I’m a Financial Influencer: These Are the 6 Most Common Money Questions I’m Asked

I’m a Financial Influencer: These Are the 6 Most Common Money Questions I’m Asked

Nicole Spector  GOBankingRates

With general financial literacy and better financial planning exploding on social media, millions of folks are turning to financial influencers to get their money questions answered without breaking the bank.

What are people the most curious or confused about? What are they reaching out to financial influencers to find out about? And how do financial influencers answer their queries or point them in the right direction?

GOBankingRates spoke with Jeff Sekinger, a financial innovator and entrepreneur, and the CEO and founder of Nurp LLC. Sekinger courts a following of 1.1 million on Instagram.

These are the six most common money questions he’s asked — along with how he answers them.

Retirement Planning: Whether you're planning for retirement, dealing with a significant life event or simply looking to make smarter financial decisions, a financial advisor can offer the expertise and guidance you need. Here are some compelling reasons why you should consider a financial advisor -- even if you're not wealthy.

‘How Might a Trump Presidency Impact the Economy?’

Sekinger is constantly spammed with burning questions about money. A common one recently revolves around Trump. Specifically, if Trump is re-elected, how would his presidency impact the economy? More specifically, which markets, sectors and companies could benefit?

“A Trump presidency could have significant implications for the economy and markets,” Sekinger said. “Some investors are optimistic that Trump’s policies, like tax cuts and deregulation, could boost the economy and markets. Others are more cautious, citing concerns about Trump’s trade policies and potential geopolitical instability.”

According to Sekinger, companies that could benefit from a Trump presidency are the energy, financial and defense sectors.

“On the other hand, companies in sectors like healthcare and technology might face headwinds,” Sekinger said.

‘What Do I Need To Know To Be A Successful Young Investor?’

Everyone on the path to financial freedom needs to be investing. Investing can be complex, and naturally, people have questions. Commonly Sekinger is asked what you need to know to become a successful young investor.

“As a young investor, time is on your side,” Sekinger said. “Take advantage of compound interest by investing as early as possible, even if it’s just a small amount each month. Consider contributing to a Roth IRA or your employer’s 401(k) plan. Also, educate yourself about investing and avoid getting caught up in get-rich-quick schemes.”

‘How Can I Build Wealth While Managing Student Loan Debt?’

To Read More:  https://news.yahoo.com/news/finance/news/m-financial-influencer-6-most-140125604.html    

Warren Buffett: 6 Best Pieces of Money Advice for the Middle Class

Warren Buffett: 6 Best Pieces of Money Advice for the Middle Class

John Csiszar  Fri, May 2, 2025  GOBankingRates

For one of the richest people in the entire world, Warren Buffett, the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, is surprisingly down-to-earth. He famously lives in the same modest house in Omaha that he bought in 1958 for $31,500, and his favorite meal for breakfast is McDonald’s. Between that and his folksy, easy-to-understand wisdom, it’s no wonder that “The Oracle of Omaha” is so popular with the general public.

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Investors no doubt also love his enviable track record, which has more than doubled the average annual return of the S&P 500 since 1965, an incredible run. The bottom line is that when Buffett talks, people listen. With that financial prowess in mind, here are six of the best pieces of financial advice for the middle class offered up by the man, the myth, the money legend.

Pay Yourself First

Buffett isn’t the first or only one to recommend “paying yourself first,” but he’s a vocal advocate of it. He approaches the problem of prioritizing savings through wise budgeting. As the billionaire puts it, “Do not save what is left after spending, but spend what is left after saving.”

The idea behind this philosophy is that if you wait to sock away savings until after you’ve spent all your money in a given month, it’s highly likely that you’ll find there’s nothing left. But if you instead save your money first, you’ll have to budget what’s left so that it stretches to cover all of your expenses.

This serves the dual purpose of forcing you to cut down on needless expenditures while at the same time forcing you to build up savings, even on a smaller salary. Some middle-class Americans feel that they don’t earn enough to save, but when you flip the equation on its head like Buffett suggests, you might find out that you can save much more than you imagine.

Reduce Your Unnecessary Expenses

On the topic of budgeting, Buffett says that one of the keys to financial prosperity is simply to reduce your unnecessary expenses. But how do you know which ones?

