10 Brilliant Ways to Build Wealth After 50 (2024)

MANAGE MONEY

Last updated March 7, 2024 | By FinanceBuzz Editors

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Your 50s are a great time to get serious about building wealth. Your career has likely taken off, and you're probably earning more money than you ever have. But with upcoming expenses like college for your kids and retirement for yourself, investing and saving are more important than ever before.

Now is the time to put your money to work for you — here are some of our favorite ways to do it:

Hit pause on interest into 2025

Imagine getting an introductory 15 months with 0% interest on a big purchase or balance transfer (APR then 17.24% - 28.24% Variable). Sounds great — right? You could dramatically change your financial picture with one of the industry-leading no-interest cards — the Discover it® Cash Back(Rates and fees).

Cardholders get a generous intro APR of 0% for 15 months on purchases — that means you can cover bills, large purchases, or whatever you need to charge and not pay interest until 2025!

If you want to kick high-interest credit card debt to the curb, this is one of the leading get-out-of-debt cards available. Transfer your high interest debt to this card with a 0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers. Your payments can go directly to paying down your balance without incurring a pile of additional charges. That could save you hundreds of dollars in interest!

The best part? The Discover it® Cash Back card is accepted by 99% of merchants, boasts an exceptional cash back rewards rate, and there's no annual fee.

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Resolve $10,000 or more of your debt

Credit card debt is suffocating. It constantly weighs on your mind and controls every choice you make. You can end up emotionally and even physically drained from it. And even though you make regular payments, it feels like you can never make any progress because of the interest.

National Debt Relief could help you resolve your credit card debt with an affordable plan that works for you. Just tell them your situation, then find out your debt relief options.

How to get National Debt Relief to help you resolve your debt: Sign up for a free debt assessment here. (Do not skip this step!) By signing up for a free assessment, National Debt Relief can assist you in settling your debt, but only if you schedule the assessment.

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Stop overpaying when you shop online

Shopping online has its perks. It's super convenient, but it can be time consuming to find the best deals. Instead of hunting for coupon codes (that don't always work!) and opening tons of browser tabs comparing prices, you can try Capital One Shopping.

Capital One Shopping makes saving money effortless. Just add the browser extension and when you check out, it'll scour the internet for coupon codes to help you save cash. And before you check out at 25+ major retailers, Capital One Shopping will notify you with a friendly pop-up if the item you're buying is available cheaper somewhere else.

Capital One Shopping is free to use and won't show you ads. Add it today and stop overpaying!1

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Earn cash back on everyday purchases with this rare account

Want to earn cash back on your everyday purchases without using a credit card? With the Discover®️ Cashback Debit Checking account (member FDIC), you can earn 1% cash back on up to $3,000 in debit card purchases each month!2

With no credit check to apply and no monthly fees to worry about, you can earn nearly passive income on purchases you’re making anyway — up to an extra $360 a year!

This rare checking account has other great perks too, like access to your paycheck up to 2 days early with Early Pay, no minimum deposit or monthly balance requirements, over 60K fee-free ATMs, and the ability to add cash to your account at Walmart stores nationwide.

Don’t leave money on the table — it only takes minutes to apply and it won’t impact your credit score.

Apply for a Discover Cashback Checking account today

Cancel your car insurance

We've got bad news. You could be wasting $500 every year on overpriced, second-rate car insurance. And you should probably cancel your existing insurance right now, because there's something much better.

This new tool from FinanceBuzz can tell you if you're overpaying for your car insurance in just a few clicks. We match drivers with companies that report saving drivers up to $500 or more per year when they save! Each driver’s savings will vary by driving history and how many discounts you’re eligible for. And once you try it out, you'll never have to look for affordable insurance again because we find you the lowest rates that other companies can't match.

Oh, and it's also free. And come on — you can't tell us you don't want to save up to $500. To find out if you're losing up to $500 or more a year, just enter your zip code here, answer a few questions and see if you're overpaying. It takes less than 2 minutes.

See if you're overpaying

Earn $200 cash rewards bonus with this incredible card

There's a credit card that's making waves with its amazing bonus and benefits. The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card(Rates and fees) has no annual fee and you can earn $200 after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.

The Active Cash Card puts cash rewards back into your wallet. Cardholders can earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases — easy! That's one of the best cash rewards options available.

This card also offers an intro APR of 0% for 15 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers (then 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% Variable). Which is great for someone who wants a break from high interest rates, while still earning rewards.

The best part? There's no annual fee.

You’ll need good or excellent credit (typically 670 or higher) to qualify.

Click here to apply now.

Get a personalized financial plan to reach your goals faster

73% of Americans rank finances as their chief stress in life, according to a recent study.3 If you’re part of that 73%, J.P. Morgan Personal Advisors could help ease that stress.

Schedule your free one-on-one financial planning session with J.P. Morgan Personal Advisors,4 and you’ll get access to a team of fiduciary advisors who will create a personalized financial plan catered to your lifestyle and financial goals.

Working with an advisor may sound scary, but J.P. Morgan’s advisors are fiduciaries, so you can be confident that any advisor you work with has your best interest at heart.

Book your free financial planning session here

Paid Non-Client Promotion

FinanceBuzz doesn’t invest its money with this provider, but they are our referral partner. We get paid by them only if you click to them from our website and take a qualifying action (for example, opening an account.)

Ask this company to pay off your late tax debt

Each year, the IRS forgives millions in unpaid taxes. If you have more than $10,000 in tax debt, or have 3+ years of unfiled taxes, you could get forgiveness too. You might be eligible to lower the amount you owe, or eliminate your tax debt completely.

Easy Tax Relief could help you lower or get out of your tax debt for good. They’re well respected in the industry and have been recognized for their ethical standards when dealing with tax debt. While most tax companies just put you on a payment plan and file your taxes for you, Easy Tax Relief talks to the IRS directly. They can help you pay off your tax debt faster while potentially reducing what you owe.

Important: Not everyone will qualify. To take advantage of this special program you must owe more than $10,000 in past-due taxes.

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Get Out of $30,000 or More of Credit Card Debt

National Debt Relief Benefits

  • No upfront fees
  • One-on-one evaluation with a debt counseling expert
  • For people with $7,500 in unsecured debts and up

Visit National Debt Relief

10 Brilliant Ways to Build Wealth After 50 (2024)

FAQs

10 Brilliant Ways to Build Wealth After 50? ›

While get-rich-quick schemes sometimes may be enticing, the tried-and-true way to build wealth is through regular saving and investing—and patiently allowing that money to grow over time. It's fine to start small. The important thing is to start and to start early. Earn money and then save and invest it smartly.

How to get rich after age 50? ›

How To Go From Broke in Your 40s to a Millionaire in Your 50s: 8 'Late Start' Retirement Tips
  1. Scrutinize Your Budget and Cut Costs. ...
  2. Grow Your Income. ...
  3. Pay Off High-Interest Debt First. ...
  4. Invest Often. ...
  5. Leverage Real Estate. ...
  6. Embrace Frugality. ...
  7. Have an Entrepreneurial Mindset. ...
  8. Relocate To Save.
Oct 15, 2023

What builds wealth the fastest? ›

While get-rich-quick schemes sometimes may be enticing, the tried-and-true way to build wealth is through regular saving and investing—and patiently allowing that money to grow over time. It's fine to start small. The important thing is to start and to start early. Earn money and then save and invest it smartly.

What is the best investment after 50? ›

Some good investments for retirement are defined contribution plans, such as 401(k)s and 403(b)s, traditional IRAs and Roth IRAs, cash-value life insurance plans, and guaranteed income annuities.

What's your biggest wealth building tool? ›

“Your most powerful wealth-building tool is your income. And when you spend your whole life sending loan payments to banks and credit card companies, you end up with less money to save and invest for your future.

How much should a 50 year old be worth? ›

A general rule of thumb is that your net worth in your 50s should be around four to five times your annual salary, said Jeff Rose, CFP and founder of Good Financial Cents. For instance, he said that if someone's earning $60,000 annually, their net worth might ideally be in the ballpark of $240,000 to $300,000.

How rich is the average 50 year old? ›

Average net worth by age
Age by decadeAverage net worthMedian net worth
50s$1,310,775$292,085
60s$1,634,724$454,489
70s$1,588,886$378,018
80s$1,463,756$345,100
4 more rows

What is the number 1 key to building wealth? ›

Saving, investing, reinvesting, and growing your financial and business intelligence are all essential wealth building habits that require persistent and consistent effort. In other words, wealth building requires discipline. Without discipline, you risk falling prey to the number one wealth killer: procrastination.

What skill makes the most millionaires? ›

12 MUST HAVE Skills of Every Millionaire
  • Product and Service Innovation. ...
  • Organizing. ...
  • Goal-Setting and Planning. ...
  • Money Management. ...
  • Philanthropy. ...
  • Networking. Building relationships is instrumental in the world of business. ...
  • Leadership. Every millionaire is a leader. ...
  • Time Management.

What is the number one source of wealth? ›

Source #1: Business ownership and entrepreneurship

Many ultra-rich people have built their fortunes through business ownership and entrepreneurship. According to Forbes, 66% of billionaires' net worth comes from their ownership of private businesses. The mindset of an entrepreneur is key to their success.

Should I open a Roth IRA in my 50s? ›

Opening or converting to a Roth in your 50s or 60s can be a good choice when: Your income is too high to contribute to a Roth through normal channels. You want to avoid RMDs. You want to leave tax-free money to your heirs.

How much should I have in 401k by 50? ›

Ages 45-54

You might also be able to max out a traditional or Roth IRA; the limit this year is $7,000 for those under 50, but you can bump that up by another $1,000 as a catch-up contribution if you're older than 50. By age 50, Fidelity suggests you should have accumulated a multiple of six times your current salary.

Is 55 too late to invest? ›

It's never too late.

Tax systems often offer allowances and benefits for getting started investing, particularly if it is with a retirement goal in mind.

What is the 20 30 rule? ›

Key Takeaways. The 50/30/20 budget rule states that you should spend up to 50% of your after-tax income on needs and obligations that you must have or must do. The remaining half should be split between savings and debt repayment (20%) and everything else that you might want (30%).

How do you build extreme wealth? ›

  1. The basics of wealth building. If you want to build wealth, it's best to have a long-term mindset. ...
  2. Setting financial goals. ...
  3. Saving to build wealth. ...
  4. Investing to increase wealth. ...
  5. Diversification in wealth creation. ...
  6. Real estate investment. ...
  7. Retirement planning. ...
  8. Debt management.
Jan 10, 2024

What are the 7 areas of wealth? ›

  • THE 7 FORMS OF WEALTH. When I say “wealth”, what immediately comes to mind? ...
  • Financial Capital. Our society focuses a lot of attention on financial capital as it is our primary tool for exchanging goods and services with others. ...
  • Material Capital. ...
  • Wisdom Capital. ...
  • Nature Capital. ...
  • Spiritual Capital. ...
  • Social Capital.

How do I become financially independent at 50? ›

How To Achieve Financial Freedom
  1. Clearly Define Your Financial Goals. Start this process by clearly defining your financial goals. ...
  2. Track And Analyze Your Spending. ...
  3. Create A Budget. ...
  4. Pay Off Your Debt. ...
  5. Start Investing. ...
  6. Create Multiple Streams Of Income. ...
  7. Save For The Future.
Jan 20, 2024

How much money do most 50 year olds have saved? ›

For example, participants in their 50s thought they needed $1.56 million in their accounts by their age but their average balance was $110,900. Here's how much you may want to have saved by the time you reach 50, and tips on how to make your goal a reality.

Where to start investing at 50? ›

You should be using a retirement account of some sort to invest your money. Whether it's a 401(k), a 403(b), a traditional or Roth IRA or some other plan, having an investment vehicle to put away money is key. If you're really kicking up your savings at age 50, chances are you're decently close to retirement.

How to make money at 55? ›

  1. Earn Money As A Paid Friend.
  2. A Genealogy Business Is About Family.
  3. Would You Like To Get Paid To Ask Questions?
  4. Become a Paid Personal Shopper.
  5. Is A Senior Transportation Business The Perfect Part-Time Retirement Business?
  6. Start Your Profitable Insect Breeding Business: A Beginner's Guide to Breeding Insects for Profit.

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