These States May Help Retirees Keep Most Of Their Retirement Income
The analysis found that state tax policies can significantly affect how much money is kept in retirement.
Americans looking to reduce their tax bills in retirement may find relief in a growing number of states that exempt retirement income or do not levy a broad-based state income tax, according to Investopedia.
The analysis found that state tax policies can significantly affect how much retirees keep from pensions, Social Security benefits, and retirement account withdrawals. While federal taxes still apply in many cases, state rules vary widely, making location an important financial consideration for retirees.
According to the outlet, Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina provide broad tax exemptions on retirement income. Depending on the state’s tax code, those exemptions may apply to Social Security benefits, pensions, military retirement pay, or distributions from retirement accounts such as 401(k)s and individual retirement accounts. Eligibility and exemption amounts differ by state.
The report also identified nine states that do not impose a broad-based state income tax: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. Because those states do not tax wage income, most retirement income is also exempt from state income tax. Washington is an exception in that it levies a tax on certain high-value capital gains but does not tax wages or most retirement income.
Beyond those state-specific policies, Investopedia reported that 41 states do not tax Social Security benefits, 37 states exempt most military retirement pay, and 16 states offer at least partial tax exemptions for pension income. Those policies can produce meaningful differences in annual tax liability depending on how retirees receive their income.
The analysis noted that retirement taxes represent only one component of the overall cost of retirement. Property taxes, sales taxes, housing costs, healthcare expenses, and estate or inheritance tax laws differ by state and may influence where retirees choose to live. As states continue to take different approaches to taxing retirement income, those policies remain a key factor for Americans evaluating where to spend their retirement years.
Idris Elba Invests $1M To Equip 100K African Creators With AI
Elba said the partnership is designed to close the gap between talent and opportunity across Africa's creative industries.
Actor Idris Elba is investing nearly $1 million to expand access to artificial intelligence tools for nearly 100,000 creators across five African countries, along with Google; a move aimed at helping artists, filmmakers, and entrepreneurs overcome financial barriers to content production, Bloomberg reports.
“We think about all those creatives who don’t have access to these enormous studio budgets,” James Manyika, Google’s senior vice president for research and technology, told the outlet. “AI is potentially a tool that can enable them to do work that they couldn’t otherwise do because they don’t have huge budgets.”
Elba said the partnership is designed to close the gap between talent and opportunity across Africa’s creative industries.
“The barrier is not a lack of vision — it’s a lack of access. Talent is everywhere, opportunity is not.”
The technology initiative complements several creative infrastructure projects Elba is leading across the continent. In 2024, he announced plans to develop a film studio in Zanzibar, Tanzania, which Zanzibar Investment Minister Shariff Ali Sharif said could rival Hollywood, Nollywood, and Bollywood.
According to Bloomberg, Elba is also developing a creative village in Ghana to support local filmmakers, artists, and storytellers while increasing the production of culturally authentic content for global streaming platforms.
“Being from the creative sector and working across Africa, I see the real bottlenecks that can be alleviated with technical and financial solutions. The creative economy is often overlooked, but it can be a major economic driver,” Elba told OkayAfrica.
Elba described his long-term strategy as “multilayered,” saying it extends beyond building studios and educational programs.
“I’ve been working on this jigsaw for years. It isn’t just building studios or creating education programs. It’s about creating an environment that allows creativity to happen. So I’m interested in how we can change that.”
Marsai Martin’s Foundation Reaches 10K Students, Launches Financial Fellowship
Marsai Martin is expanding her efforts to help young people build long-term financial security.
Actor, producer, and entrepreneur Marsai Martin is expanding her efforts to help young people build long-term financial security, as her nonprofit reaches a major milestone and launches a new scholarship initiative for college students, Afrotech reports.
The fellowship builds on a three-year partnership between Martin and Seeds of Fortune Inc., announced earlier in 2026, to provide financial education, wealth-building strategies, and career development resources to 10,000 young women.
