Spin Master Taps Media Veteran Christina Miller as New CEO
Miller succeeds Max Rangel, who has been CEO of the Toronto-based company behind brands such as Paw Patrol, Rubik's Cube and Melissa & Doug since April 2021. She brings to the toy maker more than 25 years of leadership experience in the media, sports and entertainment industries, including roles at WarnerMedia Red Ventures and the National Basketball Association. Her new position is effective July 7.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
9 minutes ago
- Yahoo
This Future Retiree Plans To Downsize His $1M Home To Cover Health Insurance — Is It A Smart Move?
Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. As retirement approaches, one of the biggest unknowns many Americans face is how to pay for health insurance before Medicare kicks in at age 65. One future retiree recently shared his strategy online: sell his $1 million home, downsize to a smaller, less expensive property, and use the equity to bridge the gap until he qualifies for Medicare. It's a move some have considered — but is it a good idea? Trading Square Footage for Subsidies Posting to the r/retirement subreddit, the 60-year-old homeowner explained that he and his wife plan to retire in a few years. Their house is paid off and valued at around $1 million. With grown children and 3,000 square feet of space, they feel ready to downsize. The plan is to sell the current home and buy a $300,000 to $400,000 replacement. Don't Miss: Be part of the breakthrough that could replace plastic as we know it— $100k+ in investable assets? – no cost, no obligation. The equity from the sale would be used for living expenses, with a specific goal: keeping their Modified Adjusted Gross Income low enough to qualify for Affordable Care Act subsidies. This would help offset the cost of health insurance until they become eligible for Medicare at 65. Several Reddit users responded with encouragement — and caution. The Cost of Healthcare Before Medicare Healthcare expenses can be a major burden for early retirees. According to the Milliman 2024 Retiree Health Cost Index, someone retiring at 60 instead of 65 can expect to spend 56% to 89% more on healthcare over their lifetime, depending on the plan they choose. The earlier you retire, the more years you must cover before Medicare, often at a higher out-of-pocket cost. Some Reddit users suggested exploring the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, or COBRA. This program allows individuals to continue their employer's health insurance for up to 18 months. One retiree said it cost them $750 a month — cheaper than ACA options at the time. But for someone retiring at 60, COBRA wouldn't cover the full five-year gap. Trending: This AI-Powered Trading Platform Has 5,000+ Users, 27 Pending Patents, and a $43.97M Valuation — Risks of Relying on Home Equity Selling a home to unlock cash might offer flexibility — but it comes with trade-offs. Once the home is sold, that equity is no longer growing, and there's no guarantee the market will stay favorable if the retiree needs to sell quickly. Another consideration: capital gains tax. The Reddit poster said they bought the home for $490,000. If they sell it for $1 million, they'll be close to the $500,000 capital gains exemption for married couples. But with selling costs and home improvements factored in, they may still owe tax if the gain exceeds the limit. Reddit users also warned about downsizing regret. Some retirees have moved, only to later wish they had stayed in place — and found it difficult or expensive to reverse at the Bigger Picture While downsizing could reduce living costs, relying too heavily on that equity could be risky. With only 1–2 years of living expenses in a Roth IRA, the couple's ability to weather changes — like a drop in home values or rising insurance premiums — may be limited. That's why several commenters emphasized the importance of professional advice. As one noted, income, savings, and expenses are all different — and managing them requires careful planning. By exploring multiple options, testing assumptions, and working with a financial planner, future retirees like this one can build a plan that works — without putting their long-term stability at risk. Read Next: This Jeff Bezos-backed startup will allow you to . Image: Shutterstock This article This Future Retiree Plans To Downsize His $1M Home To Cover Health Insurance — Is It A Smart Move? originally appeared on
Yahoo
9 minutes ago
- Yahoo
S&P/TSX composite rises Friday morning, U.S. markets also higher
