I love index funds. The vast majority of my investment dollars are in a mix of index funds and I’ve been pleased with their performance. That said, it’s important to understand the risks of any investment you make, especially if you love them, and low cost S&P 500 index funds are not without risk. High Concentration in Technology The S&P 500 is heavily concentrated in technology. As of January 2025, nine of the top ten holdings in the S&P 500 are technology companies. Berkshire Hathaway is the lone exception at #10. The top 9 companies account for over a third…

Inclusive owned beauty brands are more than just businesses; they are catalysts for change across the industry. Companies like LAMIK Beauty, and its clean products, have consistently been at the forefront of tech integration through focusing on underserved markets, with founder Kim Roxie pushing the industry to expand its horizons. By addressing gaps in representation, celebrating cultural authenticity, empowering communities, and driving innovation, this beauty brand is reshaping the sector into a more inclusive and equitable space. The Breakdown You Need To Know: The global beauty market’s headed for $580 billion by 2027, climbing 6% each year. Premium beauty’s leading…

A perfect storm is brewing for millions of federal student loan borrowers, who may experience dramatic increases in their monthly payments later this year. Several Biden-era student loan forgiveness initiatives have been either struck down by courts or withdrawn, and mass debt relief is unlikely to happen under the Trump administration. Meanwhile, the SAVE plan — another key Biden-era program — remains blocked due to a legal challenge, and appears poised to either get overturned by a federal appeals court or repealed by congressional Republicans in an upcoming reconciliation bill. Many other borrowers on income-driven repayment plans may also see…

When most people think of identity theft, they envision criminals and other miscreants using their private data to open new credit cards and take out loans in their name. Some identity thieves even go a few steps further and seek medical care using someone else’s sensitive information, or they’ll use someone’s Social Security number (SSN) to file a tax return and get a big refund that isn’t theirs. What you don’t typically think about is someone stealing other people’s identities to take out student loans, yet that is exactly what happened in North Carolina earlier this year. According to a…

January is a time for resolutions, and for many, that means participating in “Dry January” by abstaining from alcohol for the month. While the primary motivators often include improved health and clarity, there’s another significant benefit: saving money. With the rising cost of alcohol and the discretionary spending it often entails, cutting out alcohol could save you hundreds—or maybe even thousands—over the course of a month or year. The Rising Cost of Alcohol Consumption Undoubtedly, alcohol consumption can be an expensive habit. According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American household spent $583 on alcohol in…

Raise Your 401(k) Retirement Contributions Right When You Get a Pay Raise Congratulations! You are likely to score a raise this year. According to HR.com’s 2025-2026 Salary Budget Survey, 97% of employers plan to increase their employees’ compensation in 2025, with 78% of respondents planning to give average raises of 3 to 4 percent. Receiving a raise presents a terrific opportunity to turbocharge your retirement savings. While taking the extra cash and splurging on a new gadget or a fancy vacation may be tempting, I would advocate for a more strategic approach, at least for a portion of the increase:…

Republican lawmakers in Congress are circulating a number of proposals to cut federal spending as part of a massive bill to extend and expand tax cuts. And student loan forgiveness programs and healthcare subsidies are squarely in the crosshairs. President Trump and GOP congressional leadership hope to pass a large reconciliation bill in the coming months to extend or expand many provisions of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which was enacted during Trump’s first term. The legislation reduced corporate, individual, and estate taxes, but many provisions are set to expire at the end of 2025. The cost of…

Colette Peters has resigned as Director of the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) after 30 months on the job just as Donald Trump was inaugurated on Monday. Deputy Director William Lathrop will take over as acting director. An Agency outsider, Peters took the BOP job after heading the Oregon Department of Corrections. The challenges she faced at the BOP on day-one of her job in August 2022 were pretty much the same at the end; staffing shortages, crumbling buildings and poor morale. Soon after Trump was elected, Peters announced the closure of 6 male federal prison camps and 1 female facility,…

The petroleum business is an odd one, with strange cycles of boom and bust. President Trump wants to pump things up, figuratively and literally, by declaring a national energy emergency. He claims the country has “insufficient energy production, transportation, refining, and generation.” His solution is to stop offshore wind production; drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and National Petroleum Reserve; and use all authority to “facilitate the supply, refining, and transportation of energy in and through the West Coast of the United States, Northeast of the United States, and Alaska.” The Trump administration is trying to frame energy production…

Tax season often brings stress, but it’s also an opportunity to uncover savings for your small business. You can significantly reduce your taxable income and improve your financial health by leveraging commonly overlooked deductions. Below, we explore critical small business tax deductions, breaking them down by category to help maximize your savings. Office Supplies And Equipment Tax Deductions Everyday items such as pens, printer ink, and paper, as well as larger purchases like computers and software, are fully deductible. To qualify, these expenses must be ordinary (common in your trade) and necessary (helpful for operations). Investing in efficient tools benefits…