- Which Workers Should Expect an End-of-Year or Holiday Bonus? – 2021 Study
As the holidays approach, some workers may look forward to a bump in their paychecks with employers paying out bonuses. Across the many different types of bonuses allotted to workers (i.e. referrals, cash profit-sharing, etc.), data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows that end-of-year bonuses – which are generally determined by hard work… read more…
- Places Where People Are Refinancing Most – 2021 Study
Many homeowners were incentivized to refinance their homes after mortgage rates reached historic lows in 2020. And Freddie Mac data shows that this caused mortgage refinancing activity to hit its second-highest milestone since peaking in 2003. For a comparison, there were about $2.6 trillion in inflation-adjusted refinance originations for the year 2020, compared with $3.9 trillion in 2003. Though refinancing… read more…
- Most Fitness-Friendly Places for 2022
The COVID-19 pandemic has made it harder for people to stay fit. While gyms have reopened in many places around the country, the pandemic interrupted many daily routines and this can make it difficult to work fitness back into your schedule. That said, fitness is important, and SmartAsset analyzed data to identify and rank where… read more…
- Best Cities for Beer Drinkers – 2021 Edition
Powered by a craft beer boom, the beer industry has undergone a renaissance in recent years. The number of craft breweries in the U.S. nearly doubled between 2015 and 2020, reaching 8,764 as of last year, according to the Brewers Association for Small and Independent Craft Brewers. With so much new beer being brewed in… read more…
- Metros Where People Owe More Than Their Homes Are Worth
The current residential real estate market in the U.S. looks nothing like it did just a few years back. While it was tough for homebuyers to find affordable housing in certain markets—take New York City or Los Angeles, for example—housing was still somewhat accessible in many other markets across the nation. That’s hardly the case… read more…
- Places Where People Spend the Most on Utilities – 2021 Study
Americans are spending slightly less of their pre-tax income on utilities when compared with a decade ago. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data, the average American household spent 4.93% of income on utilities, which includes electricity, gas, telephone services, water and other public services such as waste pickup. This is down from 5.86%… read more…
- Best Places to Work in Manufacturing – 2021 Edition
It’s no secret that manufacturing isn’t the economic force it once was in the United States. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says that 7.5 million manufacturing jobs have been lost since the peak in 1969. A variety of factors account for this, notably companies moving manufacturing to other countries where labor costs are significantly… read more…
- Best Places for Holiday Shopping – 2021 Study
Whether they’ll use savings, tax refunds or credit cards, Americans are poised to spend big once again this holiday season. According to an annual survey conducted by the National Retail Federation, consumers anticipate spending nearly $1,000 on gifts, holiday items and other non-gift purchases. Despite supply chain challenges that continue to plague the economy, the $997.73 that… read more…
- A Rising Number of Complaints Against Financial Institutions During COVID-19 – 2021 Study
Strains on consumer finances during the COVID-19 pandemic have increasingly pushed Americans to seek assistance from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), which serves as an intermediary between consumers and financial companies. Consumers can file complaints on consumer financial products or services through the CFPB, which relays these concerns to financial institutions and also publishes… read more…
- Best Places to Retire in the Northeast – 2021 Study
Not everyone retires in Florida. For some, the Northeast is a preferable retirement destination for its seasonal changes, blend of cities and countryside, and rich history. Despite generally high costs of living when compared with other regions of the country, a comfortable retirement in the Northeast is possible if you know where to look. To determine the… read more…
- This Chart Shows Why You Shouldn’t Wait to Claim Social Security
Your health status, anticipated longevity and retirement cash needs all factor into when it makes sense to claim Social Security. Of course, you’re eligible to start taking Social Security at 62. But the longer you wait, the higher your monthly benefit will be, and conventional wisdom says that you should hold out as long as… read more…
- Where Do Americans Give the Most to Charity? – 2021 Edition
Charitable giving increased by 5.1% in 2020, as Americans donated $471.44 billion during a year defined by COVID-19. Of those donations, 28% went to religious organizations, 15% to education and 14% to human services, according to the National Philanthropic Trust. Giving to charity not only allows a person to support the causes they value, it can also… read more…
- Fastest-Growing Jobs for Young Professionals in America – 2021 Edition
