Help Today’s Self
Help Today’s Self
Adam M. Grossman December 13, 2020
SO MUCH OF PERSONAL finance is focused on our future self—and that’s a challenge. Think about the standard prescriptions: Open an IRA. Maximize your 401(k). Save for college. Save for retirement. Build an estate plan.
These are all about the future—often the very distant future. An enormous amount of time and energy is spent planning for “someday.” But it’s equally important to focus on things that can be done to benefit you today. As we head into year-end, it’s a good time to conduct some financial housekeeping along those lines. Here are eight recommendations:
1. Organization. Over the course of a career, it’s not uncommon to wind up with a collection of financial accounts, including multiple IRAs and 401(k)s from old jobs. Often these can be combined, making your finances simpler to monitor and manage. But this doesn’t always happen—and not just because folks are deterred by the paperwork involved. Another reason: Many people don’t even realize it’s possible. Fortunately, the IRS provides this handy chart showing exactly which accounts can and can’t be merged together.
2. Spending (part I). In his 1758 book, The Way to Wealth, Ben Franklin wrote, “Beware of little expenses. A small leak will sink a great ship.” He was ahead of his time. In recent years, more and more companies have refashioned their business models around small, recurring charges. Think Netflix and Spotify. Many of these services are great, but it’s easy to lose track of the little charges and to continue paying for services you no longer use. Fortunately, there’s a growing number of solutions. Credit cards like Discover offer a “recurring payments dashboard.” A number of apps can help you identify and cancel old accounts.
3. Charitable giving. A few years back, a longstanding pillar of the tax code changed. As of 2018, deductions for state and local taxes were curtailed, while the standard deduction was substantially increased. Result? Many people who used to itemize deductions, and therefore receive a deduction for every dollar given to charity, are now covered by the standard deduction. This means they no longer receive an incremental tax benefit from charitable donations. This has led many people to adopt an every-other-year strategy for donations.
This year is an exception, however. A provision in the coronavirus-related CARES Act offers a special onetime “above the line” deduction for a cash donation of up to $300. “Above the line” means that everyone can benefit. The upshot: Even if you no longer itemize your deductions on your tax return, be sure to let your accountant know if you’ve made charitable contributions.
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Debt management: How To Avoid Common, But Costly, Money Mistakes
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Americans are carrying more debt than ever before. Total household balances now approach $19 trillion, reflecting a steady increase over the past decade.1 In 2025, millennials in their mid-30s held roughly twice as much nonhousing debt—including student loans, auto loans, and credit card debt—as baby boomers did at a similar age.2
9 Ways Retirement Will Be Different in 2026
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Retirement may seem like the most stable period of your life, with no work demands, no kids to cart around and lots of free time. But this dynamic new chapter comes with its own twists and turns. Your lifestyle, expectations and finances continue to change. And in 2026, big shifts are coming — from Social Security payments and Medicare expenses to how you save and spend.
12 Key Habits for Achieving Financial Freedom
Set yourself on the path to saving with these habits
By Matt Danielsson Updated March 06, 2026
Key Takeaways
Set financial goals and create a plan to achieve them.
Make and stick to a budget covering all financial needs.
Pay off credit cards monthly and minimize debt.
Automate savings with an emergency fund and retirement contributions.
U.S. consumers can request a free annual credit report from major agencies.
The Seven Deadly Sins Of Personal Finance
By J.D. Roth —03 June 2019
I've been reading and writing about personal finance for more than thirteen years. In that time, I've consumed a lot of books about money. Lately, I've found that it's fun to revisit old favorites.
Recently, for instance, I've been re-reading Brett Wilder's The Quiet Millionaire [my review]. It's different than most personal finance books. It's targeted at those who are farther along their financial journeys rather than at those just starting out. Still, there are bits and pieces in The Quiet Millionaire that are applicable to everyone.
5 Reasons Not to Use Debit Cards When You Shop Online
By Holly Johnson.
Many consumers use their debit cards for everything they buy. Using debit instead of paying with a credit card can help you avoid the potential for debt. The money is taken out of your bank account directly and immediately, so there’s little chance to spend more than you have, unlike using a credit card.
5 Pieces of Financial Advice to Avoid at All Costs
Suze Orman on the commonly accepted money tips it pays to ignore.
