Coast FIRE vs classic FIRE: which question are you really asking?

(Mehdi Zare CFA) - Classic FIRE aims to stop work as early as possible. Coast FIRE aims to stop heavy saving early and let compounding finish the job.

By Mehdi Zare CFA

Edited by Adrian James, Editor at Featured News · Oct 8, 2026

Classic FIRE, which is what the term FIRE originally referred to (financial independence, retire early) requires you save a high % of your income (40-50% is commonly cited), for long enough, so that your investment portfolio will be enough to cover your expenses for the rest of your life.

Coast FIRE refers to the point when you have saved enough aggressively that your investments should grow into a sufficient nest egg by the time you plan on traditional retirement. You’d continue working (and covering your expenses with income), but you would no longer have to save aggressively.

Which should you go for? Well, they’re optimizing for different things. With classic FIRE you can stop working completely sooner, with coast FIRE you get out of saving mode sooner. I think that Coast FIRE doesn’t get enough credit.

Which FIRE Approach Is Right for You?

There are some questions you need to ask yourself though

Can you bear saving X% for another Y years? Obviously with coast FIRE you’re getting out of that situation sooner, which is why it can be attractive. Saving 40-50% is no easy feat and may require both a higher income and lower expenses (or a varying degree of each). Maintaining that for over a decade could be rough. If the idea makes you queasy your FIRE number better be pretty attainable!

What will you be giving up? This is mostly applicable to Classic FIRE, since Coast FIRE by definition requires that you continue working. If you’re trying to fully retire at 40 what happens when the market tanks that year? Would you consider part time work? How much income would you need?

When can you get health insurance? This one goes for either situation and is a common mistake I see people make when planning for early retirement. Health insurance can be expensive if you leave too soon, which could sour either situation.

Can you coast on part time income? This one applies to either situation, but is another common mistake I see people make when they think they’ll be coasting, but find that a part time job without employer-provided insurance means that their income doesn’t even cover rent.

How will this help? What’s your goal here? Classic FIRE means you’ll be able to not have to work. Coast FIRE means that you’ll be able to reduce stress, take a lower paying job you enjoy more, work part time, etc. If the idea of having the option to say no to a bad boss or say yes to a great opportunity excites you, then Coast FIRE may fit you better than full FIRE.

Crunch the Numbers

Next you’re going to want to crunch some numbers

How much do you spend in a year (in today’s dollars)? (yes this means you need to do this part first)

Classic FIRE: use this to figure out your FIRE number. This step often times involves using a withdrawal rate (WR), which is really a rule of thumb and shortcut (not a guarantee!)

Coast FIRE: figure out your target age to retire traditionally and figure out how much you would need at that age. Work backwards from there using a reasonable return on investments to determine what you need today.

Watch Out for These Common Mistakes

The formulas are pretty straightforward. It’s the inputs where people go astray. I’ve seen some common problems people run into.

I’m coasting but still need to save a ton...forever? Chances are you’re not coasting.

I can coast on practically nothing! You’re underestimating how much you need. See the part-time income question above.

I’ll retire at ___. Fill in the blank. This one could be that you picked a number without figuring out what you actually needed. Or, this could be the opposite problem that you picked a number you saw online, didn’t dig deeper and may find you need more.

The inputs are very situation and timing specific. Have a kid and your timeline may slip a few years. Move to an expensive (or inexpensive) city and your timeline will shift. Improve your health insurance situation or find a job you love and your timeline may change too. Update your numbers often.

About the author

Mehdi Zare CFA

Mehdi Zare, CFA, is the founder of Bina Capital, a free financial education site built around side-by-side comparisons. He writes about FIRE paths, retirement accounts, tax basics, and turning a paycheck into a long-term plan, with an education-first approach and no product pitches.

This story was produced by Featured and republished with permission. Experts featured here are members of Connectively, Featured's expert network.

The 401(k) Match You Earned but Never Collected

(Mehdi Zare CFA) - Matching contributions are compensation, so don’t leave any on the table

By Mehdi Zare CFA

Edited by Adrian James, Editor at Featured News · Oct 12, 2026

Contributing to your 401(k) plan and maximizing any matching employer contribution is one of the most impactful financial decisions you can make to help ensure a successful financial retirement.