How do you know which ones are unnecessary? If you force yourself to live on a tighter budget, you’ll see right away which expenses you prioritize in life and which ones might be extra costs that you don’t really need. Over time, even a little amount of savings can build into a large amount.

To read more:  https://www.gobankingrates.com/money/financial-planning/warren-buffett-best-pieces-of-money-advice-for-the-middle-class/

How Much Inheritance Will Ruin Your Kid?

How Much Inheritance Will Ruin Your Kid?

How Generational Wealth Impacts Productivity And Happiness

Sean Kernan

When my family lived near the Cavalier Country Club in Virginia Beach, we were the token middle-class family in the neighborhood. Many of the houses had hedged bushes, carefully carved into eccentric geometric shapes, and sports cars sitting unashamed in their driveway, announcing their owner’s achievements to all.

And despite this clear class divide, I got along great with the boys around me. Some were only 10, but had fathers that were entirely grey haired, and mothers who looked barely out of high school. I noticed the peculiarity of it but never connected the dots on what these unions meant.

Some of these boys were well-adjusted and great. Others were quite spoiled, and I often wonder what came of them. They were agitated and disobedient in school, often getting into fights on the playground.

Had wealth bestowed a sense of privilege upon them? Did they already feel exempt from the rules and any acts of discipline?

Per the Global Health Report for 2023, the United States has 22.7 million millionaires (38.2% of the global total, with China in second at 10.2%). Many of these people are well past one million and cruising into eight and nine figures of net worth. And it leaves us with an interesting predicament: Many scions of vast fortunes are quite young.

And while this might not be a problem many of you sympathize with, it should nevertheless invoke thought about how your worldly assets should be addressed with your children, or the lack thereof.

How should we think about our inheritance?

Lynn Chen-Zhang’s 8-year-old son came home from school one day and said a student asked him, “Why do you study so hard?”

Classmates were saying his parents were rich, so there was no need to work so hard. Her son was on to something. Their father, Charles Chen-Zhang, owns one of the largest financial advisory firms in the country and was already a known philanthropist.

Realizing these questions were continuing, as classmates knew of their family (mainly through gossiping parents), the Chen-Zhangs decided to sit their children down and have the money talk.

They told their two boys, “We’ll support you both in getting as much education as you’d like, but from then on, you are on your own.” Which translated to zero inheritance.

Whether this was a scare tactic or a true threat, they worked. Both sons are now thriving in their finance careers, independent of their father’s company.

This trend is common. I spoke with a peer, Matthew, who is 49 and runs a successful medium-sized business which he just sold for a substantial sum. He told me, “My children don’t even know how much money I just made. Nor do I intend to let them know.” Of note, he lives a humble life and does not flash his wealth by any means.

But most parents don’t face this severe of a dilemma. The average inheritance in the US is “only” $46,200 per census data, with 85% of inheritances being below $250,000. Which isn’t nothing.

The game changes with the ultra-wealthy

TO READ MORE:  https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/story/how-much-inheritance-will-ruin-your-kid-003747274.html

https://creators.yahoo.com/lifestyle/story/how-much-inheritance-will-ruin-your-kid-003747274.html

7 Key Signs You’re Wealthier Than You Think

7 Key Signs You’re Wealthier Than You Think

Caitlyn Moorhead  Tue, April 29, 2025 GOBankingRates

Controversial but consummately successful podcaster Joe Rogan once said he felt like he’d “made it” financially when he had enough money to eat at a restaurant at night without feeling guilty and stressed about what it cost the following day.

Rogan’s net worth is now estimated at $200 million, which is all the money in the world — unless you’re Elon Musk. That makes Rogan’s $200 million fortune he made bloviating opinions less than 0.05% of Musk’s $391 billion fortune he made buying cars and rocket ships.

The point is that how you feel about wealth is subjective and can come from many sources. In a country where more than half of all six-figure earners reportedly live paycheck to paycheck, how do you know if you’re rich, or at least richer than you think? Here are eight key signs you may be wealthier than most Americans.

You Make More Than the Median Earner

Your salary, of course, plays a significant role in your ability to accumulate wealth and has a lot to do with how you measure up to the masses.

“The median household income in the U.S. is around $75,000,” said Joel Ohman, certified financial planner and CEO of Clearsurance. “So, if you make more than that, your income is higher than half the people in the country.

“Of course, how far $75,000 takes you will depend on where you live. For example, you have a lot more buying power with $75,000 a year in Glendive, Montana, than you would in Orange County, California.”

