Money guides

A plain-English guide to working out a home price you can comfortably afford — the 28/36 rule, down payments, and the costs people forget.

Why your early mortgage payments are almost all interest, how the balance falls over time, and what extra payments actually do.

The two most popular debt-payoff strategies compared — which saves the most money, which keeps you motivated, and how to choose.

What the 4% rule is, where it came from, its limits, and how to use it to size the nest egg you need for retirement or financial independence.

Which states don't tax your wages, what they charge instead, and when a 'no income tax' state doesn't actually leave you better off. Run the numbers on our paycheck calculator by state.

Why your bonus looks so heavily taxed, the 22% federal supplemental rate, and why 'bonus tax' is really just withholding you get back at year end.