Founded in honor of Martin’s late cousin, Marsai Chari Murray, the Marsai’s Way Foundation seeks to expand educational opportunities for underserved youth while encouraging the next generation of leaders. Martin, who was named after her cousin, said the organization reflects a legacy of creating opportunities for others.
“If a way was made for me, then I have a responsibility to make one for someone else,” Martin wrote in an Instagram post announcing the foundation’s milestone.
The foundation’s work centers on four key pillars: scholarships, health and wellness, leadership development, and financial literacy. Its programs are supported by 36 partners worldwide.
The foundation has expanded programming
The foundation’s newest initiative, the FICO Financial Empowerment Fellowship, is designed to help students better understand personal finance, credit, and wealth-building. Financial literacy has become an increasing priority for organizations seeking to equip young adults with the tools needed to make informed financial decisions and build long-term economic stability.
Ten fellows will receive $1,500 scholarships, financial education from FICO, and leadership training through Seeds of Fortune Inc. Participants also will help classmates and community members access financial education resources that promote healthier financial habits.
“We spend so much time preparing for our careers, but understanding your finances is just as important,” Martin wrote in a separate Instagram post.
“Learning how credit works, making smart financial decisions, and building wealth for your future — those are life skills that create opportunities.”
Selected fellows will also attend the Marsai Martin Resolution Brunch, where they will connect with Martin, fellow participants, and other community leaders.
Applications are open to students enrolled in two- or four-year colleges and universities, as well as accredited trade and vocational programs in the United States. The deadline to apply is Sept. 21.
It’s Time The Address The Strategic Starvation Of Modern Leadership In The Workplace
Today's executives are drowning in tactical work while starving for strategic space in leadership.
Today’s executives are drowning in tactical work while starving for strategic space in leadership.
We are halfway through the year, and many executive teams are quietly confronting the same uncomfortable reality: the organization is moving fast, but not necessarily forward. Revenue may still be holding. Deadlines may still be getting met. But beneath the surface, organizations are systematically eroding the reflective capacity leadership requires.
Reflective capacity, documented in research from Harvard Business School and Finnish researchers, is the protected mental and organizational space leaders need to step back from constant action, examine assumptions, interpret patterns, and make better decisions before simply moving faster. That capacity is not eroding because leaders lack capability or vision. It is eroding because many organizations have built cultures where interruption, responsiveness, and constant availability are treated as evidence of commitment.
The erosion is measurable
275 interruptions per employee each workday, one every two minutes (Microsoft 2025 Work Trend Index)
58% of work time spent on “work about work” (Asana Anatomy of Work Index)
3 hours per month that senior executives spend discussing strategy (Harvard Business Review)
25% of a CEO’s tasks could be automated with today’s technology (McKinsey & Company)
This is not merely an individual discipline problem. It is a cultural and structural one. Organizations say they want strategic leaders while designing work environments that reward immediate response, visible busyness, and operational endurance over reflection, discernment, and strategic clarity.
Tactical work keeps the organization running. Strategic leadership determines whether it is running in the right direction.
The modern executive has become a professional reactor
A senior executive at a large, mission-driven institution once proudly showed me her color-coded calendar. Every hour was optimized. Meetings filled her days from morning until evening. But when I asked when she had last spent uninterrupted time thinking deeply about the future of the organization, she went silent. Finally, she said, “I honestly can’t remember.”
She was not describing a personal failing. She was describing a leadership system consumed by execution. Her calendar reflected exactly the behaviors her organization rewarded: responsiveness, accessibility, and constant availability. The result is strategic starvation: the chronic deprivation of uninterrupted time, cognitive space, and reflective capacity required for effective leadership. Unlike burnout, strategic starvation often masquerades as productivity.
Organizations are culturally engineering reactive leadership
Culture is built through reinforcement: what gets rewarded gets repeated. In many organizations, leaders are rewarded for constant responsiveness and operational endurance rather than strategic clarity or cultural stewardship. I have observed executive teams where messages sent late at night were answered within minutes, and leaders joined calls from airports and hospital waiting rooms. Over time, the behavior stopped feeling excessive and was celebrated as commitment. Deloitte’s 2024 Global Human Capital Trends report names the related trap: workers caught in “productivity theater,” measured by visible activity more than meaningful contribution.
