EXPLAINED: 4 - The Real Truth

These 7 Income Moves Could Raise Your Medicare Premiums Two Years From Now

A profitable financial move in 2026 can produce an awkward little sequel in 2028: a higher Medicare bill.

The Free Financial Advisor · Oct 7

IRS Replaces IRS2Go With New App — Taxpayers Can Now Check Balances, Payments and Tax Records From Their Phones

The IRS has officially replaced its long-running IRS2Go mobile application with a new IRS app that gives individual taxpayers considerably more access to their federal tax information from a phone or tablet. According to the Internal Revenue Service, the free app launched September 25, 2026, and expands on IRS2Go by…

The Free Financial Advisor · Oct 6

Are You A Good Customer? 6 Tips To Treat Your Restaurant Wait Staff Well

Being a good restaurant customer involves more than leaving a decent tip. It also means making the job easier for the person juggling your order, three other tables, a kitchen ticket, special requests, and possibly a customer who has decided that a booth is a constitutional right.

The Free Financial Advisor · Oct 6

Rent-to-Own, BNPL or Credit Card: Which Is the Worst Way to Buy a $1,000 TV?

A $1,000 TV can cost $1,000, or it can quietly become a much more expensive piece of furniture with a screen attached. The payment method can matter almost as much as the television itself.

The Free Financial Advisor · Oct 6

Turning 60, 61, 62 or 63 This Year? Your 401(k) Limit Is Higher Than You May Think

Turning 60 in 2026 comes with an unusual retirement perk: a bigger 401(k) catch-up contribution limit. If you turn 60, 61, 62 or 63 at any point this year, you may be able to put up to $35,750 of your own money into a traditional 401(k) or similar workplace plan.

The Free Financial Advisor · Oct 6

Got a Social Security Overpayment Letter? These 5 Deadlines Matter Before Money Comes Out of Your Check

A Social Security overpayment letter can turn an ordinary mailbox opening into a very unpleasant piece of paperwork. The notice may say you received more money than you should have, explain the amount, and tell you how Social Security plans to recover it. What matters next is not simply whether…

The Free Financial Advisor · Oct 6

Bond Funds Still Confuse Investors Who Thought Fixed Income Was Supposed to Feel Safe

Bond funds occupy an uncomfortable and awkward corner of investing. They carry the reassuring phrase “fixed income,” often pay regular distributions, and can sit inside portfolios designed to reduce stock-market drama. Then the account statement arrives after a rough stretch for bonds, and the supposedly sensible investment has lost money.

The Free Financial Advisor · Oct 5

Does A Young Person Really Need Life Insurance?

A young person does not automatically need life insurance. If nobody relies on that person’s income and no one would face a serious financial burden after their death, buying a policy may solve a problem that does not exist.

The Free Financial Advisor · Oct 5

Your Employer Picks the Investments in Your 401(k) — What Happens When Workers Say They’re Bad Choices?

Your employer usually does not decide where every dollar in your 401(k) goes. Instead, the company or its retirement-plan committee generally chooses the investment menu, while workers choose from that menu. That distinction matters because employees can object to the choices, but simply disliking a fund does not mean the…

The Free Financial Advisor · Oct 5

Here’s What Changes When You Become a Preferred Customer At Your Bank

Becoming a preferred customer at a bank can change far more than the name printed on your account screen. Depending on the bank and the program, customers with larger balances or deeper relationships may receive better deposit rates, reduced fees, loan discounts, enhanced rewards, or access to a dedicated banking…

The Free Financial Advisor · Oct 5