Author: Maurie Backman

Being a stay-at-home parent can often be a thankless job.

From the moment you get up in the morning to the moment you go to bed, you’re either chasing after a child, preparing meals or doing some sort of household task — many of which involve scrubbing food particles off of a surface or item of clothing.

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And the worst part? At the end of the week, there’s no paycheck to look forward to.

That’s what inspired Amber Aubrey, a mom of two, to start charging her husband for the unpaid labor she performs around the house. She documented her decision in a hotly debated TikTok video that has since racked up over 4.2 million views.

"Ultimately, it does kind of make me the breadwinner in my household," Aubrey said in the video.

Why this stay-at-home mom wants a paycheck

The work stay-at-home parents do has real value — and researchers have actually put a price tag on it.

Beike Biotechnology found that stay-at-home parents of two children do about 200 combined hours of unpaid labor each month. The estimated cost? Between $4,000 and $5,200.

For Aubrey, charging her spouse for her stay-at-home duties boils down to feeling like she deserves financial recognition for the work she contributes. That’s why she bills her husband $2,700 a week for the work she does.

"If he wants to save money, he can help me do any of these tasks," she said.

Here’s a breakdown of Aubrey’s workload and the amount she charges:

• $20 per load of dishes (two to three times daily, five days a week)
• $140 for weekly laundry
• $120 for weekly bathroom cleaning
• $100 per floor cleaning (two to three times daily, five days a week)
• $800 weekly homeschool instruction for two kids
• $150 for weekly pickups and drop-offs
• $75 per weekly grocery run
• $50 for five weekly lunches and dinners
• $200 for weekly breastfeeding
• $50 weekly for sweeping

Many TikTok viewers were quick to applaud Aubrey for her bold stance.

"Know your worth, then add tax," wrote user K Briggs.

"I 100% support this," added another user named Niklovin. User Sharna Louise chimed in: "This is the best video I’ve seen on the internet; ever!"

Aubrey’s video even resonated with some male viewers. A TikTok user named gesseppiimuhseppe said, "Listen, as a guy, I’m here for this. I think most [of] these men need to be aware [of] how much their wives do."

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How couples can address “invisible labor”

Invisible labor is something stay-at-home parents take on regularly — and issues can arise when that work goes unacknowledged.

It’s not just the physical tasks that matter. There’s also the mental load — the planning, scheduling and decision-making that comes with managing a household and raising children.

Of course, not every household follows the traditional gender roles. But data from the University of Wisconsin-Madison finds that women still spend twice as many hours doing physical housework as their male partners.

Weight of the world

It doesn’t stop there. Allison Daminger, an assistant professor of sociology, found in her research that in 80% of opposite-sex couples, women shoulder most of the cognitive labor — things like managing family calendars, planning meals and checking on homework.

According to Bloomberg, economists at the Levy Economics Institute examined data in 2021 and found that for every $100 households spend on commodities, there’s about $65 worth of unpaid work involved — often done by the stay-at-home parent.

That same data set found that nearly 80% of all unpaid household work is done by women, with a total estimated value of $3.6 trillion annually.

That’s why couples need to have open discussions about how to financially support and recognize the stay-at-home role. That doesn’t have to mean every household needs to itemize tasks like Aubrey does.

But working partners should start by acknowledging the value their stay-at-home counterparts bring to the table. There are practical ways to make things more equitable.

For example, the working partner could contribute part to a spousal IRA to help the non-working partner save for retirement.

They should also consider the opportunity cost of a partner stepping away from their career. Resume gaps can add challenges when trying to re-enter the workforce and often lead to lower pay.

For couples with one stay-at-home parent, open communication is key — and so is gratitude. Even if a weekly paycheck isn’t in the cards, a regular and sincere thank you can really go a long way.

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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

The past few years have been wrought with rampant inflation, and many Americans are having a hard time paying their bills.

In a February CBS News and YouGov poll, 77% of Americans said their income isn’t keeping up with inflation. And a March survey from Equitable found that 80% of Americans across all income levels are worried about rising living costs.

Life can be especially challenging for young adults who are just starting their careers and craving independence. Suddenly, the burden is on you to pay for every little expense. And what if you realize you can’t afford everything you need?

