Personal Finance Made Simple

Well researched articles on investing, insurance, credit, loans, and banking that turn complex money topics into decisions you can act on.

Latest articles

Long-Term Care Insurance Explained: Real Costs, Real Coverage Gaps
Insurance

Long-Term Care Insurance Explained: Real Costs, Real Coverage Gaps

Medicare pays $217/day, then nothing after day 100. Real cost data, the tax deduction most guides get wrong, and Medicaid rules that surprise families.

By Aaron Mitchell · 12 min read
How Long Should Term Life Insurance Last? A Complete Guide
Insurance

How Long Should Term Life Insurance Last? A Complete Guide

How to choose your term life insurance length: match the term to your longest obligation, what 10, 20 and 30 year policies cost, and a term length calculator.

By Aaron Mitchell · 12 min read
Level Term Life Insurance: A Beginner's Guide
Insurance

Level Term Life Insurance: A Beginner's Guide

Level term life insurance explained: how the premium stays fixed, how it compares to decreasing and yearly renewable term, what it costs, and a cost calculator.

By Aaron Mitchell · 12 min read
Renewable Term Life Insurance: A Beginner's Guide
Insurance

Renewable Term Life Insurance: A Beginner's Guide

Renewable term life insurance explained: how guaranteed renewal works, why premiums rise, what happens when your term ends, and a renewal cost calculator.

By Aaron Mitchell · 12 min read
Can You Get Term Life Insurance After 50? A Beginner's Guide
Insurance

Can You Get Term Life Insurance After 50? A Beginner's Guide

Term life insurance for seniors: age limits, realistic costs after 50, 60 and 70, whether you need it, and a calculator to check any quote you are given.

By Aaron Mitchell · 13 min read
New vs Used Car Loans: Which Should You Finance?
Loans

New vs Used Car Loans: Which Should You Finance?

New vs used car loans compared: how the rates differ, what each really costs after depreciation, and a calculator to see which is cheaper for you.

By Aaron Mitchell · 11 min read
How Auto Loans Work: A Beginner's Guide
Loans

How Auto Loans Work: A Beginner's Guide

How do auto loans work? A plain-English guide to auto loan interest, APR, terms, and rates, with a payment calculator and a real example.

By Aaron Mitchell · 12 min read
Full Coverage vs Liability Car Insurance: Which Do You Need?
Insurance

Full Coverage vs Liability Car Insurance: Which Do You Need?

Full coverage vs liability car insurance: what each covers, how much more full coverage costs, and a simple way to decide which one you actually need.

By Aaron Mitchell · 12 min read
What Does Car Insurance Cover? A Beginner's Guide
Insurance

What Does Car Insurance Cover? A Beginner's Guide

What does car insurance actually cover? A plain-English guide to liability, collision, comprehensive, and gap coverage, with a calculator and a real example.

By Aaron Mitchell · 13 min read
Dollar-Cost Averaging: How It Works (With Examples)
Investing

Dollar-Cost Averaging: How It Works (With Examples)

Dollar-cost averaging means investing a fixed amount on a regular schedule, no matter the price. Here is how it works, with examples and a calculator.

By Aaron Mitchell · 12 min read
Stocks vs Bonds: The Difference Explained Simply
Investing

Stocks vs Bonds: The Difference Explained Simply

Stocks make you an owner, bonds make you a lender. Here is the real difference between stocks and bonds, with a side-by-side comparison and a mix calculator by age.

By Aaron Mitchell · 13 min read
What Is a Good Credit Score?
Credit

What Is a Good Credit Score?

A good credit score is 670 to 739. But only 21% of Americans are in that band and 50% score above it, and stopping there can cost $37,096 on a single mortgage.

By Aaron Mitchell · 13 min read