Financial toughness for the middle class is less about luck and more about repeatable habits that protect every paycheck.

Editor's Note: APYs listed in this article are up-to-date as of the time of publication. They may fluctuate (up or down) as the Fed rate changes. CNBC Select will update as changes are made public.

Lauren Graves is an educator-turned-editor specializing in personal finance content. She seeks to make complicated topics easier to understand and less intimidating to the average reader with accurate ...

Valerie is a seasoned writer and editor who has spent her career creating content in the parenting and women's wellness spaces. Before joining Forbes Health, Valerie was the trending news editor at ...

Editor's Note: APYs listed in this article are up-to-date as of the time of publication. They may fluctuate (up or down) as the Fed rate changes. CNBC Select will update as changes are made public.

Rhonda Brooks is the Agronomy Editor for Farm Journal and AgWeb, covering all aspects of crop production. A Missouri native with a background in agricultural communications, she has previously worked ...