Welcome to Fioney’s look at the top 10 personal finance articles of the month. On the first Friday of each new month, we look back at some of our favorite posts published (or updated) in the weeks prior and highlight them right here. This includes a mix of sites that have become staples of our lists as well as many first-timers.
First up, we’re going to talk about emergencies and money. Then, we’ll look at financial planning and financial advisors. After that, we have a pair of posts assessing questions related to FIRE. Finally, to close out, we’ll discuss selling your home, car ownership lessons, money leaks, and more.
Here are our picks for the top 10 personal finance articles for May 2026.
Emergencies
The Quiet Relief of Being Able to Afford Medical Care — Ashley, Blogging Away Debt
Nobody enjoys having unexpected expenses. Yet, they can be even worse when they’re related to medical care. In turn, as Ashley notes, finally having the ability to cover such bills can be a huge relief.
We Had to Use Our Emergency Fund — Stephanie, Six Figures Under
By now, you probably know that having an emergency fund is key for living a sound financial life. That’s because, well, life happens. With that in mind, Stephanie shares a life event that led her family to tap into their savings — and what they learned from it.
Financial Planners and Advisors
Do I Need a Financial Planner? Here’s How to Know — Mary Beth Storjohann, Allora Wealth
As your career progresses and your income increases, you may start to wonder whether or not you’d benefit from having a financial planner. Then again, you might also not even be clear on what a planner does or how they differ from other professionals. Luckily, Mary Beth is here to clear things up and answer your questions.
Fee-Only, Flat Fee, Fee-Based?! A Full Description of How Financial Advisors Charge Fees — Jesse Cramer, The Best Interest
How do financial advisors get paid? Well, the answer is “it depends.” As Jesse highlights, there are several different models that advisors work under, and understanding them ahead of time is key.
FIRE Questions
What if Financial Independence Goes Wrong? — Darcy, We Want Guac
Whenever someone talks about reaching financial independence and retiring early, there’s often someone else ready to ask about what happens if they run out of money. And while most FIRE participants have well thought-out and mathematically sound plans to account for this, the question still remains. So, Darcy dives into the details, sharing some stats and contingency plans.
Will Early Retirement Lead To Early Death? — 1500 Days to Freedom
Recently, a research paper was released, looking at the potential link between early retirement and cognitive decline. What it found may be concerning to early retirees — but could there be more to the story? This article from 1500 Days looks more closely at the topic while sharing some personal experience and tips for those retirees looking to stave off such issues.
Personal Finance Tips
How We Sold Our Home in Less Than 24 Hours (Staging Tips That Actually Work) — Jessi Fearon
Aside from particularly hot markets, it’s not as though you can just list your home and expect it to sell right away. Instead, there are plenty of steps homeowners will go through to make their property look more appealing and entice buyers. That’s exactly what Jessi discusses in this post filled with pro tips for those looking to get the most for their home.
Lessons Learned After 1 Year Of Owning My First Car — A Purple Life
One year ago, Purple bought her first car (as we shared in a previous roundup). Now, one year later, she’s back to share some of the things she’s learned. From insurance brokers to DIY tips, there’s a good chance you’ll learn something from this post too.
10 ‘Invisible’ Money Leaks That Keep Middle-Class Families Stuck — Rachel Jimenez, Money Hacking Mama
Have you ever felt as though your money keeps sneaking away? Even if you try to keep tabs on your cash through budgeting, you may still find yourself living paycheck to paycheck. If that’s the case for you, this post from Rachel could highlight some common sources of money leaks that you’ll want to plug as soon as possible
The Gift Tax Fallacy — David Champion, Can I Retire Yet?
You may have heard about gift tax rules, which dictate how much money you can give to another person before the IRS needs to be alerted. On the surface, these rules and limits seem pretty straightforward. However, as David shares, there’s another element that a lot of people get wrong, leading them to worry unnecessarily.
Thanks for checking out our top 10 personal finance articles published last month, and congratulations to all of the bloggers who made the list. To find more of these great articles on a daily basis, be sure to follow us on Twitter @fioneymoney and of course visit Fioney.com.
