Household Finance
Your household balance sheet: Keeping track of what you own and what you owe
Think of it as a net worth calculator.
Investing
Video streaming services: Who’s who and what’s next?
After the streaming war comes the subscription fatigue.
Recently Posted
Pell Grant: What it is, who’s eligible, and how to get one
Get an education without going broke.
Cryptocurrency regulation: Rules are in development
Crypto policies are maturing (and changing).
How much can you contribute to your 401(k), IRA, HSA, and 529 in 2024?
You can save more in ’24.
Household Finance
Alternative minimum tax: Is it only for the wealthy?
A high income may require alternative tax calculations.
What is buy now, pay later and should you take advantage of it?
There’s always a catch.
Chapter 11 bankruptcy: A little breathing room while a company restructures
Relieve, reorganize, renegotiate—and hopefully, don’t repeat.
Facing a financial quagmire? Chapter 13 can help you create a repayment plan
In need of a little breathing room?
Investing
Sales loads, 12b-1 fees, and more: A closer look at mutual fund fees
A little slice for management.
Futures contract specifications: Know the delivery terms before jumping in
Specs are a key part of any risk assessment.
The stock investor’s guide to Blue Ocean Strategy
Dive into innovation without getting bitten.
What housing market data can indicate about the broader economy
Home sweet home.
Retirement
End of life planning: Cremation vs. burial, choosing a nursing home, and more
Is there any topic that’s less fun to discuss?
Filling the Original Medicare gap: What is Medicare Supplement Insurance?
Bumping up the basics.
The Social Security decision: Drawing early, delaying, or taking at full retirement age
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer.
How to pick the best place to retire: 4 questions to ask yourself
Tap into your priorities.
Featured Term
See AllGlossary
cost of living
cost of living, monetary cost of maintaining a particular standard of living, usually measured by calculating the average cost of a number of specific goods and services required by a particular group. The goods and services used as indexes may be the minimum necessary to preserve health or may be what is considered average for a given income group, depending on the purposes of the index. Measurement of the cost of a minimum standard of living is essential in determining relief payments, social-insurance benefits, family allowances, tax exemptions, and minimum wages. Measurements of change in the cost of living are important in wage negotiations. It is difficult, however, to make precise comparisons over time, because consumer tastes and the availability of products change. Cost-of-living measurements are also used to compare the cost of maintaining similar living standards in different areas. See also consumer price index.