AI is exposing the culture problem, not creating it
McKinsey estimates that technologies available today could automate up to a quarter of a CEO’s tasks. In theory, that should create more space for strategic leadership. In practice, many leaders feel busier than ever because most organizations have adopted AI tools without redesigning their leadership culture. Efficiency gains became opportunities to increase meeting volume, compress response times, and expand operational expectations. The paradox: leaders now have more technological support than ever while feeling less capable of leading strategically. AI can summarize information and optimize workflows. It cannot create meaning, build trust, or cast vision.
How leaders interrupt strategic starvation: three shifts
Protect uninterrupted strategic thinking time as aggressively as operational priorities.
Redesign leadership around decision quality, not decision volume.
Use AI to reclaim time for human leadership: coaching, vision-setting, culture-building, and long-range thinking.
Strategic starvation will not resolve itself. It starts with rejecting one of the most dangerous assumptions in modern work culture: that accessibility is the same as effectiveness. The organizations that thrive in the second half of this year will be the ones that intentionally build cultures where reflection, strategic thinking, and alignment are protected rather than sacrificed to urgency.
In a message to parents of incoming students, Tuskegee President Dr. Mark A. Brown said the university is entering a “period of transformation and renewal,” introducing new standards designed to better prepare students for life beyond college, reports HBCU Gameday.
Among the most talked-about changes is a campus dress code requiring students to arrive prepared for professional settings. According to Brown, students should have business suits and appropriate footwear for business meetings and other professional occasions. The policy also prohibits revealing clothing in classrooms, dining facilities, and official university events, including Convocation. Bonnets, do-rags, and bedroom slippers will no longer be permitted in classrooms or the cafeteria, and faculty members will be empowered to address students who violate the guidelines.
Brown emphasized that the new expectations are intended to build career readiness, not diminish the student experience.
“The goal here is not meant to restrict students from enjoying the Tuskegee Experience, but to prepare them with a solid foundation for the workforce they will enter once they leave Tuskegee,” Brown wrote.
The university is also cracking down on classroom distractions. Under the new policy, students must turn off their cell phones during class unless instructed to do otherwise by a professor. Attendance requirements will also become more stringent as part of the broader initiative to reinforce academic accountability.
Because Tuskegee is a private university, it has broad authority to establish standards of conduct as part of its educational mission. Students agree to abide by those expectations as outlined in the institution’s student handbook.
The announcement has already sparked debate across social media, with some applauding the university’s renewed emphasis on professionalism.
“I love this. Bonnets, Durags, Slippers and Pajamas have no place in the classrooms or cafeteria. I can see people saying they are discriminated against Black people, but this is an HBCU why not teach the basics early on in life,” wrote Graceful Melody Harrison on Facebook.
Others questioned whether policies regulating attire, including bans on bonnets and bedroom slippers, are overly restrictive or enforceable for today’s college students.
“A dress code for the university….. this is going to be very interesting ,” wrote Rheadell LaShaydria Porter.
Still, the move aligns with Tuskegee’s longstanding reputation for cultivating leadership, discipline, and workforce preparedness. As colleges nationwide continue to grapple with classroom engagement and student conduct, Tuskegee’s new standards could reignite a broader conversation about professionalism and personal responsibility on HBCU campuses.
Shegun Otulana To Produce Alabama’s Next Generation Of Tech Companies With ‘Harmony Venture Labs’
The entrepreneur said raising the company's first investment proved to be one of his greatest challenges.
Entrepreneur Shegun Otulana is betting that Alabama can produce the next generation of high-growth technology companies through Harmony Venture Labs, a venture studio he launched after the $1.25 billion sale of his software company, Therapy Brands, Afrotech reports.
Speaking during Sloss Tech in Birmingham in June, Otulana said the venture studio was created to help entrepreneurs overcome barriers common in emerging startup markets, including limited access to venture capital, experienced talent, and industry networks.
