Finance
Many people still struggling to juggle debts, but some financial aspects see improvement
Many Americans continue to struggle with credit and debt issues, but there have been some improvements in credit scoring, medical debts and other areas. Still, most people aren’t comfortable.
Medical debt could soon be barred from credit reports. What we know.
The Biden administration is proposing a plan that would bar all medical debt from being reported on credit reports. Here’s what we know.
Americans are feeling a bit better about their finances in some ways, with recession fears abating but lingering anxiety over high prices. Debt, credit and spending issues have received a lot of attention lately in studies, surveys and other commentaries. Here are some recent perspectives:
Tips for keeping impulse purchases at bay
It’s tough for a lot of people to keep spending under control, whether its from online shopping or passing by a storefront. But financial author Sharon Lechter offers some simple tips that can help.
Lechter, who has authored 28 books including her latest, “How Money Works for Women,” starts by suggesting what she call the two-minute rule: Before making a sizable purchase, “Walk away from the item for two minutes,” she said. “If you really want it, go back and get it.” But often, a short break will be enough to cancel the urge to spend. You might even delay for 24 or 72 hours.
Another tip is to follow what she calls the one-in/one-out rule, in which you resolve to sell or donate a belonging for any new one that you acquire. This too helps to control spending while keeping clutter at bay.
“I have to force that one on myself,” said Lechter, a retired certified public accountant who lives in Scottsdale. “A lot of us tend to be hoarders.”
And rather than pull out credit cards routinely, Lecter suggests shopping with gift cards, with fixed dollar limits. For people who strive to get the best deals, she suggests using a price-tracking browser extension such as CamelCamelCamel or Honey. You might discover that an item isn’t such a bargain and doesn’t need to be bought immediately.
8 signs you’re on the right financial path
Money Management International, which helps struggling households deal with high debts, poor credit, unaffordable housing and other pressures, has put together a list of eight signs that point to financial success.
Four are obvious and deal with basic budget issues. They consist of spending less than you earn, always paying bills on time, having a minimum cash reserve (at least $500, the group recommends) and generally planning ahead to meet larger expenses without hoping for a big tax refund or other windfall.
The other indicators are more vague, such as having a sufficient amount of savings/assets, a reasonable debt load and appropriate types of insurance, without defining those terms or amounts. Also, Money Management International suggests that consumers aim for a “prime” credit score of at least 740, on the standard scale that ranges from 300 up to 850.
Enthusiasm for new loan type
Borrowers who have used Buy Now, Pay Later loans generally express satisfaction with them, according to a TransUnion survey of 1,200 consumers.
The loans are made at the point of sale to finance a one-time, unsecured purchase. Borrowers typically repay these loans in multiple, equal payments instead of a lump sum. More than 100 million consumers have used BNPL loans, and that could increase, according to TransUnion, which found that about half of nonusers are open to trying the loans if they had the potential to exert a positive impact on their credit scores.
Currently, information for most BNPLs isn’t submitted to credit reporting agencies. Yet including more of these loans would attract consumers struggling to rebuild their credit or have been left out of the system entirely, TransUnion said.
“Consumers deserve to have their BNPL credit included in their credit history, which could lead to more access to credit for a generation of consumers who have embraced BNPL as an alternative to traditional borrowing,” said Jason Laky, executive vice president and head of financial services at TransUnion.
Would $186,000 make you feel secure?
Americans indicate they would need to earn $186,000 annually to feel financially secure, based on an average of responses in a new survey by Bankrate.com. That’s slightly more than double what Americans earn on average, so there’s room for improvement.
Only one in four respondents said they are completely financially secure, down from 28% in 2023, according to the Bankrate poll. About three in 10 Americans predict they never will be secure. As for feeling rich, Americans in general figure they would need to earn about $520,000 a year to reach that level of comfort.
Rising prices have led to an “affordability crisis” that has eroded Americans’ sense of security, said Mark Hamrick, Bankrate’s senior economic analyst, in a statement. But cooling inflation and ample employment opportunities could help close the affordability gap, he added.
Medical debts show improvements
Medical debts remain a burden on millions of Americans, though not quite as much as they were previously.
In large part, a new Urban Institute study credits changes implemented by major credit bureaus to ease, though not eliminate, the problem. According to the institute, credit bureaus removed paid medical collections from credit reports and stopped reporting unpaid collections until they were at least one year old, compared to the prior grace period of six months. Also, medical debts in collection no longer are used to calculate Vantage credit scores, and medical collections below $500 no longer appear on credit reports.
“Medical debt has constituted most of the debt in collections on consumer credit reports for the past decade, lowering consumers’ credit scores and thus limiting their access to credit,” said the report’s authors. “The reporting changes have erased medical debt in collections from most consumers’ credit reports but do not affect the underlying debt consumers owe to health-care providers.”