Matching employer contributions are compensation

It’s important to treat any employer match like what it really is: a component of your compensation. Vanguard’s How America Saves 2026 publication reports the average employer match as promised was 4.7% of pay and the median employer match was 4.0%. These statistics are calculated across all plans that are recorded by Vanguard analyzed in their study.

It’s important to know your plan’s matching contribution formula to be able to maximize that employer’s matching contribution. For example, assume your employee contribution is 3% of compensation. One plan promises a 50% match of the first 6% employee contribution, and the other promises a 100% match of the first 3% employee contribution. With a 3% employee contribution, you’ll receive a 1.5% matching contribution from the former plan and a 3.0% matching contribution from the latter plan.

The next detail to check is whether your match is calculated each paycheck or across the year.

Contributing to maximize the matching contribution

For 2026, the IRS allows $24,500 of compensation deferral into a 401(k) plan by the employee. Employees can defer more with catch-up contributions if eligible; $8,000 more for those that will be 50 years old or older this year, or $11,250 for those turning 60-63 this year. Compensation your employer contributes to match your employee contributions does not count towards this IRS defined employee elective-deferral limit.

Say you earn $150,000, receive 26 equal biweekly paychecks, and contribute 25% starting with your first paycheck. Assuming no catch-up contributions, bonuses, or other deferrals, you would reach $24,500 on paycheck 17. Your contribution on that check would be reduced to the remaining available amount, and regular elective deferrals would stop for the final nine paychecks.

Assuming your employer matches 100% of the first 5% of pay, the full annual match would be $7,500. But if matching is calculated separately each paycheck and the plan provides no annual adjustment, those nine paychecks without contributions would cost you approximately $2,596 in missed matching contributions, or leaving money on the table.

That is why it pays to ask about a true-up: an adjustment that reconciles the match already paid with what you qualify for under the plan’s annual formula. Some employers provide one; others do not. Ask when it is paid and what eligibility requirements apply, including whether leaving the company affects it. A true-up may arrive after the year ends.

What does all of this mean?

Read your plan’s summary description or speak to your Human Resources contact to fully understand your company’s matching formula; Whether it’s on each paycheck or the year as a whole, and if there’s a true-up and the rules around the true-up.

If your company’s formula calculates matches on each paycheck and doesn’t true-up, contributing evenly across paychecks will help you not leave matching compensation on the table. This can be accomplished by contributing an amount evenly through the year.

Increasing your deferral percentage during the year may not mean you’ll hit the IRS contribution limit sooner. Starting at a lower rate and raising it later generally means reaching the cap later than if you had used the higher rate all year.

I know first-hand about not capturing an employer match, when I changed jobs midyear, I had already hit my contribution limit so couldn’t defer compensation into my new employer’s plan to receive their matching contribution!

Things to look out for

Vesting. While employee contributions are vested, employer matching contributions could be vested immediately, fully vested after three years, or even vested over a six-year graded schedule per IRS vesting guidelines. Learn more about your plan’s vesting schedule.

Check that your deferral rate didn’t reset. This can happen after taking a leave of absence, changing employers, or if your benefits platform was updated. I’ve experienced this reset before!

The opportunity is meaningful. In its separate 2024 paper, Are employers optimizing their 401(k) match?, Vanguard found that 24% of employees in its study sample contributed below the threshold for the full match, while another 22% did not participate. Those findings appear in Figure 8, page 11, and reflect observations from 2013–2022.

Your employer’s match is part of your compensation. Knowing the formula is the first step; checking that your contributions actually earn it is what puts the money in your account.

About the author

Mehdi Zare CFA

Mehdi Zare, CFA, is the founder of Bina Capital, a free financial education site built around side-by-side comparisons. He writes about FIRE paths, retirement accounts, tax basics, and turning a paycheck into a long-term plan, with an education-first approach and no product pitches. https://www.bina.capital

This story was produced by Featured and republished with permission. Experts featured here are members of Connectively, Featured's expert network.

