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A court ruling in favor of a Medicare Advantage insurer could affect how the federal government calculates quality ratings for health plans, potentially giving insurers more flexibility as they build their 2027 benefit packages. While the outcome remains uncertain, the decision could ease some pressure on carriers that had been facing lower ratings and reduced payments.Jae Oh, CFP, author of “Maximize Your Medicare” and a longtime Medicare expert, said the lawsuit creates new uncertainty for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as it prepares ratings that influence how much funding Medicare Advantage plans receive. That funding, in turn, helps determine the supplemental benefits insurers can offer beneficiaries.For retirees and people approaching Medicare eligibility, the case does not change today’s coverage. It does, however, reinforce one message that financial advisers and Medicare specialists have delivered for years: Medicare Advantage plans are annual contracts, and beneficiaries should compare their options every fall rather than automatically renewing coverage.What the Medicare Advantage ruling means for youYour current Medicare Advantage coverage does not change because of the lawsuit.Benefits and premiums for 2027 remain subject to CMS approval.Some insurers could avoid rating downgrades that might have reduced plan funding.Review your Medicare coverage every year during open enrollment because benefits, provider networks, and prescription drug coverage can all change.Below is a transcript of the interview with Oh, edited for brevity and clarity.Why Medicare Advantage star ratings matterBob Powell: Another round of Medicare Advantage star ratings recalculations could be just around the corner. It might sound like an obscure topic to some, but it should not be, correct?Jae Oh: It is confusing, understandably so.CMS, which governs Medicare, oversees all Medicare Advantage plans and all Part D plans, for example. CMS also has a star rating system. Depending on the star rating of a particular plan, that rating determines how much money a carrier may receive to create its benefits packages for Medicare Advantage plan members.That makes this a highly contested topic for a carrier. If a carrier gets a lower star rating, then the next year it has less funding to create its benefits package. That hurts the benefits package, and as a result, enrollment in the next year can decline. We have seen that.In addition, if that becomes extreme, carriers can simply choose not to offer plans in a particular location because the plan is not viable. There are fixed costs and other matters they are looking at.We have seen that fairly dramatically in 2026, with carriers leaving counties entirely. The fact that the star system is now being challenged, and a lawsuit has been won by a particular carrier, throws another moving part into an already complicated situation.How Medicare Advantage star ratings are determinedBob Powell: How do the star ratings come about? Is it the plan beneficiary who rates the company, or do the ratings come about another way?Jae Oh, CFP®: It is a little bit of a mystery to me as well. There are a number of inputs, and one of them is user satisfaction and outcomes. These matters combine to create the composite star rating.Very recently, a smaller carrier called Clover Health challenged the system, and it won on some of the changes CMS had proposed and enacted.Why CMS may have to recalculate ratingsBob Powell: I mentioned at the start that these ratings might be recalculated. Do you have a sense of how that might work?Jae Oh: Given that the Medicare Advantage plan carrier was the plaintiff and won, it implies that the rating systems, which were supposed to be notably tighter going into 2027, may be relaxed.In theory, that should be positive for existing Medicare Advantage plan members. From what we read in the news, CMS itself is having to relook at everything. CMS even extended the time frame by which carriers could file for approval going into 2027.Beneficiaries may see more four-star plans, but 5-star plans remain uncertainBob Powell: It strikes me that beneficiaries, when they are reevaluating which plan to enroll in, may have more four- and five-star insurers to choose from than in the past.Jae Oh: I am skeptical about five-star plans returning. [The year] 2026 saw a dramatic decline in the number of five-star plans.That said, could certain plans that were four stars in the past and then downgraded to three-and-a-half stars change again? Carriers were concerned. It remains to be seen.From the surface, at least, the rating system and this lawsuit have created challenges for CMS. How CMS responds is still in flux. That is why there is a longer deadline for carriers to gain approval.Higher insurer rating could affect benefits, but timing is complicatedBob Powell: As an outsider looking in, as a plan beneficiary, if my insurer goes from three and a half stars to four stars and presumably gets more money from CMS, I might be able to witness an increase in the features offered to me, perhaps.Jae Oh: There is a strange lag time when it comes to Medicare Advantage plans. We are talking about a star system that is not released until 2027, yet all the features and benefits for 2027 are already being proposed now and sent in for approval.So there is a time-lag issue.Concerns I might have had six months ago have declined a little because we have seen fewer Part D plans. The number of Part D plans has dropped dramatically, and I do not necessarily think that is going to change.The number of Medicare Advantage plans may also have been at risk. That risk seems to have declined.It does not get away from the idea, however, that every year the plans will change, and people should check. I will stay with that.Medicare beneficiaries should review coverage every yearBob Powell: I think that is the best actionable advice we can give folks on this topic, given the uncertainty of where we are and what the outcome will ultimately be.Jae Oh: A long time ago, Bob, all of five years ago, when everything was stable and the number of plans was increasing in a straight line, our message to your public was still to always check.These are annual contracts. The clear implication is that every moving part is subject to change every year.Carriers are interested in having bigger membership numbers. That side of the equation is very, very competitive.Key takeawaysA court ruling could prompt CMS to revise how it calculates Medicare Advantage star ratings for 2027.Star ratings influence how much funding insurers receive and can affect future plan benefits.The lawsuit does not change beneficiaries’ current Medicare Advantage coverage.Five-star plans remain relatively scarce, although some lower-rated plans could benefit if CMS adjusts its methodology.Review your Medicare Advantage options every year because plans, benefits and costs can change annually.Related: New Medicare GLP-1 pilot program could lower drug costs

