Kevin Warsh takes over as Federal Reserve chairman during a period of economic turbulence that historically has tested new central bank leaders, with markets facing pressure from rising oil prices and inflation concerns. Warsh must navigate a difficult choice between aggressively raising interest rates to control demand and inflation or maintaining easier monetary policy to […]
Posted inNews
Home sellers wonder if agent commissions will drop below 6%
Home sellers are questioning whether agent commissions will decrease following a major National Association of Realtors settlement that separated buyer's and seller's agent compensation. The NAR ruling, which took effect in 2024, eliminated the practice of having seller's agents post buyer's agent commissions on multiple listing services. The change was designed to allow for more […]
Posted inEntertainment
Test Your Pop Culture Knowledge: From Hollywood to the Heartland
Every week brings new viral moments, celebrity headlines and water-cooler conversations that bind audiences together across the country. This week delivered a mix of carefully orchestrated red carpet moments and unscripted live television mishaps. Country music artists have been particularly newsworthy, opening up about personal struggles and career challenges in ways that resonate with fans […]
Posted inOpinion
Academics’ Embrace of John Brown Violence Rhetoric Poses Danger
The valorization of violent historical figures has begun bleeding into explicit calls for modern-day activists to replicate their methods, raising concerns about a dangerous rhetorical trend gaining traction in certain academic and activist circles. Hasan Kwame Jeffries, a history professor at Ohio State University and brother of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, recently posted on […]
Posted inNews
Insurance brokers earning billions in commissions on Medicare Advantage plans
Insurance brokers are collecting roughly $10 billion annually in commissions for signing up retirees to Medicare Advantage plans, raising questions about whether financial incentives are influencing their recommendations. Medicare Advantage, the private alternative to traditional Medicare, has grown significantly in recent years as brokers help steer older Americans into these plans. The commission structure has […]
Posted inNews
More states offer caregiver tax credits, but benefits fall short of actual costs
More states are offering tax credits to help family caregivers offset expenses, but the benefits cover only a fraction of the financial burden many face. Family caregivers often experience significant financial strain and career setbacks as they balance work with unpaid care responsibilities.
Posted inNews
Trust earns $300,000 yearly for heirs. How can a 67-year-old minimize tax burden?
A 67-year-old with a family trust generating $300,000 in annual income is seeking ways to reduce the tax impact on his children. "My thought is to distribute all of the income to my children each year so that the trust itself pays little to no tax," the trust creator said. Trusts can be structured in […]
Posted inNews
‘Buffett Indicator’ signals market concerns as valuations reach extremes
Market valuation metrics have reached levels that typically signal caution among investors, with the so-called "Buffett Indicator" and other measures flashing warnings about stretched stock prices. The indicator, which compares total stock market capitalization to gross domestic product, has historically been used by investors to gauge whether equities are overvalued or undervalued. Current readings suggest […]
Posted inNews
One simple rule stopped a scammer — and it could protect you too
Scams have become increasingly sophisticated and take many forms, making it easy for people to be fooled.
Posted inPolitics
MSNBC Correspondent’s Shift on FBI Crime Data Raises Questions About Consistency
MSNBC justice correspondent Ken Dilanian has reversed his position on FBI crime statistics, now calling data under FBI Director Kash Patel "basically bogus" after previously defending similar statistics from the Biden administration as reliable. Months ago, Dilanian dismissed Republican skepticism of FBI crime numbers, calling Donald Trump's claim of a 43 percent violent crime surge […]