Your team optimizes for exactly what you measure

(Ben Williams) - Many operations measure the wrong thing. One packaging team showed what changes when you fix it.

By Ben Williams

Edited by Adrian James, Editor at Featured News · Oct 13, 2026

As a young operations leader, I managed a custom packaging department, where items that didn't fit in the standard box sizes were packed. These items were often large and bulky and the work was difficult. And when I started working with the department, there were a large number of quality defects being generated: tape that didn't cover the full seam of the box; incorrect items being packaged; receipt slips missing... And senior leadership's read was that it was a people problem. So I investigated.

When I spoke with the team, they knew the quality errors were there. They told me that the quality requirements slowed them down. They were held to an hourly rate, and when they applied extra tape, or waited for the slip to print out, or verified the item on the screen, they had trouble making rate.

This is a classic defect and the finding isn't the main point to this story. In most departments, packages per hour is an important metric. Distribution centers are often handling huge demands with limited labor available. Maintaining a reasonable work pace helps meet that demand. But this department was different. The demand was minimal and the work was more difficult. Quality mistakes stood out. It was being measured like the other pack departments and that was the issue.

I had found the problem, but telling senior leadership that I needed the team to go slower wasn't the answer, in and of itself anyway. I dove into the data and saw that these quality mistakes were costly. And with the lower volume of packages, speed didn't save a lot. There was a small trade-off in additional labor hours to allow the team to slow down, but it didn't outweigh the money gained by mitigating the quality issues. I presented the math and I got the green light to experiment.

I went back to the team and I told them to prioritize mitigating the quality errors. Their immediate response was that they would not be able to "make rate" and my rebuttal was to not worry about the rate. Quality improved immediately. It was measurable and evident on day one. Packages per hour slowed by about 15%, but quality errors went to near zero. We stopped celebrating the wrong KPI and the team gladly followed suit. People genuinely want to do what is right most of the time. That's what makes what you measure so important. The results were an estimated $400,000 annual net savings from a six-person packaging team. The team was proud. Senior leadership was happy. And I became a better operations leader through the experience.

What I often think about is what would have happened if I didn't dig deeper. If I simply took the initial diagnosis at face value. The consequences would have been a tension with the packaging associates, a worsening in the quality issues as the team was held to unrealistic standards, and a complete loss of trust from the team, senior leadership, and likely myself. If your team looks like they're underperforming, take the extra time to check the scoreboard before you check the players.

About the author

Ben Williams

Ben Williams is the founder of OpsStack Solutions, an operations consulting practice for small and mid-sized warehouse, fulfillment, and distribution businesses. A Marine Corps veteran, he spent fifteen years running physical operations — from the floor of a 1.3M-square-foot fulfillment center to network programs across 80+ facilities — before starting OpsStack to fix operations the way an operator would.

This story was produced by Featured and republished with permission. Experts featured here are members of Connectively, Featured's expert network.

Interview with Robert Watson, CEO, BoardGamingTees.

(Featured) - Watson explains why it's important to teach a board game's theme and goal first, allow takebacks, and maintain a consistent public schedule, so first-time players know where they fit and when to return.

Interview with Robert Watson

Edited by Haley Spracale, Editor at Featured News · Oct 14, 2026

When someone attends a board game night for the first time, what do you do to help them feel comfortable from the moment they arrive?

For first-timers, the key is helping them to connect. Everyone else who comes regularly is likely welcoming but has an established routine or a preferred group to sit with, and may even have pre-arranged a game for themselves to play already.

Welcome the new people. Do a quick assessment to figure out how game-savvy they are, and then find a matching group. The ideal groups are outgoing, friendly and diverse, and are playing a game on the easier end of the spectrum. Tables with good teachers are always a positive.

If you have an established gamer, feel free to pair them with a group playing an advanced game, but make sure to introduce them and ask if there's room for someone new to join. If not, have a few welcoming games at the ready to play with them yourself. This gives you a great chance to get to know them and to figure out who to pair them with next time, as well as a chance to give them an introduction to what to expect from your game night.

How do you choose games that make it easy for newcomers with different experience levels to participate?

