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What You Need to Know About Letting Your Money Sit Idle in a Savings Account

FROM 3 minutes ago

Putting cash away in a savings account feels reassuring, but comfort alone can come at a cost. Between inflation and the rising cost of living, any account earning less than 2% or 3% is quietly losing value over time. With the national average savings rate sitting at just 0.39% APY in early 2026, you may be seeing your balance erode in purchasing power month after month.

Having a solid savings cushion is key to financial health—but how you save matters. Below, we’ll weigh the pros and cons of keeping your money in a savings account and explore smarter alternatives that could serve you better.

Traditional savings accounts excel at two things: instant access (i.e., “liquidity”) and Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) insurance, which guarantees up to $250,000 per depositor, per bank against loss. 

The trade-off is opportunity cost. Park $10,000 for a year in the bank at 0.50% and you earn just $50 in interest (before taxes); if inflation averages 2.5% over the same year, your real purchasing power drops by more than $1,200. Sure, you avoid market swings, but the slow leaking of value is all but guaranteed.

Read the full story here.

–Adam Hayes

The Fed Cut Rates 3 Times—So Why Are Some Savings Accounts Still Paying 5%?

FROM 38 minutes ago

Even after the Federal Reserve cut interest rates three times last fall, the very top savings account rate hasn’t budged. The leading APY was already at 5.00% before the first cut in September—and it’s still there today, despite additional reductions in October and December pushing the federal funds rate down a total of 0.75 percentage points.

That doesn’t mean the broader savings market has been immune to the Fed’s moves. Looking across today’s best high-yield savings accounts, the collective ranking has gradually slipped. As of today, the 10th-best savings rate stands at 4.20%, while the 15th-best rate—the bottom of our top-15 list—was 4.02%.

Rewind a few months and the midrank accounts paid more. At the start of September, before the Fed’s first 2025 rate cut, the 10th-best savings account offered 4.40%, and the 15th-best paid 4.31%—about 20 to 30 basis points better than today. But while those rates have slipped, the top nationwide rate has held firm at 5.00%.

Read the full article here.

–Sabrina Karl

The Great Wealth Transfer: Why Inheriting a Home May Not Make You Rich

FROM 1 hr 12 min ago

After your parents or grandparents pass away, you may expect to receive some type of inheritance, whether it’s old jewelry, leftover retirement account assets, or even a home.

While inheriting a home can be a blessing, it can also come with hidden downsides. With the “Great Wealth Transfer” underway, this is an issue many Americans could face in the coming years.

During this period, a staggering $124 trillion worth of wealth is expected to transfer through 2048, with most of that wealth going to heirs, according to Cerulli Associates.

Many people could find themselves with their parents’ home on their hands in the coming years.

A Freddie Mac survey from late 2024 found that three-quarters of Baby Boomer homeowners planned upon death to leave their home or hand down the proceeds from the sale of their home to family members.

Read the full article here.

–Trina Paul

For the New Walmart and Target CEOs, It’s ‘Continuation’ vs. ‘Reinvention’

FROM 1 hr 34 min ago

Same title. Different task.

New CEOs started at two big retailers—Target (TGT) and Walmart (WMT)—on Sunday. Their missions vary considerably.vAt Target, Michael Fiddelke wants to stem the flight of investors and revive sluggish sales. At Walmart, John Furner aims to continue reeling in new customers and keep investors happy.

“They’re at, really, very different junctures,” TD Cowen senior equity research analyst Oliver Chen said on CNBC. “Target needs a reinvention; Walmart, continuation.”

Fiddelke’s tenure starts as Target seeks to shake off a tough spell. Revenue has fallen year-over-year for the past four quarters. Consumers have pulled back on discretionary purchases, and some of Target’s merchandising picks fell flat. The retailer was also slower to build up the sort of delivery system that attracted shoppers to some of its competitors, Chen said. Investors took notice, with share prices falling by more than 20% over the past year.

Read the full article here.

–Sarina Trangle

Stock Futures Mostly Rise as Palantir Leads Tech Shares Higher

FROM 2 hours ago

Futures contracts connected to the Dow Jones Industrial Average pointed down 0.1%.

S&P 500 futures were up 0.1%.

Nasdaq 100 futures advanced 0.4%.