The Canopy Blog
Straightforward advice on budgeting, debt, investing, and taking control of your money.
How to Ask for a Raise
There is a ceiling on saving that there is not on earning. Here is how to prepare, when to ask, what to say, and what to do with a no.
Do I Need a Will?
Probably — and for a large share of your money, a will may not control who gets it anyway. Here is what a will does, what it does not, and the form to check today.
What Is a Bond?
The safe part of a portfolio that sometimes loses money. Here is what a bond actually is, the one relationship that explains its behavior, and what to check.
How Do Capital Gains Taxes Work?
Two things decide what you owe when you sell an investment: how long you held it and what account it was in. Here is how capital gains actually work.
How Much Car Can I Afford?
The dealer asks what monthly payment you are comfortable with. That is the wrong question — here is how to find the number that accounts for what a car actually costs.
How to Save Money on a Low Income
Most saving advice assumes slack that is not there. This does not. Here is what actually helps when the math is genuinely tight, in the order it pays off.
HSA vs. FSA: What's the Difference?
Two acronyms on the same enrollment form that work nothing alike. One is yours forever; the other mostly disappears in December. Here are the 2026 numbers and how to choose.
What Is a 529 Plan?
Tax-free growth for education, with better escape hatches than its reputation suggests — and the rules just changed. Here is how 529s work in 2026.
W-2 vs. 1099: What's the Difference?
Same work, same pay, completely different tax lives. Here is what separates employee from contractor, why a 1099 rate is worth less than it looks, and what to do if you are misclassified.
How Much House Can I Afford?
The lender tells you what you can borrow. That is often more than you can comfortably afford — here is how to find the number that survives your actual life.
What Is a Debt Consolidation Loan?
One loan, one payment, one date — sometimes exactly right, sometimes a longer term that costs more. Here is the math that decides it and the failure mode that catches people.
What Is a Target-Date Fund?
There is a good chance your 401(k) is already in one. Here is what a target-date fund actually does, how to pick the year, and why two funds with the same year can differ.