Personal finance

Even before the pandemic, families were starting to question the value of a college degree. Now, high schoolers are putting more emphasis on schools that will offer the best returns. “What is going to be the return on investment?,” said Robert Franek, editor in chief of The Princeton Review. “It is the question that students

Bitcoin on display. Chesnot | Getty Images The first U.S. bitcoin futures exchange-traded fund will launch on Tuesday, a milestone for the cryptocurrency industry, and others may soon follow. The long-awaited ProShares ETF will offer exposure to bitcoin futures contracts — agreements to buy or sell the asset later for an agreed-upon price — rather

fizkes | iStock | Getty Images For Medicare beneficiaries who want to join an Advantage Plan, now is the time to do it. Just be sure you know what the plan covers and what your potential costs will be — and how long you have to change your mind. During the annual fall open enrollment

AJ_Watt | E+ | Getty Images There are a lot of “firsts” for new parents — and measures to shore up household finances are among them. Expenses for a new baby are often higher than parents expect, according to financial advisors. The average middle-income married couple spends $12,350 to $13,900 a year to raise a

In this article MORN BraunS | E+ | Getty Images Many Hispanic Americans aren’t saving enough — or at all — for retirement. More than two-third of Hispanic households aren’t putting aside anything through workplace savings vehicles such as 401(k) plans, a Morningstar report found. Private retirement plans like individual retirement accounts aren’t filling the

VALERIE MACON | AFP | Getty Images People who collect Social Security are about to see bigger checks. The cost-of-living adjustment in 2022 will be 5.9%, the Social Security Administration said Wednesday. The bump, which will help beneficiaries keep up with rising costs due to inflation, is the largest increase in about 40 years. The

Don Bayley | Vetta | Getty Images This week’s announcement of the highest Social Security cost-of-living adjustment since 1982 was welcome news for retirees. It will help alleviate the financial pinch many are feeling. Beneficiaries in 2022 will receive a 5.9% boost to their checks. That’s up from a 1.3% benefit increase for 2021. Even

Geber86 | E+ | Getty Images It happens to the best of us — after setting a budget, somehow spending goes off the rails. “It’s so easy to do,” said certified financial planner Diahann Lassus, managing principal at Peapack Private Wealth Management, based in New Providence, New Jersey. The coronavirus pandemic, economic recession and subsequent recovery

In this article COIN Grandbrothers | iStock Editorial | Getty Images Kenny Schachter, an art dealer, columnist for Artnet and self-proclaimed nonfungible tokens evangelist, believes that the digital works could eclipse the traditional art market within five years. This month cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase and the auction house Sotheby’s, which has been around since 1744, both

designer491 | iStock | Getty Images Retirement savers could start seeing annuities in their 401(k) plans. While allowing them in workplace retirement savings plans is not new, the 2019 Secure Act aimed to eliminate companies’ fear of legal liability if the annuity provider were to fail or otherwise not meet its obligations. Now, insurance companies,

Fizkes | Getty Images The Department of Labor wants to reverse a Trump-era policy that restricts 401(k) plans and other retirement savings vehicles from offering environmental, social and governance-focused assets, known as ESG, investing options. Values-based assets have become increasingly popular, with investors funneling $51.1 billion of net new money into ESG funds in 2020,

When Haaziq Kazi was in the fourth grade, he was rocked to the core when he found out about the impact of plastic waste on marine life. He decided to do something about it, designing a prototype of a ship that sucks the waste from the ocean. “There’s this saying that we haven’t inherited this

In this article WTY-FF Brothers91 | E+ | Getty Images You may want to get to know about a health savings account a little better. HSAs are known for their triple tax advantage — contributions are made pre-tax, growth is tax-free and withdrawals used for qualified health-care expenses are also are untaxed. Yet there are

RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images | Denver Post | Getty Images People pursuing public service loan forgiveness know how difficult the program can be to successfully navigate. Less than 5% of those who’ve applied for the relief have been approved. The U.S. Department of Education announced that it would be giving borrowers

Peter Cade | Getty Images Federal Reserve officials are worried that inflation could last longer than they had anticipated, according to minutes from a recent meeting released this week. Now, a survey from Global Atlantic Financial Group shows that retirement age investors ages 59 to 75 are concerned inflation could wreak havoc on their investments.

Choreograph | iStock | Getty Images This is one of those times you may not want to follow the herd. Most Medicare beneficiaries — 71% — do not explore their coverage options during open enrollment, according to a new Kaiser Family Foundation study. Because the specifics of health plans change from one year to the

Greg Abbott, governor of Texas, speaks during a news conference in Mission, Texas, on Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2021. Sergio Flores | Bloomberg | Getty Images U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said that he disagrees with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s move to ban nearly any coronavirus vaccine mandates in the state. That’s because the move will

There’s a growing push for students to get personal financial education in high school. But, according to U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, that might not be early enough. “When I talk to students now, they talk about the need for financial literacy learning in a practical sense — how to look at debt and

Luis Alvarez | E+ | Getty Images After 18 months, Americans are still dealing with the coronavirus pandemic and struggling economic recovery. Job openings and hiring fell in August, all while the number of workers who quit their jobs hit the highest level in more than two decades, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Westend61 The Covid-19 pandemic has been a financial boon for some and a catastrophe for others. Now those effects are showing up in one more place: anticipated retirement dates. The pandemic has prompted 35% of Americans to change the age when they anticipate retiring, a recent survey from Northwestern Mutual found. More from Personal Finance:If