I think that in most cases, you need a newcomer to feel like they've found a place where they really fit in. If they tell you their favorite game and you have something that shares an element with it, then you've done it. For example, if their favorite game is Catan, ask what they like about it. Is it the tile-laying aspect? Give them a tile-laying game. Is it the trading? Find a game that encourages player interaction and trading. Do they just love Catan? If you've got it, play Catan with them. Finding a game with a similar depth of rules and strategies, so you're not overwhelming them with new content, is the best method. It's difficult enough to play games with strangers in a strange environment. There's no need to give them a very complex new set of game rules to learn as well.

How do you explain rules in a way that keeps first-time players engaged rather than overwhelmed?

Explaining rules is an art rather than a science. In most cases, you should start with the theme — who the players are and why they care — and explain how to win.

Then move into the turn structure and what actions can be taken to move them toward that goal.

How do you handle moments when a new player makes a mistake or feels discouraged during a game?

Mistakes happen. I make it a point to always allow takebacks in my games if at all possible. If a player makes an error, I handle it like this: If they forgot a bonus they should have had, let them take it. If they’re not sure whether they grabbed the right colored cubes, let them decide what they had. If you feel like they’re uncomfortable with it, make a mistake yourself and demonstrate the kind of grace you can expect from your group.

What is one simple change a community organizer can make this week to turn a board game night into a place newcomers want to return to?

Communication is really underrated among board game organizers. It's easy to set up a Discord server, a public Facebook group, or a Meetup that lets others join and learn about upcoming events. For public groups that rely on private communication — such as a group text as their only method — it can be difficult for newcomers to know who to ask about future events, and it can make them feel left out or uninvited.

Consistency is key too. "We meet here every second Wednesday" lets those who are less comfortable with technology know when and where to show up to play next time. Don't assume people know; make it very clear when and where the same group will reassemble.

About the expert

Robert WatsonCEO at BoardGamingTees

This story was produced by Featured and republished with permission. Experts featured here are members of Connectively, Featured's expert network.

(NewsUSA) - For many people, breast cancer screening becomes a priority around age 40. However, according to recommendations from the American College of Radiology^® (ACR^®), one of the most important conversations about breast health should happen much sooner: a breast cancer risk assessment by age 25.

Breast cancer remains one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in the United States, and early detection continues to be one of the most effective tools for improving outcomes. Since screening became widespread, breast cancer mortality has declined significantly, helping save countless lives through earlier diagnosis and treatment.

While annual mammography beginning at age 40 is recommended for women at average risk, breast cancer risk is not the same for everyone. Factors such as family history, genetic mutations and other health considerations can increase a person's likelihood of developing breast cancer and may warrant earlier or additional screening.

One in eight women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. ACR recommends that all women undergo a formal breast cancer risk assessment by age 25, with particular emphasis on Black women and women of Ashkenazi Jewish descent, who may face elevated risk factors or worse breast cancer outcomes. Identifying higher-risk individuals early creates an opportunity to develop a more personalized screening strategy before cancer develops.

"Breast cancer screening is not a one-size-fits-all approach," said Stamatia Destounis, MD, FACR, chair of the American College of Radiology Breast Imaging Commission. "A risk assessment by age 25 can help identify those who may benefit from earlier screening or supplemental imaging. Understanding your personal risk allows people and their healthcare providers to make informed decisions based on their unique circumstances."

Risk assessment is also important for transgender individuals. Breast cancer risk can be influenced by factors including anatomy, hormone use, family history, genetics, and prior medical care. Healthcare providers can use these factors to develop individualized screening recommendations that reflect each person's specific risk profile and health history.

Understanding risk is especially important because some populations are diagnosed with breast cancer at younger ages. Among Asian, Black, and Hispanic women, one-third of all breast cancers are diagnosed under age 50, highlighting the importance of evaluating individual risk rather than relying solely on age-based screening recommendations.

Resources are available to help people take that first step. Mammography Saves Lives, an educational initiative of ACR, provides information about breast cancer risk factors, breast density, screening recommendations, and questions patients can discuss with their healthcare providers. 

