ArcaMax

At this time of year, I like to reflect on larger trends and then highlight lessons that we can take to the following year. To sum up 2024, think of the letter I, as in i-nflation, i-nterest rates, and i-nvestments, which dominated headlines.

Although the rate of inflation retreated from the post-COVID peak of 9.1 percent annually, consumers ...Read more

Something interesting is emerging when it comes to the next chapter of the inflation story.

For context, in the decade before COVID-19, the annual inflation rate (as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI)) ran at about 2 percent. When the global economy shut down and commerce essentially halted due to the pandemic, the annual inflation rate...Read more

Recently, bitcoin crossed a major milestone: $100,000. This event caused me to take a walk down memory lane. The first bitcoin story that I covered for CBS News was in 2013, when it rose above $1,000...from $13 at the beginning of the year!

Back then, people like me were warning that crypto, which was largely unregulated, could be used for ...Read more

Warren Buffett made headlines recently when he released a letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders. The 94-year-old “Oracle of Omaha” didn’t highlight his multi-decade investing results, rather he used this communication to detail ongoing philanthropic plans for his vast fortune, now valued at almost $150 billion.

Buffett donated an ...Read more

The retail holiday season is well under way, and in the weeks ahead, we are going to learn whether or not consumers feel as glum about the economy as they said they did, prior to the election. (An October Gallup poll found that just over half of Americans said that they are worse off today than they were four years ago.)

Early estimates are for...Read more

Taking a cue from the nation’s retailers, let’s start the holiday season before Thanksgiving. Of course, unlike them, I am trying to help you save or make money, not spend it!

Here are year-end money moves to consider:

Use the IRS's Withholding Estimator to ensure that you have set aside enough money to pay your tax bill in April. If not, ...Read more

The election is behind us and the immediate investor reaction to Trump 2.0 was overwhelmingly positive. On the day after the election, the S&P 500 was up 2.5 percent, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 3.6%, the NASDAQ Composite gained 2.95%, and the Russell 2000 index of small company stocks surged 5.8%.

The quick take is that a Trump ...Read more

By the time you read this, Election Day will be over, but the economy will continue to do its thing. Although various reports have painted a picture of a solid economy on strong footing, you would not know that if you saw a recent Gallup poll, which found that more than half of Americans (52 percent) say they and their family are worse off today...Read more

It’s benefit enrollment period for health care coverage and before your eyes glaze over, consider this: Most of us likely spend more time comparing prices in the grocery store than reviewing our benefit enrollment packages for 2025.

A whopping 154 million Americans are covered through workplace plans, and according to the Kaiser Family ...Read more

It’s National Estate Planning Awareness Week, an opportunity for me to goad/guilt you into addressing this tough to embrace, but necessary task.

Before you say, “that’s just for rich people,” remember that we all have possessions — they may not have huge monetary value, but they are still meaningful. We also have opinions about ...Read more

Prices accelerated in September, though the overall inflation rate continued to drift lower. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) was up 2.4 percent from a year earlier, the smallest 12-month increase since February 2021. Some of the details of the report were more important than usual.

Although consumers complain about food costs, food at home is up...Read more

For the 45th consecutive month, the U.S. economy added jobs, but could the streak be at risk?

In September, there were 254,000 new positions created, about 100,000 more than analysts had expected, and the previous two months were revised higher. The results put the three-month job creation average at 185,000.

The unemployment rate edged lower ...Read more

My inbox has piled up, which means that it’s time for a column devoted to your questions. If you have one — or a comment about a recent article — just send an email to: askjill@jillonmoney.com.

Question: I manage my own investments but have also hired a fee only CFP to help with my overall planning and also to keep me on track. She is ...Read more