Townsend Financial Life Management

10/16/2026

How much more would you have to save for retirement if you owned your home rather than rented? Would it surprise you to learn it might be several times less? Learn more about the relative advantages below.

How much more would retirement cost if you owned your home rather than rented? It could actually be several times less.

10/14/2026

Over age 50? You may be able to catch-up on retirement.

Workers 50+ may make contributions to their qualified retirement plans above the limits imposed on younger workers.

10/12/2026

A surprise $90 deposit is landing for some Medicare enrollees this week. For roughly 40 million others, nothing is coming.

The payments are going to people in traditional Medicare Part B, which covers doctor visits, outpatient care, and preventive screenings. Medicare Advantage enrollees, people who pay income-related premiums, and those who already receive premium assistance are not eligible. Most deposits arrive through the Social Security Administration, while some beneficiaries will get a paper check later in October labeled “Medicare Improvement Fund Payment.”

📌 The standard Part B premium is $202.90 in 2026 and is expected to reach $209.50 in 2027.

That context matters. Some analysts note the $90 helps but won’t fully offset rising premiums, and healthcare costs remain a top financial concern across age groups.

For now, the payment is a welcome bit of relief. The bigger question is how coverage costs keep pace over time.

Millions of seniors are getting $90 direct deposits from Social Security this week, prompting questions about the source of the money.

10/12/2026

Selling an asset? Before you do, get a sense of what the federal capital gains tax could look like. Enter your numbers and see a quick estimate.

10/09/2026

What happens to your employer-sponsored retirement accounts when you change jobs? Find out in our latest video.

This video explores what to do with retirement accounts when you move on from your job.

10/07/2026

September brought a rebound in private sector hiring, with employers adding 90,000 jobs, according to ADP. That's more than the 68,000 economists expected and well above August's revised gain of 36,000.

🏥 Education and health services led the way with 55,000 new jobs, followed by leisure and hospitality (22,000), manufacturing (17,000), and construction (15,000).

Not every industry shared in the gains. Financial activities lost 16,000 jobs, while professional and business services shed 11,000.

Pay continued to grow, too, with base pay rising 3.2% and gross pay increasing 4.7% from a year earlier.

The report offers another look at the labor market as the Federal Reserve weighs employment trends alongside persistent inflation.

Private job creation picked up in September after a brief slowdown.

10/07/2026

The savings rate is the government’s estimate of how much U.S. households are saving.

What can be learned from the savings rate?

10/06/2026

The U.S. economy grew faster than previously estimated in the second quarter, with consumer spending and business investment contributing to the stronger performance.

The Commerce Department revised annualized GDP growth for April through June to 2.2%, up from its previous estimate of 1.5%.

Consumer spending, which accounts for approximately 70% of U.S. economic activity, was a major contributor. It increased at a 3.8% annualized rate, compared with just 0.7% in the first quarter.

While the upward revision exceeded economists' expectations, second-quarter growth was still below the 2.5% pace recorded during the first three months of 2026.

The U.S. economy grew at a solid 2.2% pace from April through June as consumer spending and business investment came in strong.

10/05/2026

Lifestyle inflation can be the enemy of wealth building.

Lifestyle inflation can be the enemy of wealth building. What could happen if you invested instead of buying more stuff?

10/02/2026

What every parent needs to know about insuring his or her teen driver.

Tips on insuring your teen driver.