Personal finance

Damircudic | E+ | Getty Images The tax deadline is approaching and there’s still time to score a deduction with a pretax individual retirement account contribution — if you qualify. For 2023, the IRA contribution limit was $6,500, plus an extra $1,000 for investors age 50 and older. That increased to $7,000 for 2024, with

Worried woman looking at her mobile phone. Srdjanpav | E+ | Getty Images There’s a student loan forgiveness opportunity available to many borrowers, but they’ll have to act by April 30 to qualify, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says. The U.S. Department of Education is conducting a one-time adjustment of borrowers’ payments this summer, and

The price tag for a college education has never been higher — and it’s only going up. The cost of attendance at some schools, including New York University, Tufts, Brown, Yale, and Washington University in St. Louis, is now nearing six figures a year, after factoring in tuition, fees, room and board, books, transportation and

Alexander Spatari | Moment | Getty Images The Biden administration moved this week to limit how much rent can rise in certain affordable housing units across the country. While some housing experts criticized the move, tenant advocates said the new rule, which will cap rent increases at 10%, will help people to stay in their

Getting into college is one thing, staying in is another. Although college enrollment declines leveled off this year, the number of students who started but then withdrew has been on the rise, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. There are now more than 40 million students who are currently unenrolled. At the same time, roughly

As the April 15 federal tax deadline draws near, most taxpayers have less than two weeks to submit their 2023 individual tax return or file an extension — but for scammers, that’s still ample time to try to steal filers’ personal and financial information.  Last year, the IRS received 294,138 complaints of reported identity theft,

Halfpoint Images | