LeBron James’ agent Rich Paul said that “this is the first time he’s making a decision that is truly for him.”
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Harry Margolis: Estate Planning Steps to Take After Divorce
A divorce decree may end a marriage, but it does not necessarily update your beneficiary designations, retirement accounts, trusts or health care directives. And missing those details can leave assets passing to an ex-spouse long after the relationship ends, Harry Margolis, an elder law attorney and author of Get Your Ducks in a Row, said in a recent interview.Many people – especially those in what are referred to as modern families – update their wills after a divorce but overlook the documents that often control where money ultimately goes.The issue, he said, affects divorcing couples, former spouses, blended families, same-sex couples and anyone ending a long-term relationship with shared assets. The decisions made in the months following a divorce can determine who inherits retirement accounts, receives life insurance proceeds or gains authority to make health care decisions.In the interview, Margolis, focused on wills, trusts, beneficiary designations, health care proxies, powers of attorney, retirement accounts and Qualified Domestic Relations Orders (QDROs).Below is a transcript of the interview with Margolis, edited for brevity and clarity.Beneficiary designations often matter more than the willBob Powell: For folks in modern families who are untying the knot, walk us through the financial and estate planning issues they need to think about.Harry Margolis: They need to review their entire estate plan. A divorce can effectively change a will. If your will leaves everything, or something, to your spouse, that provision may be modified or eliminated when you get divorced.That may be what you want, but you also need to think about what happens to everything else. In some cases, people still want to provide for an ex-spouse or former partner. If so, those wishes need to be put in place intentionally.Many state laws that revoke provisions for a former spouse in a will may not revoke provisions in a trust. You need to understand the rules in your state and review all of your planning documents.A lot of people update their wills and estate plans after a divorce, but they often miss other estate planning substitutes. Joint accounts pass to the surviving joint owner. More commonly, people have beneficiary designations on retirement accounts, investment accounts and life insurance policies.Those beneficiary designations generally do not change automatically after a divorce. You need to go through each account and benefit and decide whether changes are needed.Some people may still want to provide for an ex-spouse because they shared a long life together and want to ensure that person remains financially secure. But if you do not want that outcome, you need to make those changes.
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The family home is usually addressed during the divorce processBob Powell: What about home ownership? Is that another issue that may change for a modern family?Harry Margolis: Usually that’s handled during the divorce process because, for many people, the home is their largest asset.The parties have to determine how to divide what they own and decide what happens to the house. Sometimes the solution is to keep the house until the children finish high school, leave for college or otherwise become independent. At that point, the house may be sold and the proceeds divided.Some people are more cooperative than others in carrying out those arrangements. That’s generally less of an estate planning issue and more a matter of implementing the terms of the divorce agreement.Health care proxies and powers of attorney deserve a second lookBob Powell: What about documents such as health care proxies? If an ex-spouse has been named to make health care decisions, should those documents be reviewed as well?Harry Margolis: Absolutely. Whether those documents are automatically revoked upon divorce depends on state law.If you still want your former spouse to serve in that role, it’s wise to reaffirm the health care proxy, power of attorney or other documents so there is no question about your intentions.If you do not want your former spouse serving in those roles, you should update those documents as soon as possible.QDROs help divide retirement assets without triggering taxesBob Powell: What about QDROs? Is that something people in same-sex couples or blended families should think about?Harry Margolis: A QDRO, or Qualified Domestic Relations Order, is a court order that allows retirement assets to be divided as part of a divorce.Normally, changing ownership of a retirement account can trigger taxes because the assets would have to be withdrawn. A QDRO creates an exception that allows retirement assets to be split without creating an immediate taxable event.That process is generally handled as part of the divorce itself. Once the retirement assets have been divided properly, there is usually no additional estate planning concern related to the QDRO.Ending a long-term relationship can be complicated even without marriageBob Powell: Is there anything unique about modern families that differs from traditional married couples when relationships end?Harry Margolis: One issue is that untying the knot does not always mean divorce. Some long-term relationships never involved marriage.When those relationships end, the process can still be complicated because people may own assets together and have intertwined financial lives.With a divorce, there is a legal framework for dividing assets. Without a marriage, matters often stay out of court. In many cases, people simply leave with what they own individually, but jointly owned assets still have to be divided.Creating a checklist can prevent costly mistakesBob Powell: We’ve covered a lot of ground. Anything we missed or that bears reemphasizing?Harry Margolis: Think everything through and follow through.Related: What Advisors Owe their Clients: Fiduciary Responsibility, Facts, Integrity and Trust