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Imagine you’re 22 years old and you’re ready to move out of your parents’ house, but you’ve done the math and discovered you can’t afford a place of your own. One of the reasons is your car payments eat up too much of your income — but you need wheels to get to work every day.

So, what can you do to lower your auto costs? And can you do anything to lower your living costs as well?

Tackling high car payments

A number of things may be contributing to high transportation costs at that age. Let’s focus on your auto loan and car insurance.

Insurance premiums tend to be higher for less-experienced drivers, as they’re deemed more likely to get into accidents. Companies can also assess risk based on a car’s make, model and safety features. A high-end car that’s expensive to repair or a car with a high theft rate result in higher premiums.

If you want to try cutting down on your insurance bill, you can start by collecting quotes from multiple companies and select the best deal. Don’t be afraid to negotiate, either, especially if you have a good driving record thus far. Ask if there are any further options for lowering your monthly payments.

As for your car loan, even as borrowing rates remain elevated, you may be able to refinance for a better deal if your credit score has improved since you bought the vehicle. What kind of car do you have? If it’s new or expensive, you may want to consider swapping it with a cheaper option.

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Rent options

If you’re in a situation where you can take your time to find a new place to live, it can pay to be patient and wait for the right rental opportunity to come along.

But if you’re still unable to find something in your price range, you might need to adjust your expectations. That could mean living in a different neighborhood than you wanted or a much smaller space with fewer amenities close by.

Still can’t find what you want? It might be time to put those dreams of living by yourself on hold. Co-habitating with roommates may not be ideal for everyone, but it’s a great way to cut down on living expenses. Not only does the rent get split, but you may be able to save on general household items.

Take control of your finances

If you feel like you’re drowning and can’t keep up with your bills, there are further steps you can take to improve your situation.

First, get yourself on a budget so you can track every dollar spent. Next, review your spending and identify ways to cut back. Chances are, there are some discretionary expenses you can reduce, whether it’s dining out or paying for subscription or streaming services. And along those lines, do a spending audit to make sure you aren’t paying for services you don’t use.

If you want to boost your monthly income, you may also want to look at getting a side hustle. This can allow you to afford and save more for yourself.

And if you can swing it, it’s a good idea to start an emergency fund. This may take time if you’re in a position where you can barely cover rent and car payments. But the point of an emergency fund is to provide a cushion in case of an unplanned expense so you don’t fall deep into debt.

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A 2024 AARP report found that 75% of Americans ages 50 and over want to age in place — meaning they’d prefer to stay in their current homes rather than relocate or downsize.

However, if you’re, say, a 57-year-old widow, you may not need the extra space that a detached home offers. You might also be tired of handling the upkeep on your own.

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One option is to downsize and move into a condo, which could reduce your workload and lower your expenses. To do this, you could sell your home and use the proceeds to purchase a condo. But with limited real estate inventory nationwide, you may be hesitant to sell your home before finding a new place to live.

An alternative — if you have sufficient home equity — is to take out a home equity line of credit (HELOC) on your current home and use that credit to purchase the condo. This way, you don’t have to sell your house before buying a new one. But is that too risky a move? Let’s dig in.

The benefits of a HELOC

One major benefit of a HELOC is the flexibility it offers. For example, if you take out a $300,000 HELOC but only use $250,000 to buy a condo, you’re only charged interest on the amount of credit you use.

Plus, HELOCs typically give you a 10-year draw period — the time when you can borrow against your line of credit.

When you buy a home or condo, you never know what expenses you might incur after moving in. If you don’t need your entire HELOC to purchase your new home, you could reserve some of the funds for unplanned repairs or desired upgrades down the line.

Also, depending on your credit score, the interest rate you get on a HELOC may be more competitive than other loan types. And if you’re hesitant to pull from your savings for a home purchase (and understandably so), a HELOC could help you maintain better liquidity.

Remember, at age 57, you may have the bulk of your savings tied up in an IRA or 401(k) plan. There can be steep penalties for withdrawing from these accounts before turning 59 1/2. So, even if you have a nice nest egg, it may not be possible to access it just yet.

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The downside HELOCs

While there are some advantages to using a HELOC to buy a condo, there are some drawbacks to consider, too. Firstly, while a HELOC gives you flexibility, you still have to pay it back.

