Investment Information

Your money at Merrill Lynch is generally quite safe from a structural standpoint. Merrill is part of Bank of America and a member of SIPC, which protects up to $500,000 per customer (including $250,000 in cash) if the firm itself fails, though SIPC does not cover investment losses from market declines. Merrill also carries additional […]

There’s no reliable, official list of specific banks currently “on the verge of collapse.” No major U.S. or global bank is flagged by regulators as failing right now. In 2026 there have been only two small U.S. bank failures so far (Metropolitan Capital Bank & Trust and Community Bank and Trust-West Georgia), both under $300

Here are seven income streams retirees can use: Social Security benefits, providing a guaranteed monthly baseline. Pension income, if offered by a former employer. Retirement accounts like 401(k)s and IRAs, withdrawn strategically. Investment income from dividends, interest, and capital gains in taxable brokerage accounts. Annuities, purchased to create predictable, guaranteed payments. Rental income from real

Estimates vary by data source and definition, but most land in a narrow range. Based on Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances data, roughly 2.5% of all Americans have $1 million or more in retirement accounts like 401(k)s and IRAs, while about 3.2% of American retirees specifically have $1 million or more in retirement accounts.

Yes, Brandon Turner is a real estate investor. He is best known as a longtime co-host of the BiggerPockets Podcast, one of the most popular shows in the real estate investing space, and as a former executive at BiggerPockets, a company that provides education, tools, and community resources for investors. Turner built his own portfolio

Reported figures vary widely depending on the source and time period. Recent mentions from Brandon Turner himself cite around 13,000 rental units, though he clarifies most of these come through his role as a syndicator with Open Door Capital, meaning investors receive most of the cash flow rather than Turner personally. Older bios describe smaller

The amount depends on your expected rate of return. Using a common guideline of withdrawing 4% annually from investments: $3,000/month = $36,000/year. At a 4% withdrawal rate, you’d need about $900,000 invested. If you’re living off dividend or interest income instead of principal withdrawals, and expect a 3% yield, you’d need $1,200,000. At a 5%

Estimates vary depending on the survey and whether “bank account” means savings, checking, or overall net worth. Most reliable surveys focus on retirement or savings account balances rather than total bank holdings. Roughly 14% of Americans report having at least $100,000 in savings, according to a 2023 survey cited by SoFi. Separately, Employee Benefit Research

Bank of America’s Advantage Savings account has very low base rates, and Gold tier (Preferred Rewards, requiring $20,000 to $49,999 in combined balances) gives a booster of at least 5% on top of the standard rate. Recent published rates show Gold tier savings at just 0.02% APY, since the base rate is already minimal. The

“Best” depends on your timeframe and goals, but a few T. Rowe Price funds stand out in 2026. Among ETFs, the T. Rowe Price Natural Resources ETF (TURF) led performance, up about 16% year to date as of mid-February, driven by a commodities rally. Among mutual funds, the T. Rowe Price Capital Appreciation and Income