Parent PLUS Has a New Ceiling. Build the Four-Year Plan Now.
Parent PLUS borrowing now has annual and lifetime-per-student caps for many families. Here is how to test a four-year college...
The Import-Price Drop Is an Energy Story, Not an All-Clear
The headline import-price index fell, while nonfuel imports and capital goods became more expensive. Here is a practical test for...
Builder Incentives Are Rising. Treat Them Like Financing.
Builder incentives are widespread as buyer traffic stays weak. Here is how to compare price cuts, rate buydowns and closing...
Medicare’s $50 GLP-1 Program Has a Coverage Catch
Medicare’s GLP-1 Bridge offers selected weight-management drugs for a $50 monthly copay. Here is what counts, what does not, and...
Retail Sales Fell. The Bigger Question Is How Households Paid.
July retail sales fell 0.6%. Here is a practical cash-flow check for deciding whether a weaker month reflects restraint, volatility...
Home Equity Is Growing More Slowly Than the Cost of Using It
A practical framework for deciding when a home-equity loan or HELOC supports a household plan—and when it puts retirement cash...
Your 2026 Tax Bill May Have Changed. Your Withholding May Not Have.
The IRS has updated its withholding estimator for 2026 changes. Here is the mid-year decision test for retirees and older...
A Softer CPI Print Changes the Cash-to-Bond Decision
A softer July CPI print improves the case for extending some bond maturities, but real earnings, PCE inflation and the...