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While there's no universal minimum credit score to rent an apartment, landlords generally prefer applicants with a good credit score, which is at least 670. How to improve your credit score for rentingIf your credit score isn't stellar right now, don't worry. The average credit score of a Gen Z consumer is 680 compared to the average baby boomer's credit score of 745. Credit builder loans and rent reporting companies can help you add credit history to your credit report. Frequently asked questions about apartment credit score requirementsCan you rent an apartment if you do not have credit?

Persons: —, TransUnion, Kendall Meade, Jay Zigmont, Jennifer, Read Organizations: Fair, Childfree, Business, Yahoo, Finance, CBS, MSNBC, CNBC, Forbes, Black Enterprise, USA, The Johns Hopkins University Carey School of Business, Business Journalists Locations: AnnualCreditReport.com, SoFi, Chevron, America, TheGrio, New York City

☆ 'Childless cat lady' is a more common lifestyle choice. Here's what being child-free means for your money
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-24 | by ( Jessica Dickler | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The stigma of the "childless cat lady" persists, but these days, more young adults are embracing that label and opting out of parenthood — and benefitting, at least monetarily. Nearly a quarter, or 23%, of millennials and Generation Zers without children do not plan on having children, primarily due to financial reasons, according to a recent consumer spending and saving index by MassMutual. A preference for financial freedom and the inability to afford children are equally cited by 43% of younger generations, MassMutual found. Since the 1970s, the overall share of married adults has declined and fewer couples are having children, according to a 2023 report from Pew Research Center. Although there is a financial benefit, "it's not like you are child-free and checks fall out of the sky," said Jay Zigmont, author of "The Childfree Guide to Life and Money."

Persons: Taylor Swift, Kamala Harris, MassMutual, Pew, Jay Zigmont Organizations: Democratic, Finance, Pew Research Center Locations: Bath, England, U.S

It's also for that reason that the best savings account bonuses are typically smaller than checking account offerings. How bank account bonuses workEarning a bank account bonus is typically a straightforward process. Benefits of bank account bonusesYou can earn a cash bonus when you open a bank account just by completing the bank's promotional requirements. How to maximize the value of bank account bonusesYour greatest risk of not earning a bank bonus is misunderstanding the conditions set by the bank. Common Bank Account Bonus FAQsWhat should I look for in a bank account bonus offer?

Persons: Banks, You've, Jay Zigmont, It's, it's, doesn't, Zigmont, you've Organizations: Childfree, Chevron

If you choose to forgo life insurance, it might still make sense to include an unmarried partner in a will. Compare life insurance rates online with Ethos Life. If so, then you may need life insurance. Term life insurance is a better choice for most individuals since they don't need coverage for their entire lives. Get Life Insurance Quotes Compare the best life insurance companies with a quote from Ethos Life.

Persons: —, Justin Pritchard, doesn't, Pritchard, Jay Zigmont Organizations: Service, CFP, Childfree

While there's no universal minimum credit score to rent an apartment, landlords generally prefer applicants with a good credit score, which is at least 670. While your credit score will suffice for some landlords, under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, landlords are also allowed to view your credit reports. The average credit score of a Gen Z consumer is 680 compared to the average baby boomer's credit score of 745. Though these services won't directly help you build credit, keeping track of your credit score is a crucial part of the credit building process. Apartment credit score requirements frequently asked questionsCan you rent an apartment if you do not have credit?

Persons: —, TransUnion, Kendall Meade, Jay Zigmont, Will, Jamela Adam, Read Organizations: Fair, Childfree, Forbes, . News, Mint Intuit Locations: AnnualCreditReport.com, SoFi, Chevron

☆ 36-year-old quit her job to write novels—how she and her husband are making it work on one salary
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-28 | by ( Ryan Ermey | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Soon after they got married in 2022, Heather MacLean and Scott Kyrish decided they needed a financial advisor. "We were both making good money, and we realized we were just putting it in savings," says MacLean. "It didn't take long before Jay started trying to convince me to quit my job," MacLean says. She was making about $52,000 a year and her husband had recently received a salary bump from about $65,000 to about $80,000. "I remembered how much I loved it and thought, 'Maybe I'll give this a shot and see if it can turn into something,'" MacLean says.

Persons: Heather MacLean, Scott Kyrish, MacLean, Kyrish, How's, Jay Zigmont, Zigmont, Jay, NaNoWriMo, She's Locations: Rock , Texas, Hale Harbor

☆ This underused savings tool could earn you guaranteed 5.5% interest—but you'll want to act quickly
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Mike Winters | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

With CDs, you deposit a specific amount of money for a fixed period of time — months or years — at a guaranteed rate of interest. While you can't prematurely withdraw those funds without paying a penalty, the trade-off is that CDs tend to offer higher interest rates than most savings accounts. That's much higher than the average annual percentage yield you'll find for traditional savings accounts, which was 0.57% as of Jan. 16, 2024, per Bankrate. While high-yield savings might offer APRs more comparable to CDs, you can often find CDs with slightly higher rates. Some CDs also offer higher yields than one-year Treasury bonds, which are comparably safe investments.