You may have as many as 20 years to repay your HELOC. But that’s a long time to have debt hanging over your head, especially as you inch closer to retirement.

Many people aim to shed all of their debt by the time their careers end. If you won’t be able to pay off your HELOC in time for retirement, that’s just one extra expense you’ll have hanging over your head.

Plus, one pitfall you might encounter with a HELOC is that, unlike a home equity loan, your interest rate isn’t set in stone.

That means you’ll be taking the chance of interest rates rising and your HELOC payments increasing at a time when you may be moving to a fixed and lower monthly income.

Also, remember that when you sell your home, you’ll need to pay off your HELOC from your sale proceeds. This may not be a problem. But if you had other plans for your sale proceeds, you may need to rethink them.

Alternatives to consider

It’s easy to see why you may be inclined to downsize into a condo before you retire. But before moving forward, here are some alternatives to consider.

If you’ve never lived in a condo, you may not love the proximity to neighbors. And you may find that your condo fees eat away at the savings you hoped to enjoy. You might want to try renting a condo first to better understand what it’s like.

If you’re convinced you want to purchase a condo, alternative funding options may exist aside from a HELOC.

You could take out a mortgage on the condo. Or, you could sell your home first and add a contingency that the sale is dependent on you finding and closing on a condo to move into. That way, you can use your home sale’s proceeds to buy the condo outright, depending on how much money you walk away with.

Another option may be to sell your home and rent it back from your buyer until you can find, bid on and settle into a condo.

Finally, if you have substantial savings outside of an IRA or 401(k), consider paying for your new condo in cash. If you plan to sell your home right away once you move into your condo, you could reimburse your savings once the sale goes through, so you remain fairly liquid.

The good news is that there are many options. Consider things carefully and recognize that while using a HELOC may be viable in this situation, it’s not always the best option.

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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

Many people look forward to retirement and can’t wait to kick off that chapter in life. But for some people, that part of the story isn’t appealing.

If you’re 63, you’re at a time when it is reasonable to consider your financial stability during retirement. Even though you haven’t hit 65, you’re still old enough to collect the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) benefit, although you’ll be looking at a reduced monthly sum since each year you delay, until age 70, the more you’ll earn.

If you have a decent amount of savings or a pension, you could retire at 63 or shortly thereafter without worry. But it’s not just the financials you’ll need to think about. There’s your mental health and loneliness to consider — aspects of retirement that should not be overlooked.

Forever young

It’s easy to imagine retirement as being carefree. However, the hard truth is that retirement has the potential to be unfulfilling.

In a 2024 Statistics Canada survey, 61.5% of Canadian aged 65 and older described themselves as satisfied with their lives, compared to 48% for those under 65. However, StatsCan also estimates that between 19% and 24% of those aged 65 and up feel isolated from others, wishing that they could participate in more social activities, illustrating how isolating retirement can be without the community a career may bring to someone.

There’s also the feeling of purpose. Many find that their identities are tied to their jobs, so when they retire a part of themselves disappears. StatsCan found that of all working Canadians aged 65 to 74, 21% were employed in 2022, with nine perent doing so by necessity, with 12% doing so by choice.

A work schedule also provides structure. In the absence of habit, it’s easy for retirees to shut themselves in their homes, thereby adding to their isolation and boredom.

That’s why experts argue it’s smart to avoid sunsetting a career. Aside from the financial stress and a lack of a steady income, the mental and emotional toll can make retirement unpleasant, even when money isn’t a concern.

Inflation, scarcity and how to invest

Although some might delay retirement due to social or emotional concerns, many delay retirement due to financial woes.

CPP Investments reported that 61% of Canadians worry more about running out of money during their retirement. Delaying retirement allows them to boost their savings and leave their nest egg untapped.

That same CPP Investments survey reveals how high cost of living due to inflation have Canadians concerned about their savings.

Given that CPP benefits only make up about 33% of a person’s pre-retirement income, it’s easy to see why many of them would opt to postpone retirement and keep plugging away at their jobs in order to get ahead of economic hurdles.

There’s also a general lack of savings to consider. A 2023 Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP) survey found that 44% of working Canadians have not set aside money for retirement that year, with 32% never having set aside money for retirement at all. Delaying CPP boosts monthly benefits by 8.4% per month for each year until 70. But it’s hard to stave off CPP when you don’t have a paycheque.

