Core Insights - Financial support from parents to adult children is increasingly common, with half of parents providing assistance, marking a three-year high [1] Group 1: Financial Support Trends - Parents of adult children aged 18-28 provide an average of $1,813 monthly, while those with children aged 29-44 provide $863 monthly [2] - Rising housing prices, higher grocery bills, and student loan debt are contributing to the need for parental financial support, even for young adults with full-time jobs [3] Group 2: Risks of Ongoing Support - Financial advisors caution that continuous support can jeopardize retirement security for parents, as it may lead to depleting savings or delaying retirement [4][6] - Open-ended financial assistance can hinder a child's financial independence, as it may prevent them from making necessary budget decisions [7]

Quick Read Medical care costs rose 2.85% year-over-year versus 2.16% general inflation. Healthcare spending grew 6.9% while consumer spending rose 4.6%. Original Medicare has no out-of-pocket maximum. Medicare Advantage plans cap catastrophic costs but impose network and prior authorization restrictions. Personal savings rate fell from 6.2% in early 2024 to 4.2% by mid-2025. A recent study identified one single habit that doubled Americans’ retirement savings and moved retirement from dream, to rea ...

Market Overview - The S&P 500 has shown stagnation recently, with only a 0.24% increase since the beginning of the year [1] - Investor sentiment is divided, with 35% feeling optimistic and 37% feeling pessimistic about the next six months, an increase in pessimism from 29% in early February [1] Historical Context - Historically, the market has demonstrated the potential for growth over the long term, even after periods of decline [3] - An example is provided where investing in an S&P 500 index fund in December 2007, just before the Great Recession, would have resulted in total returns of over 363% by today [5] Investment Strategy - Timing the market can be risky; waiting too long to invest may result in missing significant recovery periods [6] - Consistent investment, regardless of market conditions, is generally considered a safer strategy for building wealth over time [6] Company Stability - While the overall market tends to recover from economic downturns, individual stocks may not fare as well, particularly those with weak business models or poor leadership [7]

Core Insights - Costco's Auto Program offers a fixed price and no haggling, significantly reducing the car buying process from an average of six hours to one hour [2] - The program allows members to save substantial amounts on vehicle purchases, exemplified by a member saving over $11,000 on a 2025 RAV4 hybrid [2] - There is a growing trend among car buyers to seek nontraditional purchasing methods to avoid high prices and unexpected costs [3] Company Operations - Costco does not sell cars directly but acts as a broker between its members and local car dealerships, providing value to both parties by reducing uncertainty [4] - Membership costs $65 annually for a Gold Star Membership and $130 for an Executive Membership, indicating a commitment to shopping at Costco [5] - Costco leverages its knowledge of member shopping profiles to negotiate better deals with local car dealers, which helps in driving sales volume while allowing dealers to accept slimmer profit margins [6] Industry Dynamics - Car dealerships are willing to accept lower profit margins due to the sales volume generated by Costco's program, which also reduces their marketing costs [7] - Dealerships typically spend between $400 to $800 per vehicle on advertising, making Costco's membership referral system an attractive lead source [7]

Quick Read Healthcare costs rose 6.91% over the past year while the 2.8% COLA adjustment covers only a fraction of that gap. Medicare premiums consumed over $40 of the $56 monthly COLA increase for retirees receiving $2,000 per month. Over a 20-year retirement annual shortfalls between COLA and actual costs compound to tens of thousands in lost purchasing power. A recent study identified one single habit that doubled Americans’ retirement savings and moved retirement from dream, to reality. Read mo ...

Core Insights - The article discusses the disparity in retirement account balances among Americans, highlighting the importance of understanding both median and mean balances to assess retirement savings effectively [3][4][5]. Group 1: Retirement Account Balances - The median retirement account balance in America is $86,900, while the mean balance is significantly higher at $334,000, indicating a wide dispersion in savings [7]. - Approximately 54.3% of American families had retirement accounts in 2022, showcasing a substantial portion of the population engaged in retirement savings [5]. Group 2: Top Savers - About 9.3% of households have retirement account balances of $500,000 or more, serving as a rough estimate for the top 10% of savers [6]. - A small percentage of American households, specifically 4.6%, possess over $1 million in retirement accounts, while 4.7% have balances between $500,000 and $1 million [8].

Photographer: Jorge Guerrero/AFP/Getty Images The oil market is in the middle of its strongest start to a year since 2022 as supply shocks and sanctions confound expectations of a glut. Now traders are racing to cover themselves against the prospect of the US bombing Iran again. Most Read from Bloomberg A surge in activity across futures and options markets is already pulling up crude prices — Brent futures touched a seven-month high of more than $72 a barrel on Friday, and some analysts see a risk prem ...

Core Insights - Many Americans are struggling to meet basic living expenses due to rising costs, leading to a reliance on secondary income sources [1][4] Group 1: Economic Context - A MyPerfectResume survey indicates that 72% of U.S. workers now depend on at least one secondary source of income, a significant increase from previous years [2] - Nearly 40% of respondents attribute their need for additional income to inflation, while 72% believe rising costs have made side work more necessary [4] Group 2: Sources of Secondary Income - The survey reveals that secondary income sources include freelance or gig work (14%), investments (14%), side businesses (9%), passive income (9%), and second jobs (4%) [5] - More than half of the respondents (52%) feel more secure with additional income, and 68% state that side work does not interfere with their main job [5] Group 3: Challenges of Side Hustles - While side hustles can increase income, they may also lead to burnout and neglect of primary jobs, potentially harming personal relationships [6] - The decision to engage in a side hustle versus focusing on a primary job may depend on the compensation and promotion opportunities available in the main job [6]

Core Insights - A significant portion of Gen Xers and boomers regret not starting their retirement savings earlier, with over 80% expressing this sentiment according to a 2025 survey by Nationwide Retirement Institute [2] - Many individuals who began saving early still wish they had adopted different strategies, particularly in protecting their savings from market volatility and ensuring sustainable retirement income [3] - Despite starting late, there are still opportunities for individuals to improve their financial situation and prepare for retirement [4] Financial Literacy and Preparedness - A considerable number of Gen Xers (54%) and boomers (39%) lack a full understanding of compounding, and over half mistakenly believe their 401(k) will provide a stable monthly income akin to a paycheck [5] - Resources for financial education are available through platforms like MyMoney.gov and non-profits such as Khan Academy, as well as personal finance literature and financial planners [6] - American adults estimate they will need approximately $1.26 million to retire comfortably, highlighting the importance of assessing current financial situations [6] Retirement Savings and Concerns - Despite financial concerns, 46% of Gen Xers and 56% of boomers feel financially prepared for retirement, while a significant portion believes they may outlive their savings [7] - Average retirement account balances indicate potential shortfalls, with Gen Xers holding an average 401(k) balance of $192,300 and an IRA balance of $103,952, while boomers have averages of $249,300 and $257,002 respectively [8]

The stock market has been practically unstoppable over the last seven years. With the exception of 2022, the widely followed S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) has gained at least 16% in the other six years. We've also witnessed the mature stock-driven Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI) and growth stock-propelled Nasdaq Composite (NASDAQINDEX: ^IXIC) climb to several record highs. But when it seems that Wall Street can do no wrong is often when things do tend to go awry. While there is no shortage of ...