Since the cost of living varies so dramatically from one place to the next, area median income (AMI) is a more accurate yardstick to measure your comparative wealth.

HUD Loans by commercial property financing firm Janover offers a state-by-state AMI breakdown with metro, non-metro and total AMI variants. Fannie Mae has a map-based AMI lookup tool that allows for much more granular and local detail.

You’ve Met the Standard Saving Milestones

Even the most impressive income is no indication of wealth if you spend more of it than you make, which so many high earners seem to do. The more accurate barometer, then, is how much you have in the bank.

“If you’re making higher than an average salary and have saved four times your annual income, and you’re in your 20s, you’re doing very well,” said Ohman.

Ohman’s benchmark is exceptionally high. The standard guideline is to have the equivalent of your annual salary saved by age 30, three times your salary by 40, six times by 50, eight times by 60 and 10 times by 67.

Several studies have shown that more than half the country is behind on those milestones, so even being on par with your decade’s goal lands you a spot among the more affluent half.

You’re Not Drowning in Outstanding Financial Obligations

TO READ MORE:  https://finance.yahoo.com/news/signs-wealthier-think-152349259.html

Financial Independence vs. Financial Freedom: Know the Difference, Build Both

Financial Independence vs. Financial Freedom: Know the Difference, Build Both

Jordan Rosenfeld   Sun, April 27, 2025   GOBankingRates

The terms financial independence and financial freedom are tossed around a lot when discussing goals related to security and wealth building. Do they mean the same thing? And more importantly, how do their definitions affect your financial life?

While they’re closely related — and often part of the same journey — they aren’t the same thing, according to Melissa Murphy Pavone, CFP and founder of Mindful Financial Partners.

Here’s how to understand the difference — and what it takes to build both.

Financial Independence: The ‘Enough’ Threshold

Financial independence means you’ve accumulated enough assets to cover your lifestyle without relying on traditional employment, according to Christopher Stroup, CFP and owner of Silicon Beach Financial. “It’s the foundation, as your money works for you.”

In other words, Pavone said financial independence means “work becomes a choice, not a necessity.”

Financial Freedom: Unlocking Possibility

Financial freedom builds on that foundation, Stroup said, allowing you “flexibility and control.” This could look like a variety of things, like “the ability to take a sabbatical, fund a passion project or change careers without financial pressure,” he said.

In a nutshell, “Independence provides security; freedom unlocks possibility,” Stroup said.

Financial freedom can also bring a sense of peace or ease because you can “live life on your own terms,” according to Autumn Knutson, CFP, founder of Styled Wealth and a CFP Board Ambassador.

A Real-World Scenario

To illustrate the difference, Stroup offered this example: Imagine an early employee at a growing tech company who leverages stock options, invests bonus income and avoids lifestyle creep.

“They reach financial independence in their 40s, but they achieve freedom by shifting into advisory work, traveling more, and spending time on causes they care about,” he explained.

TO READ MORE:  https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/financial-independence-vs-financial-freedom-131605427.html

Bizarrely, Gold Is The Opposite Of The Bitcoin Effect Right Now

Bizarrely, Gold Is The Opposite Of The Bitcoin Effect Right Now

Notes From the Field By James Hickman (Simon Black)  April 28, 2025

You’ve probably heard the story.

As the legend goes, on a late-summer morning in 1929, Joseph Kennedy — patriarch of the famous Kennedy family — was headed into his office in downtown New York City. As he sat for a quick shoe shine, the young boy buffing his shoes, barely a teenager, eagerly offered him stock tips.

 Kennedy listened politely, but inside, he felt a jolt of alarm.

Supposedly he rushed to his office, dumped his entire stock portfolio, and moved heavily into cash. And just weeks later the stock market collapsed.

 There’s a good chance this story isn’t true; I’ve often heard it told with Sir John Templeton in place of Joe Kennedy... and when urban legends can’t even get their protagonists straight, that’s usually a sign of fiction.

 Curiously, however, a similar thing actually happened to me.

It was March 2009— six months after the Global Financial Crisis kicked off that wiped 50% off the S&P 500.

 I was living in Punta del Este, Uruguay at the time and was coincidentally getting my shoes shined before heading to the airport for a trip to Asia.