Yes, ’tis she! Again! The sprightly Enola is back on our small screens, and for this reviewer, is a much welcome sight. Acrylic nails and all.

The New York Yankees just lost left-handed starter Carlos Rodon to injury. The Yankees could be seeking starting pitching help in the trade market.

Warehouse clubs like Costco are designed to help save consumers money. Buying in bulk can lower your cost per item, and the retailer is known for competitive prices on everything from groceries to electronics.Plus, the nice thing about buying Costco products is that the company stands behind every item it sells. Not only is Costco’s Kirkland brand known for its high quality, but Costco’s generous and flexible return policy means that when you load up on bulk items and they don’t meet your expectations, you can ask for a refund. But finance expert Dave Ramsey warns that one shopping habit at Costco could quietly drain your finances instead of improving them.Ramsey warns impulse spending can add upDave Ramsey knows that making unplanned purchases while shopping is common. He actually calls it a “really normal” thing. But Ramsey also warns that Americans spend an average of $150 per month on impulse buys. In the course of a year, that’s $1,800. And in the course of a lifetime, it could amount to an astounding $108,000.Related: Dollar Tree gives customers something Costco can’t offerAs Ramsey points out, impulse buys happen for a lot of reasons. Sometimes, we rely on retail therapy to get through a rough day. Other times, we make unplanned purchases because we can’t pass up a great deal. The problem is that a lot of people today can’t afford extra spending. Only 41% of Americans have the savings to cover an emergency $1,000 expense, reports Bankrate.And in 2025, almost 25% of all U.S. households lived paycheck to paycheck, according to Bank of America.Meanwhile, the average U.S. consumer has $6,595 in credit card debt, according to Capital One. Impulse spending makes it harder to build savings and break the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle. It can also make a credit card debt problem exponentially worse.