Breast Cancer Awareness Month serves as a reminder of the importance of early detection. Learning your risk by age 25 can provide valuable information that helps guide future screening decisions and, for some, may lead to earlier detection when treatment is most effective. For more information, visit mammographysaveslives.org.  

(NewsUSA) - Does feeling confident about your finances seem increasingly out of reach? If so, you aren’t alone. In fact, research from Guardian shows that Americans’ financial wellness is at its lowest point in 15 years.

While everyone’s financial picture is different, achieving your goals is often about more than reaching a savings milestone. No matter what you’re working towards, having the right strategies in place and guidance along the way is crucial. Whole life insurance can be one tool that supports those aspirations as part of a holistic financial plan in more ways than you might expect.

Understanding today’s financial challenges

According to Guardian’s research, money and finances are Americans’ top sources of stress. Perhaps contributing to this stress is the fact that fewer than one-third say they’re very good at managing their finances or sticking to a long-term financial plan. 

Financial concerns persist even among those with significant assets, with nearly 40% of high-net-worth individuals saying they avoid dealing with their finances because it feels overwhelming. 

For many Americans, retirement is an area of particular concern, especially as lifespans continue to grow longer. More than four in 10 worry their savings won't last as long as needed, while over half of those age 45 and older regret not starting to save sooner. 

Finding the right tool for your goals

The good news is that whole life insurance can help address these and other common financial concerns by offering a balance of growth now, confidence in retirement, and impact beyond your lifetime. A whole life policy can:

• Provide lifelong protection. Whole life insurance offers a guaranteed death benefit that never expires, is generally paid income tax-free, and can help protect loved ones, cover immediate expenses, and preserve a legacy.
• Create stability amid uncertainty. With set premiums and predictable benefits, whole life insurance can provide a stable foundation as markets, income, and life priorities change.
• Build accessible cash value. A whole life policy builds cash value that grows tax-deferred and can be accessed through policy loans, providing a source of liquidity for needs such as emergencies, family milestones, or home purchases.
• Support retirement planning. Whole life insurance can complement other retirement income vehicles by providing an additional source of funds to help cover health care costs or other major expenses, while also helping to boost confidence in spending retirement savings knowing money is still being preserved for loved ones.

“Whether you're focused on protecting your family, planning for retirement, or preparing for what's next, having a strong financial foundation matters,” said Andy Gordon, Head of Life Insurance at Guardian. “Whole life insurance can help provide stability and confidence as part of a protection-first, holistic plan, supporting your goals today and in the years to come.”

Getting help along the way

When it comes to shaping your financial future, having the right guidance can be just as important as having the right tools. A financial advisor can help you understand how whole life insurance may fit within a broader financial strategy that brings together protection, savings, retirement planning, and legacy goals. Consider reaching out to one today.

Planning with confidence

With a financial plan that reflects your priorities and helps you prepare for whatever lies ahead—alongside guidance from a trusted professional—taking steps towards achieving your financial goals can be easier than you may think.

To learn more about how whole life insurance can play an important role within your broader financial strategy, visit https://www.guardianlife.com/reports/whole-life-for-whole-wealth.

(NewsUSA) - Did you know one of the biggest changes you can make to a room doesn’t require moving a single piece of furniture?

Sometimes it starts right at the window.

Picture the same living room three ways: sunlight softened through airy sheers, rich drapes framing an intimate gathering, or shades lowered for a Saturday movie marathon. Same square footage. Same sofa. Three completely different ways to experience the space.

Behind every change at the window is a reason for wanting a room to feel different. As part of its new campaign, “Reasons,” Blinds To Go is giving homeowners and renters a chance to bring their own refresh to life with a sweepstakes offering a $5,000 window makeover.

And the difference isn’t always something you can see.

Window treatments influence how a room feels and functions. Blinds let you adjust the light throughout the day. Curtains create a sense of retreat. And the right shades can finally make the television watchable at three in the afternoon.

After all, the best spaces aren’t just designed to look good. They’re designed for living.