Harmony Venture Labs identifies promising business opportunities, co-builds business-to-business software companies, and invests in founders. Although entrepreneurs are not required to be based in Birmingham, many of the studio’s portfolio companies are headquartered there.
Otulana founded TheraNest in 2013 after working in information technology leadership roles. The practice management software platform for mental and behavioral health providers later expanded into Therapy Brands, which was acquired in 2021 for $1.25 billion. According to the outlet, the transaction was Alabama’s largest software acquisition at the time.
The entrepreneur said that raising the company’s first round of investment proved to be one of his greatest challenges.
“It took 9, 10 months to raise the first dollar,” Otulana told the outlet.
“Everybody said no, but a few people said yes, and that was all the company needed to find success.”
Following the sale, Otulana shifted his attention to building companies instead of operating just one. He said Harmony Venture Labs was designed to serve as a collaborative space where founders can develop businesses, receive operational support, and access investment capital.
“I also wanted it to be this place that you could now use as a place to train other entrepreneurs to go build things,” he said.
The venture studio also works with corporations and institutions to identify business problems that can become startup opportunities before pairing them with internal or external founders to lead new companies.
Harmony Venture Labs has partnered with Innovate Alabama on the $10 million Innovate Alabama Venture Studio and Fund, which supports Alabama-based startups. Companies emerging from the initiative include PackPay, DealTree, and SupplyFlo.
Cynthia Crutchfield, CEO of Innovate Alabama, said the partnership is intended to expand entrepreneurs’ access to funding, talent, and professional connections while helping more companies grow and remain in Alabama.
Otulana said his long-term goal is to help build dozens of successful startups across Birmingham and the broader South, creating a stronger regional technology ecosystem driven by local founders and investment.
Why Every Black Family Needs A Legacy Plan Before It’s Too Late
Proactive estate planning can help families build generational wealth while avoiding costly probate and legal battles.
Building wealth is only half the battle. Ensuring that wealth reaches the next generation is just as important. Yet, millions of Americans remain unprepared. According to Caring.com‘s 2025 Wills and Estate Planning Survey, fewer than half of adults have estate planning documents in place, and only 24% have a will—a sharp decline from previous years.
Financial advisors say that lack of preparation can leave loved ones navigating probate, a lengthy and often expensive court process that can delay the transfer of assets, increase legal fees, and expose a family’s financial affairs to the public.
“Having a legacy plan is one of the most thoughtful things you can do for your loved ones,” writes J. Burke “J.B.” Howard, the founder, president, and senior financial adviser of Merit Advisors, LLC. “If you can make these consequential decisions now—and get it all down in writing—your family and friends can help avoid the anxiety of having to guess, fight for, or fight over what you might have wanted.”
For many Black families working to build generational wealth, estate planning can help ensure that homes, retirement savings, businesses, and other assets are passed on according to their wishes. A will is often the foundation of an estate plan, allowing individuals to name beneficiaries, appoint an executor, designate guardians for minor children, and leave charitable gifts. However, experts note that a will alone typically does not avoid probate.
Experts also recommend keeping beneficiary designations up to date on retirement accounts, life insurance policies, and bank accounts. Payable-on-death (POD) and transfer-on-death (TOD) designations allow many assets to transfer directly to beneficiaries, helping families avoid probate delays and, in some cases, providing tax advantages.
For those with more complex estates, a trust may offer additional benefits. Assets held in a trust generally bypass probate, allowing heirs to receive them more quickly while keeping estate matters private. Revocable trusts can be changed during the grantor’s lifetime, while irrevocable trusts may offer greater tax and creditor protections but require relinquishing control of the assets.
Estate planning isn’t just for the wealthy. Whether someone owns a home, has children, or is building a business, putting the proper legal documents in place can help protect loved ones and preserve wealth for future generations. As the advisor noted, “If retirement planning is about creating income for your life, legacy planning is about creating clarity for the people you leave behind.”
Credit Card Hardship Programs Could Help Borrowers Avoid Default
Seeking assistance before missing multiple payments can improve the likelihood of qualifying for relief.
