SoFi Blog

In our efforts to bring you the latest updates on things that might impact your financial life, we may occasionally enter the political fray, covering candidates, bills, laws and more.
Please note: SoFi does not endorse or take official positions on any candidates and the bills they may be sponsoring or proposing. We may occasionally support legislation that we believe would be beneficial to our members, and will make sure to call it out when we do. Our reporting otherwise is for informational purposes only, and shouldn’t be construed as an endorsement.

If you’ve followed Congress even casually over the past few years, you’re probably aware that there isn’t much that flows through the House of Representatives or the Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support.

On Thursday, May 16 the House defied expectations, and their recent track record, by passing the SECURE act by an overwhelming 417-3 . True to form, though, the SECURE act stands for the “Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019”.

If the Senate and House agree on the bill as it stands now, it could end up being a big deal that changes the way lots of people save for retirement, invest in 401(k)s, IRAs, and other retirement accounts, and even the way they tackle student loan debt.

Between managing your overflowing inbox, handling budget reports, and attending all of the meetings on your calendar, multitasking may be your default mode of operation. While you may feel like you’re operating at peak efficiency as you toggle between countless windows, in reality, constantly changing your focus may be wreaking havoc on your productivity.

The same logic can be applied to your finances. Trying to juggle multiple priorities when it comes to money can feel overwhelming. If you’re taking a flexible approach with your finances, you may not have a plan for your income. And that can leave you wondering how to allocate your money after paying your bills.

Should you save or invest? Or are you going to spend some of your money on a trip or purchase? The ability to multitask can be an asset, but it can also allow distractions to prevail. But is multitasking actually bad?

Tariffs, IPOs…and Salty Chips

May. Springtime. Three-day weekends. It’s usually a time to celebrate Star Wars, not initiate trade wars, but that’s not how it went down this year. That, plus some chip drama and some new murmurs about Bitcoin made for a spicier-than-usual month in the markets. On top of that, the IPOs kept popping. Yep, 2019 has been ripe so far for some delicious market news.

Of course, there’s nothing wrong with giving expectant parents baby clothes (and those adorable little outfits can be so tempting to buy!). But, babies grow out of clothing quickly. Depending upon how fast they grow, you may purchase clothing that seasonally just doesn’t match with the baby’s size—and so, they never get worn.

Instead of buying the first cute outfit you see, think about a gift that might be more impactful than clothes. We’ve compiled five new baby gift ideas that are both thoughtful and practical—and go beyond the onesie.

These gifts range from those that can meet an immediate need to those that help parents to plan for their child’s future. Each of these ideas will work just as well as new baby girl gifts as they do for baby boys (and vice versa!).

You’ve been looking for a new gig for ages. Finally, you score a job offer. And it sounds amazing. You’re passionate about the work the company is doing, there are plenty of perks, and you really seemed to jibe with the folks you met during the interview process.

There’s just one downside: the commute. The hours you’ll potentially have to spend in the car driving to and from work have you wondering, “How far should I travel for work?”

The average commute time in the U.S. has been rising steadily over the past few years. The latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2017 American Community Survey, shows that average commute times are now at 26.9 minutes, up from 26.6 minutes the year before. For the nearly 14 million Americans who spend an hour or more traveling to work, a 26-minute commute might be a welcome trade.

You may have already weighed your dream job versus the salary, too. If the job you’re considering also pays more, you might want to review the pros and cons. Weighing these factors could help you determine if the pay increase is worth the extra commute. If it’s time to leave your job and you are willing to put in more drive time for something better, there are a few things you could examine before signing your offer letter.