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Stat Of The Day
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40%
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That’s the share of new retirees who say they’re still sticking to their original budget and spending plan, according to a recent survey. Meanwhile, 21% say they’ve had to tighten their belts more than they expected pre-retirement, and over half say they have regrets over how they saved for their non-working years.
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Plan, Prep, Retire: Our Next FinanceFixx Pre-Retirement Checkup Starts May 14
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About 10 years from retirement? Feeling like your savings puzzle pieces aren’t quite fitting together? We’ve got you.
Our next FinanceFixx Pre-Retirement Checkup kicks off on May 14th – and spots fill fast. During this six-week course, you’ll work with a certified coach to:
• Take control of your spending
• Tackle debt (if you have any)
• Build a budget that makes your nest egg last
If you’re lying awake at night wondering how it will all come together, this is your sign to stop stressing and start planning with a pro by your side.
👉 SAVE YOUR SPOT HERE 👈
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This Week In Your Wallet
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House hunters, listen up. You might have to search across multiple platforms just to see every available home. Earlier this month, Zillow rolled out "Zillow Preview," a feature that lets some brokerages show listings before they officially hit the market. As The New York Times reports, while it may sound minor, it’s actually a major shift. Zillow had previously pushed back against what are referred to as "private" and "pocket" listings, going so far as to ban them in 2025. Now, it’s reintroducing a version of those "pre-market" listings – but opening them up to a wider audience. The catch for buyers? These early listings won’t all live in one place. After Zillow’s announcement, Homes.com, Realtor.com and ComeHome.com launched
similar pre-market listings programs. Because each works with different brokerages, you may need to check multiple platforms to see all available homes.
Want to give your child a multi-million-dollar head start on retirement? So-called "Trump accounts," expected to launch this summer, would let parents begin tax-advantaged retirement savings at birth. According to The Wall Street Journal, there’s a strategy that could turn them into massive, tax-free nest eggs: contribute $5,000 annually for 18 years, then help your child roll the funds into a Roth IRA, where the money can continue growing – and eventually be withdrawn – tax and penalty-free. "This is the biggest win that people can have if they want to set their kids up for retirement," says Ryan Greiser, a CFP who plans to open accounts for his three young children. Before you go all in for your kiddos (or grandchildren – grandparents can contribute, too), make sure your own financial foundation is solid. Prioritize saving for your own retirement first,
then think about supercharging their future.
Happy "Financial Literacy Month!" Yes, we celebrate around here. To mark the occasion, we’re spotlighting four financial concepts that pros say most people don’t fully grasp – and it costs them. One of them: the importance of your credit report, which financial educator Susan Bistransin calls your "lifelong report card." "After getting out of school, your teachers are no longer telling on you, but the credit bureau is," says Bistransin. According to recent studies, around 30% of Americans have no idea what their credit score is. Being in the dark about your credit history – and the contents of your credit report – could be lowering your credit score, or worse, you could be a victim of identity theft and not even realize it. Consider this your reminder to get – and stay – informed!
💳 You might also want to click…
🧐 Ask Jean: "How often should I check my credit report?"
❤️🩹 Top-Rated Credit Repair Services
👀 How To Read A Credit Report
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Things That Save You Money
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This Is Your Brain On The K-Shaped Economy
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There’s a feeling a lot of women are having right now that’s hard to name. The math just stopped mathing. You’re earning more, doing everything right and still, the goals feel further away. So what’s going on?
On the HerMoney Podcast, Jean sits down with Hanna Horvath, CFP and author of the newsletter and Substack Your Brain on Money, to break it down. Horvath says the way a lot of us are feeling has to do with something called the "K-shaped economy," where one group is moving up, while another is falling behind and the middle is being squeezed out.
"You’ll get a group of people who genuinely cannot afford the basics, and then you’ll get people who can afford the basics, but they thought their money would stretch much farther," explains Horvath.
In the "K-shaped economy," one side effect for many is economic anxiety. Horvath says it can show up in four ways – with the most common being "doom spending."
When big financial goals, such as a house, retirement, or real stability, feel permanently out of reach, the brain looks for something it can control. "Your brain is just looking for an action to self-soothe," Hanna explains. "I know I’ll never be able to afford a house, but I can afford this new pair of shoes."
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Ask Jean
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Today’s question comes from Sarah. She writes: I have a small business and want to set up a high-yield savings account (HYSA) for it. There seem to be few business HYSA options. I found a few fintech companies that partner with banks. Are they safe?
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You’re right. Compared with the sea of high-yield savings accounts available to individuals, the options for businesses are limited. "That is definitely an issue for business accounts," explains John Bell, CFP and founder of Free State Financial Planning. "Because businesses tend to carry larger balances and run more transactions, many banks simply don’t want to pay a high rate."
That’s where fintech platforms have stepped in. Many of these companies partner with traditional banks to offer business savings accounts with higher yields and easier account management than you might find at a brick-and-mortar bank.
But it’s important to understand how they work. Fintech companies typically aren’t banks themselves – they act as a front-end platform while your deposits are actually held at a partner bank behind the scenes. As long as that partner bank provides FDIC insurance, your money is generally protected up to the standard limits, just as it would be at a traditional bank.
Still, there are trade-offs. Customer service can sometimes be lacking, and moving money in and out may take a little longer depending on the platform. Some businesses also prefer having a direct relationship with a bank if they might need other services down the road, like lending or a line of credit.
"For many businesses, they work fine, but it’s important to check who the partner bank is and make sure the deposits are clearly FDIC insured," says Joon Um, CFP with Secure Tax & Accounting. "In general, the most important things are safety, FDIC coverage, and easy access to the money — not just the interest rate."
In other words, these platforms can be a perfectly reasonable option. Just make sure you know who actually holds your money, how it’s insured, and how quickly you can access your cash when you need it.
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Submit your questions to Jean here.
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