55-year-old sandwich chain closes restaurants with no notice
When a restaurant stops paying its employees, that’s usually an early sign of financial trouble. Consumers may notice signs of trouble at one of their local favorites before it shuts down. Sometimes it’s little things like poor staffing, reduced hours, running out of popular menu items, or other obvious signs that cash has become in short supply.“It is rarely just about food quality or just about marketing. It’s usually a breakdown in the full value equation,” Robin Gagnon, co-founder and CEO of We Sell Restaurants, told Food Institute, adding that consumers are looking at value, not price, and considering “food quality, speed, consistency, convenience, digital ordering, atmosphere, and whether the brand still feels relevant.”Sometimes, however, exactly what happens isn’t clear, and the doors simply close.Payroll disruptions are among the clearest warning signs because they often indicate that a company is struggling to meet its most basic financial obligations.That’s what just happened at a number of corporate-owned Beef-a-Roo restaurants.Beef-a-Roo shuts down restaurantsSeveral Beef-a-Roo locations appeared to close on Thursday, July 2.”Calls to the eight locations in Rockford, Loves Park, Machesney Park, and Roscoe were not answered Thursday during normal operating hours. Local employees said they knew of at least two locations that were closed because they did not have food,” WIFR reported.Beef-a-Roo’s website has also been taken down, and you cannot order through its app, TheStreet verified. A visit to that website, through the internet Wayback Machine, showed what the chain considered its mission.”Looking for a meal that tastes like home? At Beef-A-Roo, every sandwich, salad, and fry is made fresh to order with premium ingredients and a side of hometown pride. From our signature roast beef sandwiches to our famous loaded fries and hand-crafted burgers and shakes, we’re here to serve up top-quality food that fits your busy day,” the company posted on the currently-not-operational website. In a press release from Beef-a-Roo Inc., the temporary closures include the following restaurants:Highcrest location at 1680 N. Alpine Rd. in RockfordWest Dundee, IllinoisSpringfield (Kearney), MissouriJoplin, MissouriWarsaw (Center Street), IndianaPittsburg, KansasLittle Rock, Arkansas“These decisions are never easy because they affect people, communities and team members who have worked incredibly hard for this company,” Beef-a-Roo Vice President Jeremy Wise said. “Our responsibility is to make the difficult decisions today that position Beef-a-Roo for long-term success tomorrow.”
Beef-a-Roo is known for sandwiches.Shutterstock
Beef-a-Roo stopped paying workersThe shutdowns happened after Beef-a-Roo workers said that their paychjecks had stopped.“The delay is the result of an unexpected interruption in the funding process for this payroll cycle,” Beef-a-Roo Inc. Vice President Jeremy Wise told WIFR. He says the company expects every employee to be paid in full.“While we cannot provide an exact completion time for every payment, we are actively distributing funds rather than waiting for a single payroll release,” he added.Workers for the chain held a strike on July 3.A group of Rockford-area Beef-a-Roo employees held a demonstration on Friday, July 3, at the N. 2nd Street restaurant, according to a Facebook post.“We are now calling on community members to join us at the N. Second Street Beefaroo from 4-7 pm tomorrow as we strike to hopefully send a message to headquarters in TX that this is unacceptable!” the statement says in part. “We will not work for free! If you are unable to picket with us we would appreciate any donations of water, ice, sign making materials or even a honk as you drive past to let us know you are with us!”The corporate office has said that the closed locations are “paused” and will reopen.”It’s unclear when the paused locations nationwide will be up and running again. In the June 29 statement, the company said it would be providing resources for those impacted and reaching out to employees eligible for transfer opportunities,” WANE reported.Beef-a-Roo corporate did not respond to requests for further comment.Related: Target adds big names Amazon and Walmart can’t touch
Apple’s 2027 hardware refresh sends Wall Street a warning