For young professionals looking to kickstart their career, the current labor market offers many jobs, with companies taking steps to attract new workers into the fold. Keeping this in mind, SmartAsset wanted to look at the past few years to see which types of jobs have big gains among young professionals between the ages of… read more…
- States Where Credit Card Debt Is Becoming More Manageable – 2021 Study
Credit cards can be useful, especially if you use them responsibly to gain points, airline miles and other perks. That said, it is easy to let your credit card debt get out of control and end up in serious trouble. For the second quarter of 2021, Experian says that the average card balance was $5,525… read more…
- Best Cities for Military Retirees – 2021 Study
When the time comes for members of the American military to hang up their uniforms for good, they’ll inevitably face the same question anyone else asks themselves when nearing retirement: Where will I live? There are a number of factors that make a city or town a good place to retire. But which cities are… read more…
- Top Boomtowns in America – 2021 Edition
The U.S. recently hit a large milestone on the road to recovery from the economic fallout of COVID-19. In the second quarter of 2021, real gross domestic product (GDP) exceeded its pre-pandemic level, according to Bureau of Economic Analysis data. This rebound comes exactly a year after real GDP hit its lowest point during the… read more…
- Largest RIAs Nationally and in Each State – 2021 Study
Over the past decade, the total number of U.S.-based registered investment advisors (RIAs) has increased by 20.29%. Total assets managed by RIAs have grown at an even steeper rate, more than doubling over the same period. Assets managed by Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) RIAs rose from $43.8 trillion in 2010 to more than $110… read more…
- How Much Does the First Year of Homeownership Cost in Large U.S. Cities? – 2021 Study
The first year of homeownership can often be the most expensive, especially when paying a sizable down payment and taking closing costs into account. More times than not, the most affordable places to buy homes are smaller and more rural. But how much does the first year of homeownership cost in America’s largest cities? To answer… read more…
- Fastest-Growing Jobs for Women in America – 2021 Edition
According to Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data, in January of 2021 the labor force participation rate for women dropped to 57%. This was the lowest it had been since 1988, when it fell to less than 58% (compared to when it reached above 60% in the late 90s and into the aughts). It is… read more…
- Best Places to Celebrate Halloween in 2021
Listen up, ladies and ghouls – it’s Spooky Season once again. Get out your favorite decorations, figure out your costume ideas and get ready to eat more candy than you should, because Halloween is upon us. While the COVID-19 pandemic may still put a bit of a damper on the holiday once again this year,… read more…
- Best Small Cities for Retirement – 2021 Study
Nearly 400,000 people moved for retirement in 2020, a study conducted by HigherAHelper found. While the study’s data showed that retirees are twice as likely to move to a new state than all other movers, more than a quarter of retirees who moved in 2020 chose to leave larger cities and metropolitan areas. Smaller cities… read more…
- Where Divorces Are Becoming More Common – 2021 Study
Divorce can be a pricey proposition – according to a 2019 survey by the legal website Nolo, the average cost of a divorce is around $12,900, including more than $11,000 in attorney’s fees. Divorce at ages 50 and older – often known as gray divorce – may especially lead to various levels of financial insecurity.… read more…
- Best Places for Outdoor Enthusiasts to Live and Work – 2021 Edition
As the COVID-19 pandemic upended daily life and caused nationwide shutdowns, more people participated in outdoor recreation in 2020 than ever before. More than 50% of Americans ages 6 and older participated in outdoor recreation (like biking or hiking) at least once, according to the 2021 Outdoor Participation Trends Report commissioned by the Outdoor Foundation.… read more…
- Which Investors Are Most Interested in Socially Responsible Investing? – 2021 Study
Socially responsible investing – commonly referred to as environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing – is gaining traction among institutional investors as well as individuals. According to a recent Natixis report, the percentage of institutional investors that implement ESG approaches increased by 18% from 2019 to 2021. Similarly, Natixis reports that a growing number of individual… read more…
- Places Where People Spend the Most on Food – 2021 Edition
While inflation continues to linger, the price of food is among the few commodities that hasn’t skyrocketed in the last year. According to the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, which tracks the price of goods and services, food prices were just 3.7% higher in August than they were 12 months earlier. That may… read more…