TORONTO — Gains in technology stocks helped lift Canada's main stock index in late-morning trading on Friday, while U.S. markets also rose. The S&P/TSX composite index was up 59.05 points at 27,431.31. In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 99.67 points at 44,793.58. The S&P 500 index was up 16.59 points at 6,379.94, while the Nasdaq composite was up 42.59 points at 21,100.55. The Canadian dollar traded for 72.97 cents US compared with 73.37 cents US on Thursday. The September crude oil contract was down 42 cents US at US$65.61 per barrel. The August gold contract was down US$40.00 at US$3,333.50 an ounce. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 25, 2025. Companies in this story: (TSX:GSPTSE, TSX:CADUSD) The Canadian Press Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
9 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Foreclosure Inquiries Hit 5-Year High — Here's Why and How It Could Affect the Housing Market
Foreclosure inquiries in the United States have been surging as more Americans fret about the potential impact of tariffs on the economy — and the U.S. housing market could suffer because of it. Read Next: Check Out: Here are more details on the growing foreclosure inquiries and how that could affect the housing market. 'Homes Are at Risk' Legal requests related to foreclosures are at their highest level since April 2020, according to a recent report from LegalShield, an Oklahoma-based provider of legal guidance and services. In a May survey of 802 U.S. adults, LegalShield found that more than 70% of homeowners and prospective buyers worry that tariffs and a potential recession could disrupt their housing plans. LegalShield also reported a 'marked drop' in home purchase and housing construction inquiries. This could foreshadow a slowdown in the housing market. 'The hard data from consumers calling lawyers matches their fears about the economy: their homes are at risk and things may get worse,' LegalShield CEO Warren Schlichting said in a press release shared with GOBankingRates. 'The other concerning finding is a drop in consumers asking for help to buy a home and a decline in questions from builders.' Be Aware: Why Are Foreclosure Fears Rising? The LegalShield survey highlighted a 'convergence of pressures,' according to Matt Layton, the company's senior vice president of consumer analytics. 'Buyers from the homebuying surge a few years ago want help with rising insurance premiums, property tax reassessments, and adjustable-rate mortgage resets,' Layton said. 'People are reaching out to LegalShield provider lawyers to save their homes, and they're scared of the next shoe to drop in the economy.' According to LegalShield, May saw the lowest level of legal activity related to housing sales since July 2023. That was also when the Federal Reserve raised interest rates most recently, LegalShield noted. Overall, the survey cited mortgage rate uncertainty, elevated home prices and inventory challenges as impacts on buyers and sellers. LegalShield's report aligns with similar research from other sources. For example, climate-risk research group First Street found that the risk of foreclosures is rising partly because of the impact of weather-related damage to homes, MarketWatch reported. This problem is exacerbated by the fact that roughly 1 in 7 U.S. homes are uninsured, per LendingTree. How Is the Housing Market Impacted? Rising foreclosures can impact the housing market in a couple of ways, according to a Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland report published in 2010, just on the heels of the housing and financial meltdown that led to the Great Recession. The first reason is that foreclosures add to the housing supply. If there's more supply, home values could fall. The second is that homeowners who've faced foreclosure are considered credit risks who might not qualify for future home loans, which reduces the number of potential buyers. The best way for homeowners to prevent foreclosure is to get legal advice long before they really need it, according to Schlichting. 'Perhaps now more than ever, consumers need to consider how to protect themselves and their asset if they are able to buy a home in the midst of these economic headwinds,' he said. 'Instead of calling a lawyer after something goes wrong, smart homeowners are starting to get legal advice upfront — before they buy, before they renovate, before problems become expensive disasters.' More From GOBankingRates Mark Cuban Warns of 'Red Rural Recession' -- 4 States That Could Get Hit Hard Mark Cuban Tells Americans To Stock Up on Consumables as Trump's Tariffs Hit -- Here's What To Buy 6 Big Shakeups Coming to Social Security in 2025 This article originally appeared on Foreclosure Inquiries Hit 5-Year High — Here's Why and How It Could Affect the Housing Market Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