Apple (AAPL) is reportedly prepping for a 2027 hardware push that will go beyond the usual chip refresh.The Cupertino giant is testing new iPad Pro models and working on a redesigned MacBook Pro, a Bloomberg report cited by Seeking Alpha noted, setting up what could become one of its more important product cycles in years. It comes at a time when Apple is riding strong momentum, while its other Magnificent 7 peers lag the broader market. According to Seeking Alpha, Apple stock has gained roughly 14%, blowing past the broader market’s 9% gain.Nevertheless, Apple has been under considerable duress trying to prove its devices can stay compelling as investors question its AI strategy and consumers weigh longer upgrade cycles.Moreover, in a Wall Street Journal interview, Apple CEO Tim Cook recently sounded the alarm on surging memory and storage costs, saying they are making price increases on products “unavoidable.” Though a dollar amount wasn’t disclosed, MacRumors, citing TechInsights, estimates Apple might have to bump prices on the iPhone 18 Pro by about $270 to protect margins. Meanwhile, IDC’s Nabila Popal told Tom’s Guide the hike could be $50 to $100 initially, but possibly as much as $200 on Pro Max models. As a result, Apple’s next iPad Pro might be huge and may deliver the familiar performance boost, but another product in the pipeline could carry the bigger market signal. For a company often criticized for incremental updates, 2027 could test whether Apple still has enough hardware surprises left to move consumers, competitors, and Wall Street.What Apple may be quietly setting up for 2027 According to reports, Apple is testing four new iPad Pro models for a possible spring 2027 launch. The devices are expected to keep the current 11-inch and 13-inch sizes, suggesting Apple might not be planning a major external redesign for the tablet line. More Tech:Microsoft may be done making Xbox cheapIBM handed two major wins within 24 hoursSpaceX’s 32% crash may force Musk into radical moveInstead, the upgrade appears likely to focus on what is inside the device, including faster chips and possibly better thermal performance.For context, the iPad Pro remains Apple’s premium tablet, with the current M5 iPad Pro starting at $999 for the 11-inch Wi-Fi model and $1,299 for the 13-inch Wi-Fi model, according to Apple’s 2025 launch pricing. A quicker version could help Apple defend the high end of the tablet market, especially as AI features demand more processing power.The bigger signal might be coming from the Mac.Apple is also reportedly working on a redesigned entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro, code-named K104, potentially arriving as early as the first half of 2027. The current 14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 starts at $1,599, making any redesign important for both consumers and investors.Consequently, 2027 could potentially become the year Apple turns hardware into a clearer AI-growth story.
Reports suggest Apple is preparing major Mac and iPad upgrades.Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Why the redesigned MacBook Pro could steal the spotlight The iPad Pro might be the more buzzworthy story, but the redesigned 14-inch MacBook Pro could matter more to Apple’s growth story.For color, in Apple’s latest reported quarter, Mac sales were up to $8.4 billion, up from $7.95 billion a year earlier, or about 7.6% of total company sales and 10.5% of product revenue. Apple doesn’t break out Mac profit, but its products business produced $31 billion of gross profit on $80.2 billion in sales, while the company’s net income reached $29.6 billion.In addition, market analysts have already been treating Apple’s Mac lineup as more than a side business. Wedbush said roughly 50% of Mac buyers are still new to the platform, arguing that Apple’s lower-cost Mac push could add incremental upside to Mac estimates as consumers upgrade older laptops, Investing.com reported.Analysts also see Apple’s lower-priced Mac strategy as a possible way to spread its tentacles into a $20 billion market dominated by Chromebooks and cheaper Windows PCs. For perspective, back in March, TheStreet tech expert and reporter Vuk Zdinjak explained how the now smash-hit MacBook Neo was more than a cheap Apple laptop. He argued that a $599 device gave Apple its first big shot at the dominant $500 to $1,000 laptop bracket, where price-sensitive Windows buyers usually live.The MacBook Neo shipped 1.1 million units in its debut quarter, which was the strongest Mac launch in recent years, according to MacRumors.Zdinjak’s broader point was all about timing. He argued that with Windows 10’s end of support and Windows 11’s TPM hurdle, millions of PC users were left frustrated or stuck, leaving a big opening for Apple.What Apple’s hardware reset could mean for investors For investors, Apple’s reported 2027 hardware reset could be huge and could be far bigger than another round of spec upgrades.The Mac is already showing signs of renewed momentum and comes at a time when Apple needs to wow customers amid looming price increases.On the earnings front, Apple has delivered multiple quarters of double-digit year-over-year sales growth, along with sizable earnings beats.According to Seeking Alpha consensus estimates, Apple’s earnings are likely to continue growing, with EPS projected at $8.75 for fiscal 2026 and $9.61 for fiscal 2027. That points to 17.35% growth in 2026 and another 9.76% in 2027, while the forward PE is shown easing from 35.25x to 32.12x.A stronger 2027 hardware cycle, spearheaded by refreshed iPad Pros and a redesigned MacBook Pro, could therefore add another layer to that earnings growth story.Related: Bank of America doubles down on Amazon shares after Prime Day
