Good morning. The financial decisions that feel the most straightforward are sometimes the ones worth looking at twice. Today's three stories are a good reminder of that.
On The Money Today:
Why the 4% retirement rule may be leaving money — and experiences — on the table
For retirees ready to downsize, the rent vs. own math is worth running again
A Chicago woman lost $5,000 without handing over her card, entering a PIN or clicking a link
Let's get into it.
1 in 3 retirees reach their mid-80s with their original savings completely intact. Advisers call it "a life not lived" — vacations skipped, experiences passed on, all because the 4% rule was designed for the worst case, not your case. There's a smarter approach that lets you spend more in good years and pull back when the market drops.
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH McAfee
Protect your digital life for less than $5 a month
McAfee's all-in-one protection helps block malware, spot scams, and monitor your online identity with top-rated security that is trusted by millions.
A $400,000 home sitting idle isn't building wealth — it's tying up capital that could be covering your rent and generating income at the same time. For retirees on a fixed income, the math between renting and owning looks very different than it did during your working years.
Emilie Kostecka let a stranger hold her phone for a moment while she flipped through a binder. She never tapped anything, never entered a PIN. A $5,000 charge for carpentry services showed up on her account shortly after — and Chase initially told her she was responsible for it.
ALSO MAKING THE ROUNDS TODAY
NEWS: Barron Trump launched a $39 energy drink and the internet has thoughts
MANAGING MONEY: Half of Americans earn a decent income and still feel financially stuck, and researchers now have a name for it
MANAGING MONEY: A woman discovered her parents opened a credit card in her name years ago and left her with $40K in debt she never agreed to
INVESTING: Dave Ramsey says most millionaires got rich copying the guy in the next cubicle, not a perfect strategy
HAVE YOUR SAY
Have you ever been charged for something you never agreed to?
That's a wrap for today! Before you go, we'd love to know what you thought of today's newsletter. Hit REPLY if you have more to share — we read every one.
See you soon with another quick roundup of the financial news that matters.