 The shoe shiner, an elderly Uruguayan man, asked me what I did for a living. I mentioned something about finance, at which point he cautioned me to avoid the stock market.

 At that point the S&P was at its crisis-era low... and would go on to nearly 10x over the next 16 years.

 Another story that is true is from August 1979: Businessweek magazine famously declared "The Death of Equities," capturing the widespread view that stocks (which had suffered in the 1970s) would continue to languish.

Yet the stock market was just about to unleash a multi-decade bull run.

 In April 2019, the same Businessweek ran a cover asking, "Is Inflation Dead?", again capturing the popular idea that there would never be inflation again. That turned out to be 100% incorrect.

Then there was the famous Bitcoin craze in November 2017: families across America spent their Thanksgiving holidays opening up Coinbase accounts and bidding up the price of Bitcoin to its (then) all-time high. Crypto subsequently entered a multi-year bear market...

Anytime I see popular bandwagons, I become nervous. And I’m starting to see some signs of that with gold.

 One glaring signal is that Costco— which sells gold to its customers— sold out its most recent inventory of American Eagle Gold Coins in less than four days. Gold demand is surging among retail investors.

Dealers are reporting crazy volumes. The media is talking about gold daily now, whereas in the past they used to go weeks or months without a mention of gold.

 The Wall Street Journal even ran an article this past weekend entitled “How to buy gold”.

 Big investment bank analysts who, heretofore had ignored gold or been extremely bearish, are suddenly its biggest champions. Even the notorious Goldman Sachs is now projecting nearly $4,000 gold this year.

 And only a handful of analysts are bearish.

Look, we’ve been talking about gold for years... and in particular since 2023 when it became obvious that there were long-term catalysts.

It’s pretty easy to understand: central banks around the world are trading in their US dollars for gold, simply because they don’t have confidence that the dollar will last as the global reserve currency.

 And central banks don’t have a lot of options; there are only so many non-dollar asset classes that can absorb hundreds of billions of dollars worth of capital flows. Gold is one of the most convenient.

I’ve explained before that, because of these capital flow trends and catalysts, we could easily see $5,000 or even $10,000 gold over the coming years.

 But at the same time, the trend line for the gold price has been incredibly steep ever since its low in 2022. And, again, there are now signs that a retail gold mania may be forming.

I’m not saying that gold is too expensive or that it’s time to sell. These short-term market trends are extremely difficult to predict, and I tend to ignore them.

 Instead, I focus on the long-term big picture. And that’s a lot easier to see: the US fiscal situation is in major decline. The government is doing very little about it. And the rest of the world is already diversifying away from the dollar.

All of these trends are good for gold.

 Who knows what investors will do over the next few months? But over the next five years, you can make a very strong case that central banks will continue to buy gold and send the price higher.

 At the same time, I recognize that it’s difficult for some people to buy an asset when it’s at/near its all-time high... especially when it may suffer a short-term correction.

 This is why we’ve been writing about an alternative to gold; because, while gold is near its all-time high, many gold companies are still undervalued relative to gold itself.

 I’m talking about really solid, profitable gold miners trading at less than TWO times forward earnings. It’s ridiculous.

 In a way it’s the opposite of the crypto phenomenon with Microstrategy (MSTR)— the company which primarily owns and holds Bitcoin.

 Microstrategy (technically now called “Strategy”) owns 553,555 Bitcoin worth $52 billion. That’s pretty much their biggest (and nearly only) asset.

 Yet the MSTR’s market cap is $92 billion.

 In other words, the Bitcoin-related company is worth nearly double the amount of Bitcoin it holds. This makes no sense.

 With gold, it’s the opposite. Gold is near its all-time highs... but the gold-related companies are cheap and undervalued.

 Some investors are starting to notice— for example, multiple precious metals companies we have published in our investment research service have risen by 40-60%.

 One has more than doubled in price... yet is still trading at a forward multiple of just 2x.

 So, gold is bizarrely the opposite of the Bitcoin effect with Microstrategy: gold is at a record high, but gold companies are cheap. I’ll say it again— this is not going to last 

To your freedom,  James Hickman   Co-Founder, Schiff Sovereign LLC

 https://www.schiffsovereign.com/trends/bizarrely-gold-is-the-opposite-of-the-bitcoin-effect-right-now-152700/?inf_contact_key=d4ae7d46f485af16ae3e89540a8231548dcae2ba3297e07f93219ba341147496

I Grew Up Rich: 6 Money Lessons I Learned After I Lost It All

I Grew Up Rich: 6 Money Lessons I Learned After I Lost It All

G. Brian Davis  Sat, June 29, 2024

An oft-cited statistic states that 70% of wealthy families lose their riches by the second generation, and 90% lose them by the third.