Borrowers struggling to keep up with rising credit card payments may qualify for hardship programs that temporarily reduce interest rates, lower monthly payments, or pause payments while they recover from financial setbacks. While these programs vary by lender, financial institutions generally offer them to help customers avoid falling behind on their accounts and ultimately defaulting, CBS News reports.
As inflation, elevated borrowing costs, and growing household debt continue to pressure household budgets, consumer finance professionals say borrowers should contact their credit card issuer as soon as financial difficulties arise. Seeking assistance before missing multiple payments can improve the likelihood of qualifying for relief.
One of the most common forms of hardship programs/ assistance is a temporary reduction in a card’s annual percentage rate, or APR. Lower interest charges allow more of each monthly payment to be applied to the principal balance rather than finance charges. Depending on the lender, reduced rates may remain in effect for several months or for up to a year. Some issuers also suspend new purchases while borrowers participate in a hardship program to prevent balances from increasing.
Lenders may also offer structured repayment plans that reduce monthly payment amounts while establishing a fixed payoff schedule. Other hardship options include temporarily waiving late fees or certain account charges, restoring a lower interest rate after a period of on-time payments, or providing short-term payment deferrals following qualifying events such as job loss, natural disasters, or major medical expenses.
Although deferred payments can provide temporary breathing room, interest often continues to accrue during the payment pause, increasing the total amount repaid over time.
For borrowers whose debt extends beyond a temporary financial setback, additional repayment strategies may be available. Nonprofit credit counseling agencies can help consumers enroll in debt management plans that consolidate payments while reducing interest rates and certain fees.
Consumers with strong credit may also qualify for balance transfer credit cards offering introductory 0% APR offers or debt-consolidation loans with lower fixed interest rates. Those experiencing severe financial hardship may consider debt settlement, though the process can temporarily damage credit and carry other financial risks.
Ghana Creative Economy Initiative Takes Flight To Help African Storytellers Go Global
The program offers free public masterclasses, and a Creative Economy Summit to help African storytellers expand their global reach.
African filmmakers, investors, and Hollywood television executives are gathering in Accra this July for the inaugural Ghana Creative Economy Initiative, a program designed to strengthen the continent’s creative industries through professional training, strategic investment, and international collaboration, Deadline reports.
The initiative, which runs from July 14 through July 24, was created by Ghanaian-British producer, film programmer, and creative industries strategist Dorina Amina Abubakar, program director of African Creative TV at the University of Southern California. The program combines an intensive Directing Lab, free public masterclasses, and a Creative Economy Summit to help African storytellers expand their global reach. According to organizers, the effort supports Ghana’s broader ambitions to grow its film, television, and digital media sectors as engines of economic development and international investment.
The Directing Lab, which concludes July 23, brings together eight producer-director teams from Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa whose credits include productions for Netflix, Showmax, and Amazon Prime Video. Veteran television director Rachel Raimist and CBS’s “S.W.A.T.” creator Aaron Rahsaan Thomas are leading the 10-day workshop.
Public masterclasses will be held July 20-24 at venues across Accra, including Google Accra and Silverbird Cinemas. Industry leaders Quan Phung, Paul Garnes, and Sidra Smith will lead discussions on project development, pitching, packaging, mobile cinema, micro-dramas, and strategies for bringing African productions to market.
The program’s centerpiece, the Creative Economy Summit, will take place on July 22 at Google Accra. The event will bring together filmmakers, technology companies, investors, corporate executives, policymakers, and cultural institutions to examine how storytelling, innovation, and capital can accelerate growth across Ghana’s creative economy.
“Africa is producing extraordinary creative talent, but the next chapter of growth depends on building stronger professional networks, developing globally competitive projects, and creating meaningful pathways to investment and international collaboration,” Abubakar said in a statement.
She said the initiative is intended to become a long-term platform connecting African creators with global industry leaders, technology companies, and investors.
“We want creatives to leave not only inspired, but better connected, better equipped, and better positioned to compete on the global stage,” Abubakar said in the statement.
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