Take sunlight, for example. The material at your window helps determine how it enters the room. Sheer fabrics diffuse incoming light, creating a softer glow. Blackout materials are designed to block light through the fabric, helping to create a darker setting for bedrooms and movie nights. But fabric is only part of the equation. Fit, coverage and even layering a shade with drapery can give you more control over how you experience natural light throughout the day. Think morning coffee, afternoon catch-up and opening credits.

Privacy doesn’t have to mean giving up daylight, either. Top-down/bottom-up shades can cover the lower portion of a window while letting in light from above—a practical solution for street-facing rooms where you want to enjoy the sunshine without giving the sidewalk a front-row seat to your life.

Then there’s comfort. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, heat moving through windows accounts for 25%–30% of residential heating and cooling energy use. Cellular shades use pockets of air to provide insulation at the window, adding another layer of function to the room. Performance varies by product, window and how the shades are used, but it is a reminder that a beautiful window treatment can have a practical job, too.

The most useful starting point is a simple question: What’s really behind the change you want to make?

That thinking is at the heart of Blinds To Go’s “Reasons” campaign: the reason for changing your window treatments often starts with the way you live. Maybe the guest room is welcoming family more often. Maybe the home office now doubles as the dining room. Or perhaps you’ve lived with the previous owner’s taste long enough.

The brand’s design consultants help translate those everyday needs into choices about materials, light control, privacy and style, with custom window treatments shaped around the space.

Before browsing, spend a day noticing your room. When does the light feel best? When do you squint at a screen or wish for more privacy? Bring those observations to a design conversation, where free samples can help you explore colors, textures and materials in your own space. Knowing your reason can make it easier to find the right solution.

Ready to see what a change at the window can do? Blinds To Go is giving one winner in the U.S. and one winner in Canada a $5,000 window makeover each to help bring their refresh to life.

What’s your reason? Picture the room you would love to come home to, then visit Reasons Sweepstakes to enter by the end of the day on Thursday, November 5. 

Your next chapter at home could start with a change of shade.

No purchase necessary. See Official Rules for eligibility, entry details and prize terms.

(NewsUSA) - Some mornings, it’s a stubborn fine line catching the light. Other days, a sudden dark spot takes center stage no matter what you try. RoC Skincare—the brand backed by dermatologists and over 65 years of research—is taking direct aim at both skin dilemmas with two new high-performance innovations designed for visibly smoother skin and a radically more radiant, even tone.

Smooth Operator: Turning Back the Clock 

Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Triple Serum

Think of this serum as a visible skin reset in a bottle. RoC packs three heavyweight components into one clever, multi-chambered formula, featuring bubbles of micro-encapsulated clinical retinol that burst upon application to kickstart visible skin renewal. This is paired with Hyaluronic B5 Jelly for plumping hydration, a complex of the viral PDRN  to power-pack a youthful-looking, refreshed bounce.

RoC dubs this triple-threat blend “7 years, 7 signs of aging, 1 serum”—and the clinical stats fully back up the claims—no needles or expensive office visit1. In clinical testing, 100% of participants had instantly smoother skin within minutes2. Within just one week, 96% experienced a noticeable reduction across 7 key aging indicators, including fine lines, dullness, and dryness3. By week four, users saw a visible reduction in skin age by up to 7 years, with the look of decreased crow’s feet and under-eye wrinkles4.

Spot Eraser: Rewriting the Story on Discoloration

Even Tone Dark Spot Roll-On Serum

If uneven tone is stealing your glow, this laser-inspired spot treatment acts as a high-precision defense against the appearance of sun spots, age spots, brown patches, and post-blemish marks. Formulated to work up to 10 layers deep in the epidermis, the serum brings together a powerhouse lineup: patented Tranexamic Acid5 to visibly fade persistent dark spots, Niacinamide to balance tone, Resveratrol Exosomes to supercharge luminosity, Prebiotics to help guard against future discoloration, and Lactic Acid to gently exfoliate for fresh surface-level visible skin renewal.

Equipped with a flash-cooling, professional-level steel roller ball tip for instant massage and precision application, the melting milky serum gets to work fast—with visible skin renewal and fading beginning within minutes. It targets all four types of discoloration in just one week6, leaving your complexion looking luminous, refined, and beautifully even-toned by week four.