Why? Because the first generation earns it, the second generation spends it and the third finds itself back at square one.

It turns out that earning money and shepherding money long term require two different skill sets. All too often, no one in any of those three generations learns how to protect and grow wealth long term.

“I grew up in a wealthy family where my grandfather was the chairman of the largest textile processing mill in our city,” explained Muhammad Ali, sales director at George Digital. “Our business, established in the 1950s, was a significant player in the industry from 1970 to 2001 … However, our fortunes drastically changed, and by 2012, my father’s income dwindled to just $300 a month.

“In 2013, amidst our financial crisis, I developed an interest in programming. Unfortunately, we couldn’t afford a laptop, and we had to live with my grandparents, along with my father’s brothers and their families. This challenging period taught me several invaluable lessons about money and resilience.

“Eventually, I was the first person among my grandfather’s children and grandchildren to get a chance to study in the U.S.

“Here are some key money lessons I learned after losing it all.”

Diversify Your Income Streams

“Our family focused solely on the textile business, and when it failed, we had no backup.

“In 2015, I came across Russell Brunson’s book ‘DotCom Secrets,’ which sparked my interest in an online business. By September 2016, Adam C. Miller introduced me to the world of digital marketing. Despite the lack of resources and guidance, I persevered, slowly learning about digital PR … I also delved into local SEO (search engine optimization) and e-commerce business models.

“After our family’s textile business shut down, there was no one to restart the hosiery textile business. However, years later, I decided to reignite this passion to continue my family legacy and started Molani Enterprises, a textile sourcing and trading company. Alongside my ventures in PR and e-commerce, reviving the textile business was a way to honor my family’s history and rebuild our presence in the industry.”

Maintain a Financial Cushion

Everyone needs an emergency fund. Whether you keep two months’ or two years’ worth of living expenses in it depends on how stable your income and expenses are, but you need that cash cushion to carry you through the inevitable nasty surprises that life throws at you.

“Always keep cash savings to cover basic living expenses and emergencies. This reserve should not be touched for business investments. This lesson was crucial for me, as I witnessed bad financial decisions during our business downfall, where more money was sunk into a failing enterprise.”

Seize Opportunities

They say that when an opportunity knocks at your door, it does so dressed up like work.

To Read More:

https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/grew-rich-6-money-lessons-210008891.html

The 7 Worst Things You Can Do If You Owe the IRS

The 7 Worst Things You Can Do If You Owe the IRS

By  Jennifer Taylor  GoBankingRates

You’re in debt to Uncle Sam. This probably isn’t a great feeling, but you have to face it.

Maybe you have the money to pay your tax bill or perhaps you don’t. If not, you have many options, so don’t take any of the following.

Using a Credit Card To Pay Your Taxes

Charging IRS debt to your credit card might be easy in the short term, but doing so can be a costly choice.

“The IRS interest rate changes quarterly, but it’s hovered around 8% in recent years,” said Brad Paladini, tax attorney and owner of Paladini Law, a tax law firm. “Credit card interest is usually around 22%, meaning that if a taxpayer uses a credit card to pay their taxes, they are paying almost three times as much in interest than if they paid the IRS directly.”

Failing To Stay in Compliance With the IRS

“The IRS is usually very willing to arrange a resolution for past-due tax debt, whether it be an installment agreement, an offer in compromise or hardship status,” Paladini said. “But the IRS requires that the taxpayer remain ‘current’ with the taxes.”

Going forward, he said this means you’ll need to file all returns on time and pay all future taxes on time.

“If the taxpayer fails to do so, she’ll default whatever arrangement was made with the IRS,” he said.

Ignoring the Problem Until It’s Too Late

“Taxpayers will know there’s an outstanding tax debt, but will ‘bury their head in the sand’ and ignore it,” Paladini said. “Eventually, the IRS will wipe out their bank accounts or garnish their wages to recoup their money.”

If it comes to this, he said it will be much harder to try and resolve than if you had proactively reached out to the IRS to settle it.