Costco shoppers often have trouble passing up a good deal.Shutterstock

Why Costco encourages impulse shoppingThe reason Costco lends to impulse shopping is simple — the company is constantly changing its inventory and introducing exciting new products to entice members to spend more.If you’ve ever noticed that Costco doesn’t do a good job of labeling its aisles, there’s a reason for that.Costco wants members to wander around looking for the items on their shopping lists. In the course of doing so, they’re likely to spot more items that tempt them, leading to larger per-visit transactions. During Costco’s most recent quarter, the company reported that the average transaction was up 7.3% worldwide. That speaks to the appeal of Costco’s inventory coupled with low prices. But while Costco’s treasure hunt-style shopping experience might make store visits more fun and engaging, they could hurt consumers individually. “You’ve heard the phrase, people come in to spend $100 and walk out with $300… when they come in there and do their basic shopping, they pick up a few additional items that just compel them at the time,” CEO Ron Vachris said during Costco’s third-quarter 2024 earnings call.That habit is great for Costco’s bottom line. But Ramsey warns that it’s detrimental to consumers. To that end, he has some tips for shopping at a store like Costco:Make a budget and stick to it.Make room for a couple of planned fun purchases instead of going overboard.Shop with cash to limit extra spending.Shopping at Costco can ultimately lead to big savings. The key, says Ramsey, is for members to not accidentally sabotage themselves in the process.Maurie Backman owns shares of Costco.Related: Sam’s Club just made a big move Costco won’t consider

TheStreet aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission.Why we love this dealIf there’s one luxury item you really can’t go wrong with, it’s a Citizen watch. The highly-respected Japanese watchmaker has been helping the world tell time for over a century, and they look to do so for the next century as well. If you’ve been hoping to find the perfect luxury watch that won’t cost a fortune, then today might be your lucky day. Amazon is currently selling a Citizen Eco-Drive watch for less than $200, and we think this deal looks like a million bucks.The Citizen Dress Classic Eco-Drive Luxury Watch is available for $183. Amazon previously sold it for as much as $375, so you’re getting quite a deal. Because we’re not sure exactly why the price was reduced by so much, there’s really no telling how long it may last. Citizen Dress Classic Eco-Drive Luxury Watch, $183 at Amazon

Courtesy of Amazon

Shop at AmazonWhy do shoppers love it?This is one of the best looking everyday watches we’ve seen in a while. Although it’s listed as a dress watch, it fits in almost anywhere. The almost pearlescent cream-colored dial is stunning, and highly legible. It has a textured sunburst design in the center, surrounded by a subtle concentric circle around the outside of the dial. That circle houses the silver-toned applied hour indices. At the 12 o’clock position is a day window and mirroring it at 6 o’clock is a nicely-finished date window. The bracelet and case are made of beautiful and robust 316L stainless steel. It’s rustproof and corrosion-resistant, making this a great option to have on your wrist for almost any occasion. The case has a diameter of 40 millimeters, falling into that goldilocks zone of just the right size for both formal and casual wear. The watch also has a moderate water resistance of 30 meters. That means you can feel confident washing dishes or strolling in light rain without fearing that you might damage it.On the inside, the watch is a technological marvel. It keeps highly-accurate time, thanks to a Japanese solar-powered Eco-Drive movement. The movement uses small hidden solar panels embedded under the dial to collect energy from the sun. That energy is then dispersed throughout the day to the handset, to keep your watch ticking day and night. The quartz-regulated movement never requires a battery replacement for the life of the watch, and it even keeps more accurate time than most mechanical Swiss luxury watches.Related: Citizen’s trendy salmon dial luxury watch is nearly $150 off at AmazonDetails to knowCase diameter: 40 millimeters.Material: 316L stainless steel.Water resistance: 30 meters.Movement: Solar-powered Eco-Drive movement.Amazon shoppers could not say enough positive things about this watch. One buyer called it a “quality watch,” before adding that it was “great value for the money. Classic, yet everyday appropriate. Keeps great time. Highly recommend.”Shop more deals Citizen Promaster Sea Eco-Drive Dive Watch, $290 (was $475) at AmazonBulova Marine Star Series B Watch, $329 (was $575) at AmazonThe Citizen Dress Classic Eco-Drive Luxury Watch could be your very first foray into the world of high-end timepieces. At just $183, it might be the perfect way to look the part, without parting with a lot of money as well.

Find out which two left-handed sluggers, in mouthwatering matchups and at homer-friendly ballparks, have the top home run bets on Saturday’s MLB slate.

The token’s 30-day and 365-day MVRV, a measure of how far holders are underwater, sit near -45% and -47%, lows Santiment says XRP has never reached before. Some traders read stretched losses as a contrarian signal.