Persons: Gen Zers, Jay Zigmont Organizations: Federal Reserve, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Childfree

☆ Not having children 'breaks' traditional financial planning, says CFP—8 money rules for childfree people
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Ryan Ermey | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

If you don't have children — and don't plan on having any — the normal rules of personal finance don't necessarily apply to you. Unless you have major financial obligations your spouse couldn't bear if you died, "it's very rare that childfree people will need life insurance," says Zigmont. Another major consideration: long-term care insurance. "[Considering long-term care insurance] something I want people to be doing by about their mid-forties. And the reason for that is that's when long-term care insurance is the most reasonable.

Persons: Jay Zigmont, Dave Ramsey, Zigmont, childfree, —, It's, Dad You've, You'll Organizations: Genworth, Medicaid

☆ Adjustable-rate mortgages are making a comeback
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Meanwhile, the average rate for a kind of adjustable rate mortgage — a 5/1 ARM — dropped to 6.33% from 6.49%. (Freddie Mac, which provides an average that CNN covers weekly, does not track interest rates for adjustable rate mortgages). When Treasury yields go up, so do mortgage rates; when they go down, mortgage rates tend to follow. Fixed rate vs ARMWhile the overwhelming share of loans are still fixed-rate mortgages, ARMs are becoming more attractive in the current higher-rate environment. Generally, homeowners with higher mortgage rates will pay more in interest rather than principal for a longer time than those with lower interest rates.

Persons: —, Freddie Mac, ”, Bob Broeksmit, Melissa Cohn, Cohn, National Association of Home Builders —, ” Cohn, Kaylin Dillon, Jay Zigmont, ’ ” Zigmont, you’re Organizations: DC CNN, Mortgage, Association, CNN, “, ARM, Fed, Federal Reserve, William, Treasury, Mortgage Bankers Association, National Association of Realtors, National Association of Home Builders, Childfree Locations: Washington, Israel, Kansas, Mississippi

I've been worried about how inflation will affect my money, so I asked financial planners. I decided to find financial advisors who can give me their advice on what to do with my cash. "The combination of inflation and rising interest rates mean that debt will be taking a much bigger bite out of most people," says Zigmont. He says average credit card interest rates are expected to rise. "When interest rates rise, bond prices decline due to the fact that new bonds will be issued offering higher interest payments," says Tolitsky.

Persons: I've, they've, Eric Brotman, Marigny, Brotman, Cash, Jay Zigmont, doesn't, Get, deMauriac, Haley Tolitsky Organizations: Service, overspending Locations: Wall, Silicon

☆ What Is Cash Value Life Insurance and Is It Worth It?
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-09 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: +10 min

What is cash value life insurance? Although you’ll see insurance companies advertise various life insurance products, all policies can be divided into two categories: term and cash value. How your policy’s cash value worksCash value life insurance is so named because of its ability to build cash value. Types of cash value coverageThere are two main types of cash value insurance:Whole lifeWhole life insurance is the most popular form of cash value insurance. Universal lifeUniversal life policies are more flexible than whole life policies.

Persons: Kat Tretina, you’re, PolicyGenius, Jay Zigmont, “, they’re, ” Zigmont, Andrew Latham, you’ll, ”, Latham Organizations: Universal, American Council of Locations: Water Valley, Miss, Santa Ana, Calif

Debt-settlement companies negotiate with credit card companies on your behalf when you have multiple missed paymentsDebt-settlement companies work as go-betweens that negotiate with your creditors to reduce or eliminate the amount you owe. Mitchell's credit card debt spun out of control because of compound interestLike many Americans, the source of Mitchell's money problems was too much credit card debt. Without refinancing or outside help, it can be practically impossible to get out of credit card debt. A common strategy to get out of credit card debt faster is to refinance your debt into a personal loan with simple interest. "When you are seriously overdue on credit card debt, usually 90 days or more, you may be able to negotiate to pay off your debt for less.

Garcia tells Insider, "I was inputting some numbers into a retirement calculator, and it let me put in my age. Pros Check mark icon A check mark. Low annual fee for investment accounts; crypto trust investments available Check mark icon A check mark. Tax-loss harvesting Check mark icon A check mark. Mobile app and investing and retirement tools Check mark icon A check mark.

The Biden administration has extended the student loan repayment pause into 2023. Insider's Featured Student Loan Refinance Companies SoFi Student Loan RefinancingSplash Financial Student Loan RefinancingEarnest Student Loan Refinancing Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. If you make student loan payments during the pause, all the money goes toward reducing the principal. Here's how much you could have saved had you continued to make regular student loan payments throughout the duration of the repayment pause. "When student loan payments start again, many are in for a rough time," Zigmont said.

"It takes off the table the risk that the Fed will have to overtighten and break the economy." The inflation data prompted traders to adjust their rate hike bets, with odds of a 50-basis point rate hike in December jumping to more than 80% from 52% before the data was released. The CBOE volatility index (.VIX), also known as Wall Street's fear gauge, fell to a near two-month low of 23.4 points. Wall Street's main indexes have suffered sharp losses this year as investors feared the U.S. central bank's aggressive rate hikes to tame decades-high inflation will tip the economy into recession. The S&P index recorded 13 new 52-week highs and no new low, while the Nasdaq recorded 70 new highs and 93 new lows.