“What I love about these launches is that they take high-level clinical science and make it incredibly easy for everyday use,” says board-certified dermatologist Dr. Angela J. Lamb. “With the Triple Serum, you’re getting the line-smoothing power of micro-encapsulated retinol paired with deep hydration. Meanwhile, the Even Tone Roll-On targets persistent pigmentation up to 10 layers deep with patented TXA and cooling precision7. They’re practical, targeted solutions that deliver visible, office-level transformations right at home.”

If your daily lineup is due for a high-tech overhaul, consider this your sign. Both high-performance formulas are available for $28.49 at Walmart. Whether you pick a favorite or layer the duo for the ultimate smooth-and-bright power move, visible results are officially within reach.

• 1

  Not comparable to results of procedures.

• 2

  Clinical measurements - 29 subjects - total study duration: 12 weeks; results obtained in minutes.

• 3

  Clinical and corneometric measurements - 29 subjects - total study duration: 12 weeks; results obtained after 1 week - lines, uneven texture, dullness, lack of smoothness, loss of suppleness, lack of softness, dryness. 

• 4

  Based on a clinical study measuring crow’s feet and under-eye wrinkles - 29 subjects - total study duration: 12 weeks; results obtained after 1 month. 

• 5

  Ester of Tranexamic Acid used under license

• 6

  Clinical study self-assessment - 40 subjects - 8 weeks - sun spots, age spots, brown patches, post-blemish marks

• 7

  Based on TXA used under license, working within the epidermis layer

(NewsUSA) - Distracted driving continues to threaten U.S. roads, prompting companies that operate and insure commercial vehicles to explore how technologies like telematics can help identify risky behavior and prevent crashes.

New research from SambaSafety examines how organizations use driving data to better understand risk and support safer decisions on the road. The report draws on responses from 740 fleet, broker, and insurance professionals, as well as an analysis of 500 million miles of driving data covering more than 135 million driver behavior events. The findings show that safety risks can vary considerably by the type of work drivers perform, and that understanding those differences can help organizations develop safety programs that address the risks their drivers face.

The report found that 84% of insurers and brokers consider distracted driving a major threat to commercial auto profitability, up nearly 10 percentage points in one year. The increase reflects a growing recognition that distraction behind the wheel threatens public safety and contributes to higher costs when crashes occur.

Telematics can help organizations identify unsafe or risky driving patterns and use those insights to influence driver training and safety programs. With 90% of fleet respondents using telematics, there’s a growing challenge in turning the technology’s data into meaningful action. More than half of fleets (53%) say interpreting and acting on telematics data is a leading challenge.

For example, severe speeding rates differed by more than fivefold across the industries analyzed. Transportation fleets recorded 48 severe speeding events per 100,000 miles, compared with 254 among Construction fleets. These differences show why a safety strategy that works for one group of drivers may not address the risks facing another.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is also emerging as a means of interpreting large amounts of driver data. Sixty percent of fleets and 94% of insurers report using AI in some form, including analyzing driver risk data and reviewing footage that once required manual processing.

The research also points to a disconnect over data sharing. While 52% of brokers cite fleet distrust as a barrier, only 5% of fleets agree. This finding suggests that fleets may be more willing to share information when they understand its purpose and value.

“Understanding risk isn’t just about having more data. It’s having the right information to reveal the story behind it,” said Kristy Kennah, Head of Insurance at SambaSafety.

These findings reflect a broader shift in vehicle safety technology. As these tools become more widely used, the focus is shifting toward using this information to identify risks and support safer decisions on the road.

The 2026 Telematics Report is available from SambaSafety.

(NewsUSA) - After a car crash, dealing with injuries, medical appointments and vehicle repairs can be overwhelming enough. Then comes another challenge: dealing with insurance companies.

While consumers may expect an insurer to simply determine what happened and pay a fair claim, the claims process can be much more complicated. Adjusters may request recorded statements, seek broad access to medical records or make settlement offers before the full extent of an injury is known.