Some steps can help alleviate the financial burdens that cause Canadians to delay retirement. Boosting savings can address scarcity fears, as can working with a financial advisor to establish a safe withdrawal rate.

Investing strategically can help combat those inflation fears. A portfolio of income-producing assets like bonds and dividends can help retirees keep up with inflation, even when it’s higher than usual.

Stick to your vision

Retirement doesn’t just have financial implications, it can have an emotional impact. One of the best ways to stave off existential dread is to figure out what you want to do with your life after work.

Maybe you’d like to volunteer for a charitable organization, or maybe you’d like to move closer to your adult children to help take care of your grandkids. The key is to stick to your vision and keep yourself occupied.

Having a support network is also important. Before retirement, see what community resources are available to you, whether through a senior centre or a place of worship. If you can’t find one within your vicinity, you may want to consider moving to a senior community that can nurture your social needs, if you can afford it.

One final thing to consider cutting your hours of work back through a part-time job or consulting position; maintain some semblance of a work schedule for as long as your body can handle it. You get the best of everything: time to yourself, an opportunity to get out, socialize and earn a paycheck to alleviate your financial stress.

Sources

1. Statistics Canada: The older people are all right (Sept 24, 2024)

2. Statistics Canada: Employment by choice and necessity among Canadian-born and immigrant seniors (Apr 24, 2024)

3. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan: 2023 Canadian Retirement Survey

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

Dozens of apartment residents in College Park, Georgia, are in a bind after receiving a notice telling them their leases were being terminated to make way for "major repairs" to the complex.

Tenants at first were given 60 days to vacate their unit, but some say they received a follow-up letter giving them much less time.

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"You told me 60 days, now you’re telling me three?" Keneidra Johnson told Fox 5 Atlanta in a story published April 10. "It’s just a hot mess."

But is it within a landlord’s rights to move up the deadline? What about the tenants’ rights? Here are the details behind the story.

A terrible situation

Residents of Chelsea Gardens Apartments say the complex is in disarray — it’s falling apart and infested with rats.

According to Fox 5 Atlanta, tenants originally received a letter stating their leases were being terminated on May 11. The letter read: "The difficult decision has been made due to the necessity of undertaking major repairs and renovations throughout the property."

But on April 9, some residents received another letter saying that because they had an outstanding balance they had to leave within three days, reports the local broadcaster. Residents said their water had also been shut off.

Michael Lucas, director of the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation, was asked by Fox 5 Atlanta if such actions were legal.

"The landlord still has to take the tenant to court, and they do not have to leave until the landlord has gone all the way through that process," he said. He added that tenants "should absolutely find out more about their rights."

The broadcaster says it was unable to reach the Chelsea Gardens leasing office or the property’s listed attorney for comment.

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Tenant protection laws

If you’re a renter, it’s important to know what rights you have, especially if you end up in a situation where you’re suddenly being forced out of your home. Tenancy laws vary by state.

In Georgia, landlords generally have to give tenants 60 days of written notice if they want to terminate a lease. In cases of nonpayment of rent or lease violations, landlords can give tenants up to three days to comply — after which they can file for eviction in court. A tenant doesn’t have to leave until this process is completed.

If you feel your rights as a tenant have been violated, it’s important to take action. First, make sure you’re documenting all issues and all communication with your landlord. It’s best to try to have written communication with your landlord so there’s a trail.

You can also try contacting an attorney for guidance. You may be able to file a complaint against your landlord if they’re violating your rights or trying to force you out of your home.

Keep in mind that a landlord can violate your rights as a tenant by failing to provide you with a safe home. Under Georgia’s Safe at Home Act, as of July 1, 2024, if you enter into a new or renew your lease, you have the right to a home that’s safe and habitable with functioning utilities. Consider speaking up or seeking legal recourse if your home feels unsafe in any way.

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Taking up residence in a mobile home park can be an economical means of putting a roof over one’s head.

But more than 50 families at County Road Mobile Home Park in Houston, Texas, were displaced after the land they were living on was sold, according to KHOU 11 News. Residents had until April 8 to move out, and some were forced to spend thousands of dollars to relocate.