By Suze Orman
Bad financial information doesn't come only from scammers; even our loved ones can unwittingly steer us wrong. That's why knowing what not to do with your money is often your biggest asset. In general, there are two little words that should set off everybody's suspicion meter: Trust me. Anyone who gives you this line—whether a financial adviser or your significant other—is disrespecting you.
Powerball Winner Wished He 'Tore Up Ticket' After $315m Jackpot Destroyed Him
Story by Liam McInerney
The world's largest lottery is launching in the UK this week - offering a fortunate British player the chance to become more than £300million ($400m) wealthier. Powerball, an American lottery game, awards massive jackpots that are distributed over a 30-year period.
Today (July 23) marks the inaugural UK draw with an estimated top prize exceeding £300m - the biggest jackpot ever made available in Britain. Allwyn, which operates the National Lottery, has opened the game to UK participants, who will be entering alongside American players.
No Such Thing as Enough Money
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How much money is enough?
It’s a philosophical money question that often arises out of discontent. We see someone of substantial means, like a celebrity, live a troubled life. Or, we ourselves experience great fortune yet feel unhappy.
It makes us wonder where the finish line is, the point when you can stop striving for more and settle into a life of satisfaction.
The Relationship Between Money and Marriage
Jacob Schroeder Oct 12, 2021
I love scotch; she hates it.
There are many things my wife and I don't agree on, but money isn't one of them. We are intentional spenders, buying only what mutually aligns with our needs or values. For instance, disinterested in paying for the trappings of an ostentatious wedding, we tied the knot at New York's City Hall; our reception was watching our first son play at a public playground in the East Village on a warm fall afternoon.
We've been happily together for 16 years, which makes me wonder: Does love make the financial side of marriage work, or is it the other way around?
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When the euro launched on January 1, 1999, it was sold as the future. It would be a single currency to knit Europe together — to wipe out the exchange-rate friction between member states, complete the continent's single market, and bind a dozen squabbling nations into one economic bloc with one money.
And in the grander ambitions of its architects, it was meant to do something more: to grow up into a true global currency, the first serious rival the US dollar had faced since World War II.
Experts Say This Is A Key Sign You Have An Unhealthy Relationship With Money
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When it comes to money and budgeting, it’s often easier said than done. You may have the best of intentions — you’ll eat out less this month and put the money into your savings account instead. But then life happens. Just like working through any other life, fitness, or wellness issue, a little introspection is often the ticket. If you want to get your finances back in order, a financial psychologist or money mindset coach can help. It all starts with getting your head in the right place.
Green Policy is Deadlier Than Guns
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Every year around this time, a silent killer sneaks its way onto European shores and slaughters people by the tens of thousands. Last year, it killed more people in just three months than the number of civilians killed in the war in Ukraine all year. It killed three times as many people as traffic accidents do. And it killed FOUR times more Europeans than gun violence killed in America. I'm not talking about COVID. Or even the legions of migrants invading the continent.
4 Bad Habits That Could Affect Your Money More Than Tariffs and Inflation
Written by Chris Adam GoBankingRates
The Trump administration’s discussions about tariffs and inflation have led many consumers to question how well they’re prepared for the future regarding their finances. After all, some experts have raised concerns that tariffs could lead to higher prices on products and services people use each day.
But there may be a way to protect personal finances that has little to do with moves by the White House.
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Money Can Now Be Turned Over To State. Secure your money ASAP
Katelyn Fugate thought she was doing something nice for her young son. A few years back, she opened a savings account for him — a small starter fund he could build on one day. Recently, she decided to check in on it.
The balance was zero. Fugate told Scripps News she went to check the balance hoping to start adding to it again. Instead, she found the account empty. (1) The bank had declared it dormant after five years of inactivity, closed it and shipped the money off to the state's unclaimed funds department. Worse, when Fugate went looking for it, she couldn't find the money at the bank or the state.
5 Steps To Master Your Money
Simple strategies to help fund your future.
Fidelity Viewpoints
Key takeaways
Define clear goals and make a plan to help guide your financial decisions.
Set up automatic transfers to help boost your savings and keep you on track.
Build up your emergency savings to cover unexpected essential expenses