Not Understanding Your Options

If you owe money to the IRS, Paladini said, you have six payment options, including an installment agreement, offer in compromise, currently non-collectible status, penalty abatement, innocent spouse relief and bankruptcy.

“Each of these options has separate requirements,” he said. “Trying to navigate that path on your own can be extremely difficult.”

If you need help navigating what’s best for your unique situation, he said you should reach out to a tax professional.

Failing To File

“When you owe and you do not file by the tax deadline, then you will be penalized for failing to file, unless you file an extension,” said Kathy Alfaro, owner and tax strategist at Alfa Tax Service. “If you fail to file by the extension deadline, then you will pay a failure to file penalty.”

She emphasized the importance of knowing the rules.

“When you owe and you do not pay by the tax deadline, then you will be penalized for failing to pay,” she said. “There is no extension for this penalty. This is why filing an extension with a payment will help.”

To Read More:

https://www.gobankingrates.com/taxes/tax-laws/worst-things-you-can-do-if-you-owe-irs/?utm_term=related_link_1&utm_campaign=1267849&utm_source=yahoo.com&utm_content=2&utm_medium=rss

How Crooks Convinced Her To Put $17,500 Into A Bitcoin ATM To 'Secure' Her Money

How Crooks Convinced Her To Put $17,500 Into A Bitcoin ATM To 'Secure' Her Money

Susan Tompor, Detroit Free Press  Mon, April 21, 2025  USA TODAY

Stacy Hazinski received one of those annoying text messages that claimed she was about to be charged $114.02 for something she didn't buy. So she called the number, supposedly for her Apple Pay account, to make sure that she didn't get stuck with the bill.

She got stuck talking to scammers.

One simple phone call set off a scheme that ultimately enabled someone to steal her entire income tax refund and drain her savings account at a local credit union.

Filing her taxes early in the year essentially meant little, she told me at her Michigan condo, because now she has nothing to show for it.

She's out $17,500 in all.

Scammers convince you to take cash to a bitcoin ATM

Her story highlights one huge red flag that consumers must watch out for these days — how scammers are convincing you to take cash to a crypto ATM at the local party store, gas station or grocery.

Con artists deceive people with backstories on how they can protect their money or avoid trouble by depositing money in a cryptocurrency ATM.

How to protect yourself: Scam losses worldwide this year are $1 trillion

The crooks — who might pretend to be from Apple, Google, an Internet service provider or even law enforcement — do their research and know where these ATMs are in your neighborhood. They'll tell you to withdraw cash from the bank and give you directions to one of these crypto ATMs.

The crooks even go so far as to call bitcoin ATMS “safety lockers," according to regulators.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel issued a consumer alert April 8 to warn residents about scammers using bitcoin ATMs to defraud consumers.

“Because money sent through bitcoin ATMs is nearly impossible to recover and these machines lack oversight and regulation, they have become an attractive option for criminals engaged in fraud and money laundering,” Nessel said in a statement.

Millions of dollars lost in scams at crypto ATMs

Consumers lost $66 million to crypto ATM fraud in the first six months of 2024, according to the Federal Trade Commission. The actual number is likely much higher as such types of fraud often go unreported, according to the FTC. The FTC said the losses involving these ATMs increased dramatically from $12 million in 2020 to $114 million for all of 2023.

People 60 and over were more than three times as likely as younger adults to report a loss using a bitcoin ATM in the first half of 2024, according to FTC data.

Once the money is deposited into bitcoin, experts warn, it is transferred quickly, making it often impossible to track. Your bank is unlikely to reimburse you because you withdrew the money on your own.

The con artists had her running scared to the ATM

Hazinski, 51, heard slew of scary stories on Feb. 28 — starting with a guy named John from Apple and switching over to a guy named Eric who claimed to be from her credit union — on how scammers were in the process of getting their hands on her federal income tax refund, as well as the rest of her savings.

As part of the scam, she was told by the guy who claimed to be an employee at the credit union that she would need to transfer her cash into a "security" account to protect her savings from someone who was about to send her money into an account at www.poker.com.

What? Why was her money going to cover some online poker tournament? She got terribly nervous, especially since her savings was limited after she had been out of work for a few months.

"And I said, 'I don't gamble,' " Hazinski recalls.

She said she wasn't using her refund to play poker — and she wasn't about to let someone else use her money, either.

