Andy | Saving to Invest

Home Insurance Costs in 2026: Why Rate Hikes Are Finally Slowing — and How to Actually Lower Yours

Homeowners insurance now averages somewhere between $2,400 and $2,900 a year nationally, depending on which tracker you use and how much dwelling coverage you're pricing. That's still going up in 2026, but the increase is projected at roughly 4% — a real slowdown from the 12% jump most homeowners absorbed…

Understanding Increased Standard Deduction Updates and Impact on Your Paycheck and Tax Refund in 2026 and 2027

Per the federal tax code, the IRS is required to adjust dozens of tax-related items for inflation on an annual basis. Given the persistently high levels of inflation reflected in recent COLA increases Increases Significantly Leading to Record Social Security and SSI Benefits Raise – Latest Update and Final Numbers"),…

2026–2027 Updates: “Your Tax Return Is Still Being Processed” — What It Means and What to Do

Millions of people file their taxes and then wait — sometimes far longer than the IRS’s advertised 21-day guideline. The 2026 filing season made that worse. DOGE-driven staffing cuts removed roughly 7,000 IRS employees in February 2026, right in the middle of peak processing weeks. The National Taxpayer Advocate’s mid-year…

How Much Money Do You Really Need to Be Financially Independent in 2026?

To be independently wealthy on the classic rule of thumb, you need about 25 times your annual expenses saved and invested. Spend $60,000 a year, and the target is $1.5 million. That math hasn't changed — but the "safe" withdrawal rate underneath it has become a real debate over the…

When Will We Hit the Debt Ceiling Again? My 2026–2027 Timeline After the $41.1 Trillion Increase

The debt ceiling currently sits at $41.1 trillion, and as of September 8, 2026 we've already borrowed $40.13 trillion of it. That leaves roughly $970 billion of headroom — and the political calendar just made the timing a lot more pointed. I wrote the original version of this article back…

Should You Sell or Hold Your Crypto? A Decision Framework That Doesn’t Depend on the Price

Bitcoin has traded above $99,000 for stretches of 2026 and also seen six-day runs of over $1 billion in spot ETF outflows in the same year. By the time you read this, both of those facts could be stale. That's exactly the problem with most "should I sell my crypto"…

Is Crypto a Good Investment? What to Know Before You Buy in 2026

Spot Bitcoin ETFs now trade on Fidelity, Schwab, and E*TRADE just like a stock — you no longer need a separate crypto exchange account to get exposure. That's the biggest change since crypto went mainstream, and it's worth understanding before you put any money in. This is the starting-point guide…

Meaning of IRS Codes on WMR Or Tax Transcript For Your Refund Processing and Payment Status

I've been receiving numerous concerns from readers about the IRS messages and codes appearing when they check their refund status using the Where's My Refund (WMR) tracker, the IRS app (formerly IRS2Go), or their free IRS transcript. Many filers feel stressed and anxious when they see these codes, wondering what…

Tennessee Unemployment Benefits: 2027 Outlook, Current 2026 Amount Up to $325/Week for 26 Weeks

Tennessee's unemployment insurance program, administered by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, provides benefits for up to 26 weeks. The 2026 maximum of $325 per week is modest — Tennessee's cap has historically been one of the lower ones in the South, and I haven't seen a proposal…

Kansas Unemployment Benefits: 2027 Outlook, Current 2026 Amount Up to $637/Week

Kansas' unemployment insurance program — managed by the Kansas Department of Labor (KDOL) — increased its maximum weekly benefit to $637 in 2026, up from $589 in 2025. Kansas sets its maximum based on the statewide average weekly wage, adjusted annually, so another increase for 2027 is likely — KDOL…

Are Unemployment Benefit Payments Taxable at a State and Federal Level? 1099-G Forms and Withholding Explained

Yes — unemployment compensation is taxable income at the federal level, and in most states, at the state level too. It's reported on your tax return just like wages, and the IRS gets a copy of what you were paid. Here's how the withholding, the 1099-G form, and state-by-state tax…

Arkansas Unemployment Benefits: 2027 Outlook, Current 2026 Amount Up to $451/Week

Arkansas's unemployment insurance program — run by the Division of Workforce Services (DWS) — provides a relatively modest weekly maximum and limits benefits to just 12 weeks per claim. The 2026 maximum ($451/week) is already locked in, so the real question is whether Arkansas revisits the 12-week cap, which replaced…

Minnesota Unemployment Benefits: 2027 Outlook, Current 2026 Amount Up to $914/Week

Minnesota's unemployment insurance program — managed by the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) — increased its maximum weekly benefit to $914 in 2026, up from $857 in 2025. Minnesota sets its maximum at 50% of the statewide average weekly wage, adjusted annually, so another increase for 2027 is…

Why Even High-Income Earners Are Not That Far From The Edge of Poverty

Despite earning more than $100,000 in household income, many people still feel like they're living month-to-month — that a job loss or sudden medical emergency could easily move them from upper-middle-class down to low income. A 2026 Goldman Sachs survey put a number on this: 41% of households earning $300,000…