Trent Hamm

Founder & Columnist

Trent Hamm founded The Simple Dollar in 2006 and still writes a daily column on personal finance. He’s the author of three books published by Simon & Schuster and Financial Times Press, has contributed to Business Insider, US News & World Report, Yahoo Finance, and Lifehacker, and his financial advice has been featured in The New York Times, TIME, Forbes, The Guardian, and elsewhere.

Is 65 Still a Good Retirement Age?

For almost a century, 65 has been seen as the age at which people retire in America. This is largely due to the original Social Security Act of 1…

Inflation Affects Your Retirement Savings — Here’s How

One factor that many people overlook when calculating their retirement number is the impact of inflation. In simplest terms, inflation means that…

Here’s What Happens To Your Stock if a Company Goes Bankrupt

Stocks are one of the most popular types of investment. Trillions of dollars are invested annually in the stock market as people chase the fortun…

We Answer Your 3 Crucial Questions About Emergency Funds

Emergency funds are an incredibly useful financial tool. They’re simply pools of money set aside for you when you find yourself in a financial pi…

How to File Your Taxes If You Received Unemployment Benefits in 2020

In 2020, at least 30 million Americans received unemployment benefits during the past year, with many of those recipients receiving benefits for…

How to Use TreasuryDirect for Low-Risk Investing

Investing is all about balancing risk and reward. Many investments that offer potentially great rewards, such as stocks, come with tremendous ris…

Nursing Homes Cost $8,821 a Month. Here’s How to Pay for It in 2021

The challenges that older Americans face during COVID-19 are multi-dimensional. Of course, it starts with the direct concern of COVID-19 itself.&…

Will There Be a Buyer’s Housing Market in 2021?

It’s common sense. A person buying a new home wants the price to be as low as possible. A person selling a house wants the price to be as high as…

Where You Can Open a Roth IRA and Other Reader Questions, Answered

Roth IRAs are a powerful retirement investment vehicle accessible to almost all Americans, but the specifics of how to start and use one can be a…

The Pump-and-Dump Stock Scam, Explained

Investing in the stock market is a risky endeavor. Not only does it come with the inherent risk of investing in stocks and their fluctuating valu…

How Do You Know You’re Ready to Buy Your First Home?

Owning your own home has long been a touchstone of the American Dream. It represents a certain level of independence, a place that provides shelt…

Hate the Stock Market? Consider the Best Low-Risk Investment Options, Instead

Investing is a financial topic that fills a lot of people with uncertainty. Sometimes, this uncertainty comes from simply not knowing the basics…