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Marta De La Garza, who lived in the park with her family for five years, says she had to shell out $9,000 — $3,000 for transportation and $6,000 to set up utilities — to move to a new location.

"We had to pay for the people who moved the mobile home. We had to pay a plumber again. We had to pay for electricity again," she told the local broadcaster in a story published April 9. "It was a nightmare."

Moving costs may also not have been the only financial challenges some residents had to face. Here’s the story behind the challenging evictions, plus ways you can protect yourself as a tenant.

A horrible experience

Residents of County Road Mobile Home Park received eviction notices in September after the property was purchased by a company named Summit Acquisitions, per KHOU 11 News. They were first told they would need to vacate the property by the end of the year, but that deadline was then extended until the spring.

The forced move has been devastating for several residents, including Frankie Schwarzburg, who says her trailer was damaged beyond repair during transport and is no longer habitable.

"I cannot live in my trailer," she told KHOU 11 News. "I’m out $15,000 and a home."

In addition, the broadcaster reports community advocates say some former tenants were mistakenly charged rent in March and April, even after leaving, while others have been kept waiting for their security deposits to be returned.

"They’re being charged for a place they can’t live anymore," Damaris Gonzalez of the Texas Organizing Project told KHOU 11 News.

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Former residents are calling on legislators to strengthen rights for mobile home owners. State Sen. Molly Cook told the broadcaster she’s introduced a number of bills aimed at addressing these issues.

"I don’t hear people talking about manufactured homes enough," Cook told KHOU 11 News. "The reality is that this is what makes the American dream accessible to so many Texans."

The broadcaster says neither the former property manager nor the new owners immediately responded to requests for comment.

Know your rights as a tenant

If you’re facing eviction, it’s important to understand your rights. You should know that while you can be evicted for failing to comply with the terms of your lease, your landlord can also choose not to renew your lease.

Different states may have different laws regarding evictions. In Texas, for example, you’ll typically be given a notice to vacate. This is not an eviction, and your landlord must give at least three days to vacate. If you don’t move out by that deadline, your landlord can file an eviction suit with the court.

From there, you may have to appear in court to try to state your case (assuming you want to stay in your home). After a judgment is made, either side has the option to appeal the decision within five days. If you lose and don’t appeal yet refuse to move, your landlord can ask the court for a writ of possession and you’ll then have 24 hours to vacate the property. If you don’t, your landlord will have the right to remove your belongings from the property.

It’s important to understand how the eviction process works. If you feel you need help with your case, you may want to consider consulting an attorney.

It’s also important to keep detailed records of communications between you and your landlord in an eviction situation. For example, if you’re being evicted due to violating a lease term and you can prove you didn’t, that’s something to bring to your eviction hearing. You should also document any interaction between you and your landlord where you feel your rights as a tenant were violated.

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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

Owning a home these days can be challenging, especially with elevated mortgage rates and sky-high home prices. In fact, more than half (53%) of Americans who don’t own a home don’t believe they will ever be able to afford one, according to Northwestern Mutual’s 2025 Planning & Progress Study.

But what if you’ve bought a home and come to regret it? What if you’re barely able to get by after home insurance, upkeep and maintenance costs, not to mention property taxes and any management fees?

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Selling your property and saying goodbye to homeownership can have benefits, but there are also drawbacks to consider.

The financial implications

Selling your home could put a pile of cash in your pocket if you have equity. But you could also end up with a tax bill on your hands.

There’s a capital gains tax exclusion of $250,000 for single tax-filers and $500,000 for joint filers for people who sell their homes. You should qualify if the house was your primary residence and if you owned it for at least two years before selling it.

You also need to have lived in the home for at least two years in the five-year period before selling it, and you can’t have claimed another capital gains exclusion for the sale of a house in the two-year period before your sale.

But if you’re selling your home for a profit exceeding the capital gains tax exclusion you’re eligible for, you could have a tax bill.

For example, if you’re single and bought your home for $200,000, but it’s now being sold for $600,000, you have a $400,000 gain. However, only $250,000 is eligible for the exclusion, meaning you have to pay taxes on the remaining $150,000.

On the other hand, a near-term tax hit may be worth it if you can invest your sale proceeds and grow them into a more considerable sum.