Ryan L. Thompson, founder and managing partner of Thompson Law, says injured consumers should understand how the claims process works before making decisions that could affect their recovery. Thompson previously defended corporations before establishing his personal injury practice, giving him experience with how insurers and defense teams evaluate and resolve claims.

Here are five issues consumers should watch for after an accident.

1. The recorded statement

Soon after a crash, an insurance adjuster may ask an injured person to provide a recorded statement about what happened and how they are feeling.

In Texas, a participant in a telephone conversation generally may record that conversation without obtaining the other participant’s permission. Consumers should therefore assume an insurance call may be recorded rather than assume a conversation is off the record.

That distinction matters when injuries are still developing. Someone who says they feel “fine” shortly after an accident may later discover an injury that was not immediately apparent.

There is also an important difference between dealing with your own insurer and the other driver's insurer. A standard Texas personal auto policy contains a duty to cooperate with your own insurance company. Thompson cautions that an injured third party does not have the same contractual obligation to provide a recorded statement to the other driver's insurer.

2. The fast settlement offer

A quick check can seem like welcome news when medical bills and other expenses are mounting. But speed is not necessarily the same thing as a complete and fair evaluation of a claim.

The danger is settling before doctors know the extent of an injury or how long recovery may take. Once a claimant signs a release and resolves the claim, the opportunity to seek additional compensation for that claim generally ends.

Texas insurance law also addresses claim investigation. Thompson notes that Texas Insurance Code Section 541.060 prohibits an insurer from refusing to pay certain claims without conducting a reasonable investigation and requires good-faith settlement efforts in specified circumstances when liability has become reasonably clear. The statute does not specifically prohibit an insurer from making an early offer simply because an injury has not fully resolved.

The practical lesson: understand what is being settled before accepting an offer.

3. Broad access to your medical history

Another document to examine carefully is a medical-record authorization.

An authorization may give an insurer access to medical information extending beyond treatment directly connected to the accident. That can include older conditions or treatments that may become part of the insurer's evaluation of whether an injury resulted from the crash.

Thompson said nothing in Texas law requires an injured third party to provide the other driver's insurer with unlimited access to medical records. Consumers may instead limit an authorization by provider and date or offer to supply relevant records directly.

Read an authorization carefully before signing it and understand exactly what information it permits the recipient to obtain.

4. Computer-assisted claim valuation

Technology can also play a role in determining what a claim is worth.

In 2010, Allstate reached a multistate regulatory settlement involving the insurer's use of the Colossus claims-handling software. The insurer agreed to a $10 million regulatory settlement and reforms governing how the software was used. Among other provisions, the settlement addressed notice to claimants and prohibited requiring adjusters to settle claims solely according to a value recommended by the software.

The historical case should not be interpreted as proof that insurers today systematically underpay claims using software. New York's insurance superintendent said the examination did not find systemic underpayment of bodily-injury claims.

For consumers, the broader point is that a claim may involve standardized valuation tools as well as human judgment. Medical documentation, lost wages and the individual circumstances of an injury can therefore be important in establishing the full picture.

5. Delay and repeated requests

Finally, keep track of what happens after a claim is opened.

Dates, phone calls, documents submitted and the names of adjusters can become important if a claim stalls. Keep a simple log of every call, adjuster's name and date.

Some Texas claims involving a person's own insurer are also subject to statutory deadlines.  The consumer must distinguish those deadlines from third-party claims involving the other driver's insurer, an important difference consumers should understand rather than assuming the same timetable applies to every claim.

Keeping copies of correspondence and maintaining a timeline can help consumers know what information has already been supplied and what remains outstanding.

Know what you're agreeing to

Thompson Law handles vehicle crashes and other serious personal injury and wrongful-death cases. The Dallas-headquartered firm, with additional Texas offices in San Antonio, Houston and Waco, says it has recovered more than $2.1 billion for injured people and families as of August 2026.

For Thompson, the takeaway for injured consumers is simple: don't treat every request from an insurance company as routine paperwork. Understand what information is being requested, what rights may be affected, and what accepting or signing a document means before making a decision.

More information is available from Thompson Law / 1-800-LION-LAW or 1800lionlaw.com.