Trump’s ‘Final Mission’: Could the Education Department Shut Down? President Donald Trump has long made it no secret that he wants to dismantle the Department of Education.​ Now, newly confirmed Education Secretary Linda McMahon is treating that goal as the agency’s “historic final mission” in an internal memo to staff​. In the memo – which McMahon emailed to employees shortly after taking office – she outlines an urgent mandate from Trump to “eliminat[e] …bureaucratic bloat” at the department as a “momentous final mission” to be executed “quickly and responsibly.”​ This bold directive has sparked intense debate about whether a shutdown…

The dual pressures of addiction and burnout are exacting a steep toll on America’s entrepreneurs and executives. In 2023, over 45 million adults contended with substance use, while chronic stress quietly undermines high performers. Traditional inpatient rehab–with costs ranging as high as $12,000 to $60,000, depending on the facility and length of stay–requires extended absences, poses significant financial threats of lost income, disrupted operations, and destabilized enterprises. An executive earning $300,000 annually could forfeit $75,000 in a month offline, excluding broader business impacts. As a result, many business executives and owners forgo treatment, prioritizing revenue over recovery. Yet, a select…

Maintaining health insurance when you are changing jobs or retiring can be a major concern. With layoffs in the news, it is important to consider all of your options if you are not yet eligible for Medicare or coverage through a spouse. If you enjoy your current health plan, one tool to help ease that transition is COBRA coverage. The Consolidated Omnibus Reconciliation Act or COBRA is a means for employees with healthcare benefits to purchase their current insurance plan without the employer’s subsidy. If you lose your job or retire before reaching age 65, you may want to continue…

President Donald Trump has called for the U.S. Department of Education to be completely eliminated, and he may issue an executive order in the coming days to make that happen. But a formal closure of the department may not be necessary to significantly disrupt key operations, including overseeing federal student loan forgiveness and repayment programs. The Trump administration has already taken major steps to dismantle the department from within, including by placing many employees on leave. More substantial reductions in staffing, funding, and operations appear to be imminent. And with the likelihood increasing of a broader federal government shutdown, the…

Was Public Service Loan Forgiveness Blocked By Education Department’s Memo? The student loan landscape has been thrown into uncertainty after a recent federal court ruling, which led the Education Department to halt applications for the four income-driven repayment plans and instruct loan servicers to stop accepting student loan forgiveness applications for three months. Some borrowers may still be left wondering what these actions mean for Public Service Loan Foregiveness and whether it has been effectively blocked. The short answer is: it’s complicated. Here’s what borrowers should know if they are interested in PSLF. Context For Education Department Memo’s Impact On…

We last visited FINCEN’s Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) reporting requirements in my article, The FINCEN Beneficial Ownership Information Reporting Deadline Might Be Extended, But Prepare To File Now Anyway (Feb. 14, 2025). That article suggested that the BOI reporting deadline would be set back to January 1, 2026, based on bipartisan legislation that passed the U.S. House of Representatives and pending in the Senate. The article further noted that FINCEN had itself stated that the BOI filing requirements would be pared back. It also gave a warning as to why reporting persons and businesses should now gather their filing information…

The Department of Government Efficiency continues to come under fire for inaccuracies in its reported federal savings, which would serve as the foundation for a potential DOGE check. The DOGE savings tracker, dubbed the “Wall of Receipts,” a public ledger showcasing canceled government contracts, has been revised multiple times, significantly reducing the claimed savings. For the second time in less than a week, DOGE deleted hundreds of additional claims. The deletions erased $4 billion in additional savings that the group said it had made for U.S. taxpayers. At the same time, it introduced a tracker detailing the amount saved per…

The Oscars is arguably the biggest night in film, one of the most celebrated awards shows in the world. As Hollywood honored the best in cinema, it made me think about how movies can do more than entertain. Similar to what I wrote before about The Lord of the Rings, this article explores five critically acclaimed films from past Oscars that not only captivated audiences but serve as a masterclass in financial literacy. Whether it’s understanding economic crises, learning how to invest wisely, or recognizing the dangers of greed, the movies discussed below offer an engaging way to build and…

If you are mapping out your wealth goals for the year, developing the right strategy to earn, save, and invest can seem daunting. If you haven’t yet, it’s a good idea to take the time to create an annual goal for your wealth and a plan that documents how to get there. With the right tools, technology can do much of the heavy lifting, whether creating a budget, maximizing tax savings, growing your stock portfolio, or even adding strategies like equities trading or real estate investing into the mix. To streamline and enhance your wealth building in 2025, here are…

A new poll shows strong public approval for a proposed DOGE Dividend check—a potential one-time payment to tax-paying households that would be funded through cost savings from the Department of Government Efficiency. Poll Finds 7 In 10 Americans Support A DOGE Dividend Check The survey, conducted by J.L. Partners on February 24-25 among 1,001 registered voters, found that there was “overwhelming cross-party support” with 67% of Americans backing the proposal and 46% strongly supporting it. Notably, “One in four Democrats and almost half of independents say receiving the dividend will make them more likely to vote for a Republican congressional…