This cycle, about $697 billion in new money has generated a roughly 689% gain, compared with earlier cycles where far less capital drove returns of 2,000 percent to more than 50,000 percent.

A spouse, stepchild or longtime partner may assume they will inherit assets after a loved one’s death. In many cases, they are wrong, attorney Harry Margolis, author of Get Your Ducks in a Row, said in a recent interview.The outcome, he said, often depends not on family relationships or verbal promises, but on beneficiary designations, trust documents and other legally binding records. In blended families, those documents can produce inheritance outcomes that surprise surviving family members.The issue matters because more Americans are entering second marriages, raising stepchildren and building nontraditional family structures. When estate plans fail to keep pace with those changes, disputes frequently follow.Below is a transcript of the interview with Margolis, edited for brevity and clarity.Who can make a claim against an estate?Bob Powell: What happens when stepchildren, ex-spouses, new partners and others have competing claims on the same estate in a blended-family situation? Here to talk with us about that is Harry Margolis, author of Get Your Ducks in a Row. Harry, welcome.Harry Margolis: There are several ways someone can have a claim against an estate.One is by being a named beneficiary in a will or trust. Another is through a biological relationship to the deceased. Children and grandchildren, for example, may have inheritance rights depending on state law.In a blended family, people may occupy similar family roles, but if they are not blood relatives, have not been adopted or have not been named in estate planning documents, they may not have a legal claim.Spouses also have rights under state law. Ex-spouses generally do not, unless those rights arise from a contract or legal agreement.A third way someone may have a claim is through a contractual arrangement. That could be a written agreement, a promise or an expectation created through a specific arrangement.The rights involved depend on whether there is a will, a trust and what state law says about intestacy, which refers to the rules governing estates when someone dies without a will.That can make matters far more complicated than a traditional estate plan where assets pass to a spouse and then equally to children.Beneficiary designations often override expectationsBob Powell: What happens when someone names a beneficiary on an IRA or 401(k), but a current spouse argues that the deceased intended to change the designation from an ex-spouse or another beneficiary?Harry Margolis: There was an interesting case in Massachusetts involving a businessman who owned a successful chain of taquerias.He had married and had children, but after his death a dispute arose involving a life insurance policy because his sister remained the named beneficiary.Evidence suggested he had tried to change the beneficiary designation to his wife. He had contacted a representative and communicated his wishes. However, the change was never completed.The court ruled in favor of the sister because the insurance policy was a contract. The contract specified the steps required to change beneficiaries, and those steps had not been completed.Even though he appeared to have intended a different result, the beneficiary designation controlled.

Trust documents generally control inheritance outcomesBob Powell: Is the same principle true when a trust names biological children rather than stepchildren, and the stepchildren believe they should inherit?Harry Margolis: Generally, yes. The governing document controls.There can be exceptions if an expectation was created or if there was a quid pro quo arrangement.For example, if someone agreed to provide care based on a promise that they would be included in a trust and that promise was never fulfilled, there may be grounds for a claim.But that would generally be a contractual claim rather than a claim based on family status alone.Informal instructions may not be enoughBob Powell: In the life insurance example, what if the deceased had written a notarized statement saying he wanted his wife to receive the proceeds if the beneficiary change was not processed in time?Harry Margolis: Probably not.The outcome depends on the requirements contained in the insurance contract. The policy typically specifies the process required to change beneficiaries, and courts often enforce those requirements.Estate plans must be updated after family changesBob Powell: This seems like another example of why people need to keep their documents current.Harry Margolis: That’s right, especially when family relationships change.Blended families require more intentional planningBob Powell: Anything else families should know about estate planning and competing claims?Harry Margolis: Estate planning becomes even more important in blended families because the legal system is not really designed around those family structures.You have to create your own system through careful planning and properly executed documents.Related: How to secure your child’s financial future with a special needs trust

Most solopreneurs aren’t failing because they need more AI tools —they’re failing because they’re using AI to patch outdated systems instead of rebuilding their business around an AI-first workflow that scales.