☆ 3 Markets rejoice after surprisingly cool inflation report
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +9 min

YUNG-YU MA, CHIEF INVESTMENT STRATEGIST, BMO WEALTH MANAGEMENT, CHICAGO“The better-than-expected CPI numbers are welcome but show a lot of underlying volatility. What Powell said is that we are going to need a few more reads on good CPI data before he can say we’re done." Shelter is the main contributor to inflation and everyone should know by now that it’s a garbage indicator of where inflation is headed. ART HOGAN, CHIEF MARKET STRATEGIST, B. RILEY WEALTH, NEW YORK"A softer than expected inflation report is acting as a tailwind for markets. “The good news is that we saw a significant sequential improvement, inflation is clearly moving in the right direction.

☆ A 40-year-old physical therapist got $222,000 in student loans forgiven through PSLF and used 2 tax strategies to pay as little as possible along the way
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Leo Aquino | Read More | Read Less | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Pros Check mark icon A check mark. Low annual fee for investment accounts; crypto trust investments available Check mark icon A check mark. Tax-loss harvesting Check mark icon A check mark. Mobile app and investing and retirement tools Check mark icon A check mark. Retirement contributions work to lower AGI in a similar way.

☆ If you're not planning to have kids, you can rethink 'the whole foundation' of your financial plan
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( Ryan Ermey | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

"Most, if not all, financial rules of thumb assume you have kids," says Jay Zigmont, a certified financial planner and author of "Portraits of Childfree Wealth." Take the possibility of kids out of the equation, and "the whole foundation of your financial plan changes." If you're still aiming for traditional financial landmarks, such as retiring at 65, you may be following someone else's financial "life script" that doesn't match up with your goals, Zigmont says. Here are three strategies Zigmont, who specializes in advising childfree clients, says childfree people can employ, even though they deviate from the standard advice. And to be clear, just because you're not spending your money on children doesn't mean it's OK to abandon core financial principles altogether.

I want to retire before I'm 50 — I'm in my 30s now — so I asked financial planners how to mitigate risk. In order to make sure I'm managing as much risk now as possible, here's what financial planners say I need to consider if I want to retire early as a millionaire. As I continue to grow my investment portfolio, financial planner Evon Mendrin says that it's a good idea to diversify my portfolio even further to help with risk. Secure the right insuranceWhen planning for the future, it's easy to forget what we need right now to handle any potential financial emergencies. By the time you reach 50, either have a plan for long-term care out of your retirement funds or a long-term care insurance policy in place."

Consolidating credit card debt refers to the process of taking out a new loan to merge credit card payments into a single payment. Transfer debt to a balance transfer credit cardIf your credit is strong, you may be able to leverage one of the best balance transfer credit cards as a tool to consolidate credit card debt. Ultimately, you're using a credit card to pay down credit card debt, which can be a slippery slope. So if you're struggling with credit card debt, you may consider borrowing against your 401(k) to consolidate credit card debt. Sign up for a debt management planIf your credit card debt feels impossible and you're considering bankruptcy, you might want to consider a debt management plan first.

I asked financial advisors to share common setbacks to gaining a 7-figure net worth they've seen. Ignoring the backdoor Roth IRA option and being too risky with investments can set you back. That's why I asked some of the best financial advisors to share what the biggest setbacks they've seen clients experience trying to make it to that level. Advertisement"A Mega Backdoor Roth IRA allows high-income taxpayers to create a permanently tax-free Roth IRA, even if their incomes exceed the amount for traditional Roth ownership," said Colvert. "The last thing you want is an accident to put your hard-earned net worth at risk."

Persons: Roth, —, I've, Brian Colvert, Colvert, Billy Mondor, Mondor, Jay Zigmont, Christy Matzen, Matzen Organizations: Service, IRA, Roth

I talked to advisors about what successful strategies they saw clients use to build wealth in 2021. Using an HSA, living below their means, and setting clear money goals were some of their responses. As I reflect on this year, I was curious to hear the successful strategies others used to build their wealth. "Wanting to build wealth is not enough," said Zigmont. Financial advisor Andrew Lokenauth said that a common thing he sees with successful clients is that they are living below their means.

Persons: —, Ronit Rogoszinski, Jay Zigmont, Andrew Lokenauth, Brian Berkenhoff Organizations: Service Locations: United States

I asked a few financial advisors if they had any tips for creating a foolproof budget plan for 2022. Analyze the areas where you spend the mostOne of the very first things I'm going to do is run a full analysis on my spending habits. As for online shopping, Zigmont recommends getting a prepaid debit card for that one purpose and refilling it each month. "Building financial habits takes time, so start with commitment and stick to a routine," said Walsh. Advertisement"Start the year off right with a savings plan," said Ellis.

Persons: —, Jay Zigmont, Zigmont, Scott Hasting, Brian Walsh, you've, Walsh, Erin Ellis, Ellis Organizations: Service

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