"It was so stressful," Hazinski said.

Scammers stayed on the phone to tell her what to do next

TO READ MORE:   https://www.yahoo.com/news/crooks-convinced-her-put-17-212854190.html

What An NBA All-Star Learned After Going From Millions To Bankruptcy

'The money came so fast': What An NBA All-Star Learned After Going From Millions To Bankruptcy

Sara BelcherPodcast Writer   Mon, April 21, 2025  Yahoo Finance

As a three-time NBA All-Star and former NBA Champion, Antoine Walker is one of the best basketball players of the 1990s and early 2000s. But his early success came with some difficult financial lessons.

Walker was signed to the Boston Celtics at just 19 years old. Throughout his 13-year athletic career, it's estimated he earned as much as $108 million — a large portion of which came from a six-year $71 million contract he signed at just 21.

"The money came so fast without the education," Walker told Ross Mac on the Financial Freestyle podcast (see video above or listen below).

Walker partly attributes his lack of financial education to the decisions that ultimately led him to file for bankruptcy in 2010.

Though he became debt-free just three years later, the former professional athlete now talks openly about his financial mistakes and offers advice for others to learn from them.

"I think it's my job to kind of use the things that I did wrong and just help [others] out," Walker said, addressing the challenges of newly minted professional athletes and those who come into wealth quickly.

"I know the things that they want to do," he said. "I know the things that they're buying. I know the things that they're overlooking. ... I try to put that back in their face and understand that this basketball career or any sports career is going to be short-lived, and you got a whole life to live after your career is over with."

TO READ MORE:  https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/the-money-came-so-fast-what-an-nba-all-star-learned-after-going-from-millions-to-bankruptcy-215432482.html

How to Find Your Money ‘Why’

How to Find Your Money ‘Why’

By Katherine Fusco

There are lots of reasons to spend money, some good, some bad, most compelling. Of course, this is by design.  Not spending money, though… that’s a trickier thing. The reasons not to spend—or to save, if you’d like to put it more positively—are often vague, rooted in a fuzzy sense of what one should do.

When people are tired or temptations are especially aggressive (hello, holiday season!), the vague thought: I should pay off my debt, crumbles in the face of beautiful store displays or delicious scents wafting from strategically open bakery doors.

More than this, advertising often appeals to our sense of self, frequently tying products to concepts or feelings that we truly believe in. How many bath bombs have been purchased on credit cards in the name of self-care? How many unused vitamins and supplements under the name of wellness?

Pink things for breast cancer awareness? Maybe an embarrassment of water bottles and reusable bags under the name of environmentalism, even though the environmental thing would be shopping less overall? Against all these compelling, ego-supporting reasons to shop, the vague adulting calls to save more and spend less don’t stand a chance.

Just as advertisers know to tap into your sense of self through fairly specific identity appeals—Are you a dog-loving hiker? Here’s a four-wheel-drive station wagon—you can also meet your own financial needs by developing your own money mantra, or “why.”

The importance of considering our feelings and values when it comes to money has gained traction in the field of economics. As the journal Applied Economics reports, “individualized cultural values measures do indeed explain part of the financial behavior of households.” Becoming more concretely aware of cultural, familial and personal values might thus be an important key to better personal finance.

Here are a few techniques to use for getting in touch with your money “why”:

1. Tap into your core values.

What’s most important to you? Unlike with the next two exercises, you’re allowed to be a bit vague here. You might find yourself naming things like “beauty,” “health,” “community,” “family” or even something grander, like “justice.” Faced with spending decisions, you might ask yourself whether a purchase supports your core values. Now, sometimes the answer is an obvious “no.

” This new lip-gloss/headset/hamburger does not contribute to social justice. But sometimes advertisers will attempt to target your core values in sneaky ways. For example, a fuel-efficient car seems like a truly environmental choice; however, it’s not as environmental as simply not buying something.

In her book Loaded, behavioral economist Sarah Newcomb writes about these values in terms of “needs” and explains that the infamous “latte factor” can in fact be scratching the need for “social connection.” If you enjoy visiting your local coffee shop.

If this is the case, then simply saying, “I’m cutting the coffee” isn’t going to work, because the latte was never just about the caffeine hit to begin with; it was about the bond with the other regulars at the coffee shop. As you spend time reflecting on your values, start listing low-cost and free ways of sustaining them.

