Author: Alex Clark
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Data Breach Notice in the Mail? Your First 48 Hours
A data breach letter is a to-do list, not a death sentence. The free steps that matter in the first two days: freeze, change, watch, and document.
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What Happens to Your 401(k) When You Change Jobs
Leave it, roll it, or cash it out: the rules for a 401(k) after a job change, the $7,000 force-out threshold, the 60-day trap, and how to find lost accounts.
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What the May Jobs Report Means for Rates and Your Savings
May’s 172,000-job gain keeps the Fed in no hurry to cut. What the report means for savings yields, CD decisions, and loan rates this summer.
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Bank Fees You Can Get Refunded Just by Asking
Overdraft, maintenance, and late fees are set by bank policy, not law, and banks reverse them constantly. What to say, what to know, and when to escalate.
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How to Cut Your Electric Bill Before Summer Peaks
Federal energy data puts summer electric bills near $180 a month. Six fixes, from thermostat setbacks to sealing leaks, that cut costs before July heat.
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What Actually Gets People Audited, According to IRS Data
IRS and GAO data show audits are rare, mostly by mail, and concentrated at the bottom and top of the income scale. What actually raises your odds.
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Romance Scams: The Red Flags Banks Are Trained to Watch
FinCEN gives banks a written checklist of romance scam warning signs. Here are the behavioral and transaction red flags, and how to run them on yourself.
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Roth IRA Basics: Who Qualifies and How to Start
The 2026 Roth IRA limit is $7,500, or $8,600 at 50-plus, with income phase-outs starting at $153,000 single. Who qualifies and how to open one.
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Joint Bank Accounts and Aging Parents: Set It Up Safely
Adding an adult child to a parent’s bank account is the common move, and often the wrong one. CFPB-recommended alternatives that protect everyone.
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The Real Monthly Cost of Owning a Car in 2026
AAA puts the true cost of a new car near $965 a month once depreciation, insurance, and fuel are counted. Here is where the money actually goes.