clothing you wore 10 years ago may not fit today; you might need to update your asset allocation, too.
Here’s an overview of the Act’s changes to the complicated rules that govern tax-advantaged retirement accounts.
The Pension Protection Act of 2006 first allowed taxpayers age 70½ and older to make tax-free charitable donations directly from their IRAs. The law was originally scheduled to expire in 2007, but was extended periodically through 2014 by subsequent legislation and finally made permanent by the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act of 2015.
The high inflation of the past few years has also made it easier for consumers to fall into credit-card debt. Ted Rossman, a senior industry analyst at Bankrate, described the feedback loop of high prices and high interest rates as “a tough cycle to break.” Credit-card companies know what they need to do to maximize profit: If they offer rewards and bonuses up front, they can snag new customers before they realize the high rates they’re signing up for. Profits keep rolling in for issuers, while consumers fall further behind.
In March 2025, 61% of respondents to a travel-related survey expressed concern that a recession might impact their vacation plans. The same percentage were planning a staycation instead.
What is “inverse prioritization” and how do we counter the forces that seek to undermine our best intentions—personally and financially?
Personal finance is a term that covers managing your money as well as saving and investing. It encompasses budgeting, banking, insurance, mortgages, investments, retirement, tax, and estate planning. The term often refers to the entire industry that provides financial services to individuals and households and advises them about financial and investment opportunities.
Whether buying furniture, planning retirement, or just filling your gas tank, uncertainty doesn’t just shake market numbers—it rattles confidence. Yes, it is about money, but ultimately it is about emotion. And that, perhaps more than stock prices or interest rates, shapes behavior. The field of psychology suggests that when feeling fear, people typically pursue one of three options: fight, flight, or freeze.