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The long-term impact

There’s nothing wrong with deciding that owning a home isn’t right for you. But it’s important to understand the long-term effects.

Homeowners who itemize their taxes may be able to deduct mortgage interest as well as property taxes as part of the SALT (state and local tax) deduction. If you never buy another home, you’ll lose that tax break.

As a renter instead of an owner, you also lose some of the stability of homeownership. For example, you may suddenly see your rent increase or be forced to move, and there’s little you can do about it.

If you have children, this can be even more unnerving if you want to stay in the same school district throughout your kids’ education, which could cause some upheaval.

Also, homes tend to gain value over time, and owning a home can be a means of forcing long-term savings. If you reach retirement age without much savings but have a home with a few hundred thousand dollars of equity, downsizing and collecting the proceeds could subsidize your IRA or 401(k) balance.

On the plus side, being a renter means enjoying fixed monthly costs for the life of each lease you sign. And you don’t have to deal with the hidden costs of ownership, such as surprise home repairs and insurance premiums. Despite less security, it can work out to be less expensive this way.

Of course, it’s recommended that you discuss the long-term implications of not owning a home with a financial advisor. They can explain the pros and cons and help you make the most of your sale proceeds should you decide to sell your house and set aside homeownership.

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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

After a six-year investigation, a Minnesota couple has been charged in a $15 million fraud scheme that has left the community of Eden Prairie reeling.

The pair, 39-year-old Gabriel Luthor and 42-year-old Elizabeth Brown, allegedly defrauded Medicare, Medicaid and private insurers out of millions through a neurofeedback therapy business.

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"The whole thing, you couldn’t make it up," neighbor Sue Donkersgoed, who lives across the street from Luthor and Brown, told KARE 11 News.

How the scheme unfolded

Luthor and Brown were reported to have lived an extravagant lifestyle that involved wild parties at their 9,000-square-foot home. Neighbor complaints got law enforcement’s attention, which led them to dig deeper.

It turned out that Luthor and Brown, who ran a business called Golden Victory Medical, providing neurofeedback therapy and other medical services, had allegedly been overbilling insurers and pocketing the difference since 2018.

Brown, the company’s founder, at one point claimed to serve more than 451 patients a day, according to one search warrant, reports KARE 11.

Golden Victory also allegedly submitted claims repeatedly to insurers using medical codes that did not cover the neurofeedback services the company provided. According to court documents, the business also combined billing codes that could not be combined and used codes indicating that patients were treated for a longer period of time than they actually were.

In addition to wild parties, neighbors say Luthor and Brown drove luxury cars, all paid for by the fraudulent funds they collected, according to an analysis by KARE 11 of hundreds of pages of search warrants recently made public. Those warrants also showed that in just one month, Luthor spent almost $100,000 at various nightclubs in the Minneapolis area. He also spent more than $32,000 at restaurants during that same month-long period.

Luthor did share the wealth a bit — but in the form of allegedly sending about $5,000 during that same month to various women on Tinder.

Luthor and Brown are also alleged to have used some of the fraudulent $15 million they collected to purchase their Eden Prairie mansion and cover the living expenses of other girlfriends of Luthor’s who lived with the couple and, according to the indictment, helped them carry out the fraud scheme by submitting insurance claims. However, they didn’t benefit financially from it and therefore haven’t been charged.

As KARE 11 reports, Luthor also has a criminal past, having been convicted of credit card fraud 15 years ago under a different name. He was later allowed to legally change his name.

Luthor and Brown were arrested in Las Vegas and released on bond. The couple is scheduled to appear in federal court on April 30.

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The problem with medical fraud

Health care fraud is problematic on the basis of it being illegal. But the issue here goes beyond that. The other problem is that when medical providers defraud insurers, everyone loses out.

“Defrauding critical healthcare [sic] programs like Medicaid and Medicare burden systems designed to serve patients and puts them at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis in a press release.

“The FBI and our partners will not tolerate those who abuse the healthcare [sic] system for personal gain and will pursue justice on behalf of taxpayers and patients.”

The FBI reports that health care fraud can take on different forms. It can mean double billing, billing for services not provided, submitting multiple bills for the same services or billing for more expensive procedures than what patients actually receive.

