The Trump administration has taken sharp aim at curtailing two types of programs: diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as environment, social, and governance. However, a new survey by Edelman Smithfield, a PR firm specializing in financial markets, found that important investors in the U.S. and the rest of the world are showing growing support for both. Serious Financial Business Many people might be wary of studies undertaken by a PR firm for good reason. Such a company’s purpose is typically to support and promote its clients’ interests. However, as the clients are broadly financial firms, many of which are…

The United States is in the midst of one of the largest wealth transfers in history. With the Great Wealth Transfer underway, the latest figures from Cerulli (as of December 2024) show that $124 trillion will transfer through 2048, with $105 trillion going to heirs. Estate planning is no longer just for the wealthy—it’s something everyone with assets should consider. According to Jen Galvagna, Head of Trust, Estates and Tax at Bank of America Private Bank, and John Nebeker, a financial advisor and author of The Family Bank: The Key to Generational Wealth, having a clear plan in place is…

With more than five million podcasts in circulation globally, it can be difficult for creators to break through and build a profitable show. But for the hosts of one of the top fantasy football podcasts in the country, the formula for success and making money has been rooted in authenticity, trust, and smart business decisions. Here’s how ” The Fantasy Footballers” built a thriving podcast brand — and what other creators can learn from their approach. Authenticity Builds Loyalty “A big driver of our success is the deep trust and authenticity we’ve built with our listeners and fans,” the hosts…

Building wealth can be a challenging task, especially in challenging economic times. Recent economic uncertainties —including concerns about job security, rising tariffs, ant the significant increase in the cost of everyday food items like eggs, meat and fish —highlight the urgency of reassessing our financial habits. The current economic climate demands that we become more intentional about how we plan and manage our money to secure a better future and build wealth. While most people would love to have solid finances and secure their long- term financial future, the reality is very different at the moment with 57% of Americans…

Hundreds of thousands of federal student loan borrowers who were facing potentially imminent seizure of their Social Security benefits got some good news this week after the Department of Education announced a halt to the new collections threats. “The Trump Administration is committed to protecting social security recipients who oftentimes rely on a fixed income,” said a Department of Education spokesperson on Monday. The department has “put a pause on any future social security offsets.” But federal student loan borrowers aren’t out of the woods. The pause may be only temporary, and the reprieve only pertains to Social Security recipients.…

San Francisco-based Chime, the largest digital bank in America, wants to go public at a price between $24 and $26 per share, which implies a fully diluted valuation of about $11 billion, according to a new press release and filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). That’s down steeply from the $25 billion Chime reached in a private fundraise in August 2021, right around the peak of the fintech market bubble. The $11 billion diluted valuation reflects what Chime would be worth after setting aside 59 million shares to compensate employees and to fund its Chime Scholars charity program.…

Creating a successful digital business can be the perfect form of self-employment. It brings with it the ability to work from home and generate unlimited income from selling products and services you truly believe in. However, the obstacle for many is coming up with a winning digital business idea. But what if I were to tell you that some of the best business ideas can come from converting what you’re doing now into a thriving online business? It’s possible, and below are the stories of three entrepreneurs who have done just that. None of the three women needed to step…

In our financial planning practice, much of the work we do is with near retirees who are contemplating when they want to stop working – or at least stop the employment in which they are currently engaged. Very often this conversation begins as a financial discussion where the focus is on maintaining the quality of daily life, funding healthcare expenses, and not running out of money later in life. But as we delve deeper, non-financial questions surface such as: “what will I do with all that time?” Or “how will I remain relevant?” And “how can I give back some…

The last several weeks have been hugely consequential for more than 40 million student loan borrowers, with some of the most significant updates in more than a year. And the impacts of these recent events could touch every aspect of student debt from disbursement to loan repayment and student loan forgiveness. Between court actions, legislation working its way through Congress, and regulatory updates, nearly every single federal student loan borrower may eventually be impacted by these recent changes. And for some borrowers, the consequences could be enormously costly. Here’s a breakdown. Student Loan Repayment Processing Remains Backlogged For 10 Million…

Matthew R. Galeotti, the Head of the Criminal Division at the Justice Department has issued a memorandum describing the Justice Department’s new policies and enforcement priorities in dealing with collar crime. In describing its areas of focus, the memorandum states “The Criminal Division must be laser-focused on the most urgent criminal threats to the country. Therefore consistent with the enforcement policies and priorities of this Administration, the Criminal Division will prioritize investigating and prosecuting corporate crime in areas that will have the greatest impact in protecting American Citizens and companies and promoting U.S. interests.” The memorandum lists the following ten…