Personal Finance

The Fed has just released a 200 page study on the Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2013 that reveals that 52% of the respondents to the survey said they did not have a mere $400 in savings for an unexpected emergency. That suggests to me that over half the county is on a paycheck-to-paycheck struggle. Below are my key findings from the survey presented in a concise easy to understand format.

Over the past three months, the year-over-year growth in credit card debt has exceeded wage growth in the United States. This is the first time we've seen this trend since the Great Recession.

Contrary to the image we may have of billionaires, many are on a mission to give away their money. This infographic looks at the American billionaires who have signed up to the Giving Pledge, as well as other millionaires and billionaires who have been making relatively large contributions in the past few years.

Someone recently asserted on a site that: “The cost to fuel your car has never been higher as a percentage of disposable income.” I know gasoline prices are high, but I couldn't accept such a contention without looking at incomes and fuel economy, too. I put together 50 years of pretty consistent data for the key variables and my findings will surprise you. Read on.

The average American eats 5 meals per week in a restaurant but many of those who do don’t understand what’s behind the tip they left on the table. All those tips don’t go to your server as a way of saying ‘thanks’. Many actually go to the employer so that they can pay their servers far less than minimum wage. The infographic below takes a closer look at your tip to figure out if it’s supplementing minimum wages or subsidizing poor ones.

Losing a spouse through death or divorce can be emotionally devastating and is often a difficult time in which to make important life decisions yet it’s typically when many financial matters require your immediate attention. Here are six important action steps that can help protect your personal finances.

Many governments of the world are now hopelessly in debt and on the verge of economic collapse. As their leaders become more desperate, they will resort to more desperate measures. In the next few years, we shall see the leaders of the most "respected" countries throw out the rule book and resort to a final grab of their citizens' wealth. This article identifies which assets would be the best to own under such circumstances, where they should be held, and why.]

The warning signs are all there. The objective data tells us that most of the West is bankrupt in the same way that the objective data tells us that Argentina is bankrupt. Most of the West has borrowed far more than they’re credibly able to pay back; the U.S., France, Spain, etc. all have to borrow money just to pay interest on the money they’ve already borrowed. In light of this data, it’s imperative to make sure that you prepare. This article explains the situation further and outlines how you should go about making preparations to protect yourself.

If you have a mobile banking app connected to USAA, Citigroup, American Express, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, TD Bank, JPMorgan Chase, BB&T or Regions Bank, you could be in deep Svpeng. Here's why.

In the last few years a new “advisor” has entered the fray – the robo advisor, now being called “automated investment services”. Automated investment services are platforms that automate your investment portfolio and try to help you reduce fees, increase efficiencies and streamline your process through a simple computerized interface. Here's a look at 4 primary benefits and 4 potential problems to help you decide if such a service is for you.