Europe led on crypto regulation. Now implementation must match ambition
EU moves to block retail investors from explosive boom of multibillion-dollar prediction markets
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The 401(k) benchmark most Americans may never reach
The average 401(k) balance climbed to a record $167,970 at year-end 2025, according to Vanguard’s 25th edition of the How America Saves report, which tracked the behavior of nearly 5 million workers.That figure belongs to a version of the American worker who, statistically speaking, barely exists in the broader workforce. The median balance, which represents the person at the exact midpoint of the distribution, was just $44,115, Vanguard reported. That four-to-one gap means a small cohort of high-balance savers is inflating the figure most people use as their goalpost.Vanguard’s median 401(k) balance translates to $147 a month in retirementThe median 401(k) balance stood at $44,115, according to Vanguard’s How America Saves 2026 report. Applied to a standard 4% annual withdrawal rate, that translates to roughly $147 a month in retirement.Craig Copeland, director of wealth benefits research at Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI), says Americans’ retirement confidence has declined amid financial pressures.Retirement confidence has clearly softened this year, and the data show why…. Americans are contending with a mix of immediate financial pressures and long-term uncertainty.Northwestern Mutual’s 2026 Planning & Progress Study found that U.S. adults believe they need $1.46 million to retire comfortably.Against that benchmark, the median 401(k) saver is roughly 33 times behind, a gap that no annual contribution increase alone can close. Retirement confidence is slipping alongside that widening savings gap. Only 64% of Americans said they feel confident they have enough money to live comfortably throughout retirement, down from last year, EBRI found in its 2026 survey.Worker confidence fell six percentage points to 61%, while retiree confidence dropped five percentage points to 73%.Catch-up contributions favor high earners over workers who need them mostThe Internal Revenue Service raised the annual 401(k) contribution ceiling to $24,500 for 2026, with an additional $8,000 catch-up allowance for workers aged 50 and older.Workers between 60 and 63 qualify for an $11,250 “super catch-up” under the SECURE 2.0 Act, bringing their maximum possible annual contribution to $35,750. The benefit of those provisions flows disproportionately to high earners, who already hold the largest balances, Vanguard’s data reveal. Among participants earning $150,000 or more, 52% used catch-up contributions, while fewer than 1% of those earning under $30,000 did the same, the report found. A worker earning $50,000 per year would need to set aside nearly half of every paycheck to max out the standard $24,500 limit.
Higher 401(k) contribution limits mainly benefit wealthy workers, while most lower-income earners cannot afford to maximize retirement savings.MoMo Productions/Getty Images
Hardship withdrawals climb for a sixth straight year at VanguardEven as overall account balances hit record highs, more workers are pulling money from their 401(k)s for emergencies, a pattern that hits lower-balance savers hardest.About 6% of Vanguard participants initiated a hardship withdrawal in 2025, up from 5% in 2024 and triple the pre-pandemic rate, the firm’s report found. The 6% figure marks the sixth consecutive annual increase in Vanguard’s data. The rule change that helped drive the trend came in the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, which removed the requirement to first take out a 401(k) loan before requesting a hardship withdrawal, effective for plan years beginning after 2018.More Retirement:Vanguard drops playbook on retirement incomeVanguard warns workers losing thousands in 401(k)sFidelity’s wake-up call on Social Security, IRAs, and 401(k)sThe median amount withdrawn was $1,900. Vanguard researchers noted that participants who took multiple distributions are essentially using their retirement plans as emergency savings.Broader survey data reinforce the financial pressures squeezing working households. About 65% of workers described debt as a problem, and nearly one in three carries more than $25,000 in non-mortgage debt, EBRI’s 2026 survey found.Teresa Ghilarducci, a professor of economics at The New School who helped develop the Trump administration’s proposed universal 401(k) program, told Fortune that lower-income workers remain skeptical of retirement accounts because they have long been shut out of them.Vanguard’s own savings guidance exposes the gap in what workers can realistically contributeVanguard recommends saving 12% to 15% of annual pay, including the employer’s match, to remain on track for a secure retirement.The average total savings rate, combining employee and employer contributions, reached a record 12.1% in 2025, the firm reported. That figure lands within the recommended range but masks wide variation driven by income and plan quality.Employer matching contributions averaged a record 4.7% in 2025, meaning workers in plans with lower or no matches must shoulder a significantly greater share of the savings burden.”While the progress and participant outcomes are significant, they also highlight where we need to go next,” said Lauren Valente, managing director of workplace