For example, if you feel advertisements for green juice are exploiting your value of “good health,” turn to your list of other habits and consider a vigorous workout or make a water-drinking chart for yourself in your notebook. You may still get the “hit” of supporting what you value without the hit to your wallet.

2. Do the priority exercise.

Prioritization can be a painful practice because it involves choosing one option above all others. Not wanting to make such choices can be part of how we end up in consumer debt.

TO READ MORE: https://www.success.com/how-to-find-your-money-why/

7 Ways To Recession-Proof Your Savings

7 Ways To Recession-Proof Your Savings

Protect your money by taking these seven steps.

Kat Tretina   Updated Tue, April 15, 2025  Yahoo Personal Finance

2025 has been off to a rocky start. Consumer confidence has plummeted thanks to persistent inflation, market volatility, and other challenges created by the new administration's aggressive tariff policies. Now, we can add recession concerns to the list.

According to the latest CNBC CFO Council quarterly survey, 60% of CFOs expect a recession in the second half of the year, while another 15% say a recession will hit in 2026. In early April, global investment bank Goldman Sachs also raised its estimate of the likelihood of a U.S. recession from 35% to 45%.

Although the country is not in a recession yet, there's a good chance it could be in the next few months. Taking some steps now can help you recession-proof your savings and protect your finances.

What Is A Recession?

A recession is a term that inspires fear in politicians, economists, and business owners, but what does it really mean? Although precise definitions vary, the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) — a private, nonprofit organization that analyzes economic conditions — defines a recession as a period of significant economic decline that lasts for several months.

The NBER looks for several factors to determine if a recession has occurred, such as higher unemployment rates, home prices and sales, stock market declines, and wages.

Recessions are a natural and unavoidable part of the economic cycle. In fact, there have been over a dozen recessions since World War II. The most recent recession was in the spring of 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic affected the country.

In general, recessions occur every few years, and they typically last for about 10 months.

7 Ways To Recession-Proof Your Savings

During a recession, you may experience the following issues:

• Savings interest rates may decline: To stimulate the economy and encourage spending, the Federal Reserve will often slash rates. As a result, loans will become less expensive, but the rates on deposit accounts — such as savings accounts and certificates of deposit (CDs) — will also decline. That means any money you have saved will grow at a much slower pace.

• Earnings may stagnate: During a recession, unemployment levels are up, and workers' wages tend to stagnate, so you may not qualify for a raise. Many businesses also initiate layoffs.

• Lenders may tighten their standards: During a recession, lenders often institute stricter lending requirements for borrowers, making it more difficult to qualify for new credit or loans.

To minimize the impact of a recession on your financial well-being, follow these steps:

TO READ MORE:  https://www.yahoo.com/finance/personal-finance/banking/article/recession-proof-savings-181158511.html

Government Impersonation Scams On The Rise

Government Impersonation Scams On The Rise

Christy Bieber Fri, April 18, 2025  Moneywise

This California man lost everything when phone scammers pretended to be US Marshals. Here's what they said

The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office has Southern Californians on the alert for a new strain of phone scams that cost one Ojai resident his life savings.

Someone claiming to be a law enforcement agent with the United States Marshals Service called him and told him to send all his money to an out-of-state location.

As KTLA 5 reports, after the Ojai man complied with the instructions, he met with local police and discovered he’d been conned.

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The Sheriff’s Office issued a release warning people to be wary of this and other scams involving government impersonation.

Government Impersonation Scams On The Rise

Their warning is relevant nationwide, as a growing number of con artists impersonating government agents are scamming Americans out of their hard-earning savings.

Last year, the U.S. Marshals Service warned of a spike in similar scams in Cincinnati, as reported on the local station WLWT 5.

Of course, government impersonation scams aren’t limited to phone calls.

In 2023, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (ICC) reported a spike of more than 60% in online government impersonation scams that robbed 14,190 people — the majority of them older adults — of more than $390 million in savings.

What Can You Do If You're Scammed?

If you’re the victim of an impersonation scam (whether it’s someone posing as a federal agent, IT professional or a bank rep) you can try to get your money back.

But it’s important to act fast.

The Federal Trade Commision advises that you immediately attempt to stop payment or reverse the financial transaction.

TO READ MORE:  https://www.yahoo.com/news/california-man-lost-everything-phone-203000550.html