As I reported an article on how to talk about money with family members, I asked financial and etiquette experts how to handle difficult conversations around estate planning, splitting costs on a family trip and more. One way to start a conversation is with a game. For example, “Let’s Talk Finances, Couples Edition,” is a deck of cards created by Erika Wasserman, a financial therapist based in the Miami, Florida area. It’s designed to spark useful discussions that can be hard to start. There are other financial games on the market, too. Financial literacy-themed memory cards, board games with banking…

Everywhere you turn, another ad is sharing the good news of a great deal. There’s only one catch: You’ve got to download their app to get it.The trend in app-based rewards and offers is driven by many things at once. A prolonged period of high inflation made everything feel expensive to consumers. So they started making trades — eating in, buying store brands or waiting to make big purchases, for example. That set off alarm bells for companies as they saw sales slumping so much that price hikes couldn’t make up for it. Meanwhile, in the background, technology has improved,…

President Donald Trump handily won the election and will be sworn in as the 47th president in January 2025. As a result, we all know change is coming throughout the government but the differences in the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) will likely be dramatic. Trump has promised to restart the death penalty. Attorney General Merrick Garland made an announcement shortly after President Joe Biden took office, saying he was imposing a moratorium on federal executions while the Justice Department conducts a review of its policies and procedures. While he gave no timetable on the review, it had the effect…

Welcome to NerdWallet’s Smart Money podcast, where we answer your real-world money questions. In this episode: Explore how the 2024 presidential candidates’ tax plans could impact your finances and what to know before voting.What tax proposals are the 2024 presidential candidates making, and how might these policies affect your finances? What should you know before voting on tax issues? Hosts Sean Pyles and Anna Helhoski discuss the key differences in the candidates’ tax plans and how to make informed decisions to protect your financial future. They begin with a discussion of the importance of tax policy, with tips and tricks…

Estate planning is essential for families who want to secure financial stability and build generational wealth. However, potential pitfalls can undermine even the best-laid plans. Experts such as John H. Nebeker, Patty Fitzsimmons, and Barbara Gitty emphasize the importance of thoughtful planning, organized financial records, and professional guidance in creating a lasting legacy. Here are the biggest estate planning mistakes to watch out for and tips to avoid them. Not Having An Estate Plan At All Barbara Ginty, CFP and host of the Future Rich Podcast, says the most significant mistake families make is not having an estate plan. “The…

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Welcome to NerdWallet’s Smart Money podcast, where we answer your real-world money questions. In this episode: Learn how to navigate job changes, maximize retirement benefits, and celebrate personal and financial accomplishments.How should you navigate job changes when it affects your retirement benefits? What options do military spouses have for saving for retirement? Hosts Sean Pyles and Sara Rathner discuss managing unvested retirement funds to help you understand how to make the most of your employment benefits. They begin with a discussion of the importance of celebrating success after working towards a goal, financial or otherwise. Then Sean talks to Lacey…

The October jobs numbers were flat out terrible, with the emphasis on the flat, meaning virtually no change from September. The Dow Jones polled estimate was 110,000 new jobs, which itself would have been far off from the previous month. Instead, it was 12,000 total, or 10.9% of the expectation. A roughly 89% disappointment. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), it takes a month-over-month change of about 130,000 to be statistically significant. Media outlets reported experts, pundits, and some politicians blaming the results on Hurricanes Helene and Milton as well as the Boeing labor strike. But things are…

Trump wins the 2024 presidential electionFormer President Donald Trump will be back in the White House come January. In case you missed it, here’s a rundown of his plans for the economy and your personal finances — and what economists are projecting for his second term. Read more.Immigration and the economy are consistently the top issues for potential voters in this year’s presidential election, but the two are intertwined more than you might think. Harris wants to increase the number of agents at the border; apprehend, remove and bar unlawful border crossers from reentering for five years; pursuing criminal charges…

Majority of Americans Aren’t Confident in the Safety and Reliability of Cryptocurrency Cryptocurrency markets continue to face challenges. The currency’s value has dropped, lawsuits are mounting and Congress is mulling regulations. Meanwhile, Americans remain skeptical about cryptocurrency, and the share who’ve used it has not grown in the past three years, according to a Pew Research Center survey. Roughly six-in-ten Americans (63%) say they have little to no confidence that current ways to invest in, trade or use cryptocurrencies are reliable and safe. This includes three-in-ten adults who say they are not at all confident, and a third who say…