solutions at Vanguard, in the firm’s press release.For a household earning $60,000 and juggling rent, child care, student loans, and insurance, directing 12% of gross pay toward retirement requires setting aside $7,200 annually.Nearly six in 10 workers told EBRI that the cost of health care alone is hurting their ability to save, illustrating how competing expenses erode retirement contributions.The real 401(k) benchmark for most American workersPlan participation has climbed to a record 86%, driven by automatic enrollment and auto-escalation features that have brought millions of additional workers into the system, Vanguard confirmed.Those structural fixes have expanded access, but the widening gap between average and median balances suggests that adequacy, not participation, is where the retirement system now falls short for most workers.Vanguard’s own 12% to 15% savings target is well above what a household earning $60,000 can typically absorb after debt, health care, and everyday expenses, leaving the median saver structurally behind the benchmarks Vanguard itself recommends.Related: 401(k) annuities hit stubborn adoption wall
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International gold and silver dealer files Chapter 11 bankruptcy
Precious metals investors saw their holdings skyrocket in value in 2024 and 2025, which was great news for them, but bad news for some dealers, such as Rosland Capital LLC.Rosland Capital filed for a Chapter 11 liquidation facing distress from declining profitability compounded by an unsustainable order fulfillment model amid record precious metals prices.The distress was exacerbated by an increase in gold prices that rose from a low as $1,500 per ounce in 2023 to $4,300 per ounce by the end of 2025 and a peak of $5,620 an ounce in January 2026, according to Bondoro. Silver peaked at about $121 per ounce.
Rosaland Capital filed for Chapter 11 protection to wind down its business and liquidate its assets.kaitlingruss / Getty Images
Rosland Capital to liquidate assetsThe global precious metals asset management firm filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy with plans to wind down its business and liquidate its assets.The Los Angeles-based gold and silver dealer filed its petition in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California listing up to $1 million to $10 million in assets and $50 million to $100 million in liabilities on July 2, including about $23.6 million in unsecured debt, according to court documents.Rosland’s revenue declined from about $151 million in 2021 to about $97.8 million in 2025.Creditors’ names redacted from petitionRosland Capital’s only creditor listed on the petition was Fox News Network LLC, owed over $1.9 million. The names of the other 19 unsecured creditors in the petition, owed over $21.6 million, were redacted, according to court papers.The debtor, founded in 2008, sold gold, silver, and palladium bullion bars and coins, as well as platinum bullion bars. The company also advised clients on gold, silver, and palladium coin purchases for their precious metal IRAs.All employees terminatedRosland Capital no longer holds any inventory of precious metals, coins, or bullion and retains only limited cash in its accounts. The company had terminated substantially all of its employees by June 19.The debtor will file a bidding procedures motion for an auction of its assets and expects to file a plan calling for a liquidating trust to manage the liquidation of the company.Gold was priced at about $4,175 per ounce, and silver was about $62 an ounce on July 3, 2026, according to Forbes.Joni Teves, a UBS metals strategist based in Singapore, said her firm believes gold will finish the year strongly, The Street’sCharley Blaine reported.Bank predicts continued gold increaseIn a May 12 call with journalists in Asia, Teves said the Swiss banking giant, remains a bull on gold, The Star reported.“We still think that prices can recover from current levels and continue to make new highs this year,” she said.The rise in prices prompted a surge in orders that the dealer could not timely fulfill, causing a months-long gap between the customer’s prepaid order and the debtor’s purchase from third party suppliers.Rising prices often caused the dealer’s replacement cost to exceed the amount the customer paid. The dealer also lost money on paying commissions of 15% to 35% of gross profit to sales representatives even when orders were later cancelled or went unfulfilled.A backlog prevented the debtor from timely delivering product or honoring repurchase obligations, which led to a $49 million deferred revenue balance and a $11.8 million buy back list.A liquidating Chapter 11 bankruptcy was the debtor’s best option to maximizing its value to pay off its creditors, Rosland Capital’s Chief Restructuring Officer Michael Hogan of Armanino Advisory LLC determined.Why Rosland Capital failed:Price of gold rises from $1,500 in 2023 to a high of $5,620 in January 2026.Rosland unable to promptly fulfill orders.Rising gold prices often pushed thedealer’s replacement cost above the prices customer already paid.Dealer loses money on paying commissions on orders that were later canceled or went unfulfilled.Revenue declines from $151.2 million in 2021 to $97.8 million in 2025.Net losses exceed $24 million 2022 through 2025. Source: BondoroRelated: Iconic breakfast dining chain closes over 150 locations