The United States Sentencing Commission says that, in 2023, 9.2% of fraud cases were health care fraud. The National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association (NHCAA), meanwhile, estimates that financial losses from health care fraud amount to tens of billions of dollars each year.

The more criminals that are able to get away with health care fraud, the more it’s apt to cost Americans on a whole in the form of higher insurance premiums. Plus, health care fraud has the potential to put patients’ health at risk. Providers might subject patients to needless, and in some cases, risky, procedures just to inflate their bills and receive more money from insurers.

That’s why it’s important for patients to be vigilant about health care fraud, and to loop their insurers in if they suspect it. Reviewing all health care bills carefully and questioning procedures or billing codes that don’t look right could open the door to further investigation. Patients can also report health care fraud individually and flag issues to their insurance companies.

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Like an island far away on the horizon, owning a home has never felt more out of reach. Year after year, home prices have climbed higher, leaving many buyers with a tailwind, wondering if they’ll ever catch a break.

In January, the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller index — a key measure of national home prices — jumped another 4.1% year-over-year. And February wasn’t any kinder, with the National Association of Realtors (NAR) reporting a 3.8% annual increase in the cost of existing homes.

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But could relief finally be on the way? Housing inventory appears to be on the rise, which could lead to lower home prices. Several major real estate organizations — including Fannie Mae, the Mortgage Bankers Association and the NAR — expect home price growth to slow in 2025.

This could benefit buyers, but it’s also something sellers should keep in mind.

Why homebuyers could see relief

One big reason home prices remain high is limited inventory. When supply is scarce, prices tend to rise.

In February, housing inventory climbed 5.1% from the previous month and 17% year over year, according to the NAR. This growing supply could help stabilize or even reduce home prices. Many homeowners have been reluctant to sell in recent years due to high mortgage rates.

During and shortly after the pandemic, many homeowners locked in historically low mortgage rates by either purchasing a home or refinancing. As a result, they have been hesitant to trade their affordable loans for costlier ones.

However, mortgage rates have fallen modestly in recent months. If this trend continues, more homeowners may decide to list their properties, further increasing supply and cooling the housing market.

Home prices could decline more noticeably in regions with abundant supply, such as Texas and Florida. In January’s Case-Shiller report, which tracks prices in 20 major U.S. cities, Tampa was the only market to show a year-over-year drop.

Meanwhile, as more companies implement return-to-office policies, large metropolitan areas like New York City may experience stronger home price growth due to increased demand. New York, Boston and Chicago saw the largest price gains in January’s Case-Shiller reading.

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How homeowners can prepare

While U.S. home prices are unlikely to plummet, inventory is gradually normalizing.

Some experts worry that factors such as tariff policies could fuel an economic recession, potentially dampening homebuyer demand and pushing home values downward. Some markets — particularly major job hubs — may be more insulated from these effects. However, all homeowners should be prepared.

As of the third quarter of 2024, the average U.S. homeowner had approximately $311,000 in home equity, according to CoreLogic.

If you’re a homeowner, you may want to capitalize on the equity you have now — and protect yourself against a potential recession — by applying for a home equity loan or line of credit (HELOC) sooner rather than later.

A HELOC could be a more flexible option than a home equity loan since it doesn’t require immediate installment payments. Instead, homeowners can access funds as needed.

Unfortunately, now is not a particularly good time to refinance a mortgage, as rates are still elevated. Many homeowners would be looking at higher rates than they currently have.

However, refinancing — particularly through a cash-out refinance — could still be worth looking at, as it allows homeowners to tap into their home equity.

Should you sell now?

The answer depends on your situation.

Selling before prices drop could allow you to lock in a higher sale price. However, if you plan to buy another home at the same time, you’ll likely pay more for your new property — potentially at a higher mortgage rate.

That said, now could be a good time to sell if you’re downsizing, especially if you won’t need to take out a mortgage on a smaller or less expensive home.

Ultimately, no one has a crystal ball to foresee when the right time to sell will be based on current market conditions. But another factor to consider is the possibility of a recession.

A recent Deutsche Bank survey puts the probability of a U.S. recession within the next 12 months at 43%. If you can afford your current home, it may be wise to sit tight rather than take on the financial burden of a more expensive home amid uncertain economic conditions.

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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.