In 2013, 19.5% of Americans had medical debt in collections. By 2023, that had fallen to 5%. Other favorable factors include fewer uninsured households and higher average incomes.
Reach the writer at russ.wiles@arizonarepublic.com.
Written by Jitendra Parashar at The Motley Fool Canada
Dividend investing can be one of the simplest ways to build long-term wealth while creating a steady stream of passive income. But in my opinion, a good dividend stock is about much more than just a high yield. Beyond dividend yield, investors should also look for companies with durable businesses, reliable cash flows, and a history of rewarding shareholders consistently over time.
That’s exactly why many investors turn to financial stocks. Banks and asset managers often generate recurring earnings through lending, investing, and wealth management activities, allowing them to support stable dividend payments even during uncertain market conditions.
Two Canadian financial stocks that stand out right now are AGF Management (TSX:AGF.B) and Toronto-Dominion Bank (TSX:TD). Both companies offer attractive dividends backed by solid financial performance and long-term growth strategies. In this article, I’ll explain why these two financial stocks could be worth considering for income-focused investors right now.
AGF Management stock continues to reward shareholders
AGF Management is a Toronto-based asset manager with businesses across investments, private markets, and wealth management. Through these divisions, the company offers equity, fixed income, alternative, and multi-asset investment strategies to retail, institutional, and private wealth clients.
Following a 59% rally over the last 12 months, AGF stock currently trades at $16.67 per share with a market cap of roughly $1.1 billion. At current levels, the stock offers a quarterly dividend yield of 3.3%.
One reason behind AGF’s strong recent performance is its increasingly diversified business model. The company has expanded its investment capabilities and broadened its geographic reach, helping it perform well across varying market environments.
In the first quarter of its fiscal 2026 (ended in February), AGF posted free cash flow of $36 million, up 14% year over year (YoY), driven mainly by higher management, advisory, and administration fees. These fees climbed to $92.5 million as demand for the company’s investment offerings strengthened.
AGF has also been focusing on expanding its alternative investment business and introducing new investment products. With strong cash generation and growing demand for alternative investments, AGF Management looks well-positioned to continue rewarding investors over the long term.
TD Bank stock remains a dependable dividend giant
Toronto-Dominion Bank, or TD Bank, is one of North America’s largest banks, serving millions of customers through its Canadian banking, U.S. retail banking, wealth management and insurance, and wholesale banking operations.
Finance
Martha Aguirre, former El Paso ISD interim superintendent, resigns as CFO as district finds ‘key financial challenges’
El Paso Independent School District Chief Financial Officer Martha Aguirre, who served as interim superintendent last year, resigned this week as the district said it had discovered “key financial challenges.”
The district issued a news release late Thursday afternoon that lacked details but indicated that a recent review had raised questions about the district’s fund balances, a key indicator of financial health.
“Through this process, key financial challenges were identified that must be addressed prior to closing out the 2025-26 school year including a current budget shortfall that is being actively addressed ahead of the district’s final financial presentation to the Board of Trustees in June,” the news release said.
A CFO is charged with developing a school district’s budget and overseeing its finance department. The EPISD Board of Trustees must adopt a budget for the 2026-27 school year by the end of the fiscal year June 30. The operating budget for the current school year is $547 million.
EPISD Deputy Superintendent David Bates will oversee the budget while the district searches for an interim and permanent CFO, district officials said in a statement.
EPISD Board President Leah Hanany said trustees were notified about Aguirre’s resignation this week. She said the district plans to give the public more information on the current year’s budget during a board meeting later this month.
“The board was also notified of a potential budget shortfall for the 2025 budget, but we don’t have final numbers yet. My understanding is that we are still primed to pass a balanced budget for fiscal year 2026-27 in June,” Hanany said in a statement.
Aguirre could not be reached for comment. EPISD’s CFO makes $148,200 to $209,900 a year, according to the district’s administrative pay plan.
She served as EPISD’s interim superintendent from June to December 2025 after the district’s former superintendent, Diana Sayavedra, resigned under pressure from the board. She returned to her position as CFO when Brian Lusk was hired as EPISD’s new permanent superintendent.
Aguirre’s resignation comes amid an uncertain budget season after a state funding calculation error tied to school property tax breaks caused EPISD to lose out on $17 million in projected revenue. In late April, EPISD officials estimated it would cause the district’s spending to exceed its revenue next year by $10 million.
The district is also considering calling for a bond election in November to upgrade its aging campuses as part of the larger 2024 Destination District Redesign initiative to close schools and improve the ones that remain open.
El Paso Teachers’ Association President Norma De La Rosa said Aguirre’s departure was unexpected.
“We’re right in the middle of the committee meetings for a possible bond and getting ready to get that budget to the June board meeting for next school year. So, to say that I’m highly surprised is an understatement,” De La Rosa told El Paso Matters.
Aguirre started working with the district in 1996 as a general clerk, according to a video published by the district.
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