Daniel Kim

The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meets October 27-28, 2026, after the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) published September's employment report (October 2) and Consumer Price Index (CPI) report (October 14), and before the October versions of both, which are scheduled for November 6 and November 10. If you read those November numbers as if they were on the table at the meeting, you could misjudge what had been published when the Committee met. This article gives you a dated map of what was on the record before the meeting and what was not. ✅ The Fed Decides Before the October Data Arrives: What the Oc… at a glance ✓ Date What happens: Reference month ✓ October 2, 2026 BLS publishes the employment report: nonfarm payrolls and unemployment rate: September 2026 ✓ October 14, 2026 BLS publishes the CPI report: September 2026 ✓ October 27-28, 2026 FOMC meeting: Not applicable ✓ November 6, 2026 BLS employment report (scheduled): October 2026 ✓ November 10, 2026 BLS CPI report (...

June 30, 2027, is the federal deadline for the 2026-27 FAFSA, according to USA.gov, but it is the federal date only: state and college deadlines are separate and can be earlier. As of October 24, 2026, one earlier date has already passed: California's priority deadline of March 2, 2026. This guide helps you tell federal, state, college, and program deadlines apart, find the official source for each, check where your FAFSA stands, and take a correct next step if a priority date is behind you. ✅ FAFSA 2026-27 Deadline: Why June 30, 2027, May Not Be Your R… at a glance ✓ Federal State: College ✓ Date June 30, 2027, according to USA.gov (as of October 24, 2026): Date: Varies by state. California's priority deadline of March 2, 2026, has alre…: Date: Varies by college. No college date is given in this article. ✓ Scope The federal deadline only, not a universal deadline: Scope: Separate from the federal date and can be earlier: Scope: Separate from the federal date and can be earli...

If you are in a Medicare Advantage plan and thinking about returning to Original Medicare, changing coverage and getting a Medigap policy are two separate questions. An enrollment opportunity does not, by itself, establish Medigap eligibility or guarantee a particular policy, so the Medigap question needs a verified answer before you commit to the change, not after. Below you will find a two-window calendar, a research sequence, a state-rule worksheet, and a decision gate to fill in with your own facts. ✅ Leaving Medicare Advantage: Can You Actually Switch Back? Th… at a glance ✓ Window Dates: What to know ✓ Medicare Open Enrollment October 15 through December 7, 2026: The plan has to receive your enrollment request by December 7. Changes made duri… ✓ Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period January 1 through March 31, 2027: Allows one change during that window. 1. The Exit Problem: Two Questions, Not One You want to leave Medicare Advantage and return to Original Medicare. But...

Of the 4.26% composite rate on I Bonds issued May 1 to October 31, 2026, only the 0.90% fixed rate stays with a bond for its 30-year life. If you are deciding whether to buy before the November 1 announcement, three mistakes could cost you money: buying or waiting without checking the fixed rate, locking up cash you may need within 12 months, and ignoring the five-year interest penalty. Each comes down to arithmetic you can run yourself, and the formulas are included. Composite rate on I Bonds issued May 1 to October 31, 2026 4.26% Only the 0.90% fixed rate stays locked for the bond's 30-year life. The inflation component resets every six months. Source: TreasuryDirect *Baseline: TreasuryDirect's figures for bonds issued May 1 to October 31, 2026, as of October 23, 2026. Figures tagged [ESTIMATE] are my arithmetic from those published inputs, with the formula shown. They are rule-of-thumb, not a forecast. This is general information, not tax or investment advice. Official fi...

Two benchmarks set your target for avoiding an underpayment penalty: 90% of this year's tax or 100% of last year's tax, whichever is smaller. If your income jumped this year, the second number could sit well below your full bill, so prepaying 100% of this year's tax may be more than the rules ask. Whatever you do not prepay is still due when you file, and this article covers the math, the 110% exception, and a checklist for the January 15, 2027 deadline. The most the penalty rules ever ask you to prepay 90% Your target is the smaller of 90% of this year's tax or 100% of last year's tax (110% if last year's AGI topped $150,000), never 100% of this year's bill. Source: IRS Publication 505 *General information only, not personal tax advice. This article covers the safe-harbor targets and timing rules in [IRS Publication 505](https://www.irs.gov/publications/p505) and [Form 2210](https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-2210) as of October 23, 2026. It does ...