NEWS FLASH
(Note: Some of the "News Flash" links in this section may require a subscription. We intentionally provide a short, easy-to-read summary in the chance you can't access the full story.)
📲 Protect Yourself From Tax Identity Theft: The IRS is battling a growing wave of tax identity theft where scammers file fake returns using stolen personal information to claim refunds in your name. The solution? A six-digit Identity Protection PIN that blocks unauthorized filings and prevents "false positives" that delay legitimate returns. Getting one requires verification through ID.me, a process that takes under 30 minutes despite requiring photo ID uploads and biometric verification. While only 10 million of 200 million eligible Americans currently use IP PINs, the protection is worth the minor hassle—especially considering resolution times for tax identity theft have ballooned from four months to nearly two years. Even dependents can (and should) get PINs, though minors require special handling.
RETIREMENT ARTICLES
What We're Reading
- *100 Must-Know Statistics About Long-Term Care (Morningstar)
- 15 Costly Medicare Drugs Selected for Price Negotiations (AARP)
- How to Check the Status of Your Federal Tax Refund (CNBC)
- A Guide to Combat Rising Long-Term Care Premiums (The Street)
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The Less Fund Investors Did, the Better They Did (Basis Pointing)
- 17 Powerful Tips for Retiring Alone (Boldin)
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Will Medicaid Take Your House After a Revocable Trust? (The Street)
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The Seven Travel Trends That Will Shape 2025 (BBC)
- A pretty nice life is financial independence + purpose (Morgan Housel)
CHART OF WEEK
A Global Shift: The landscape is flipping its script as international equities surge ahead of their American counterparts. Developed foreign markets have rallied ~7% this year, with REITs following at 5.4%, while US stocks lag with a modest 1% gain. This reversal challenges the decade-long "US exceptionalism" narrative that had investors questioning global diversification's value. Though it's early days, this performance shift could suggest the trend is changing—perhaps vindicating those who have maintained international exposure.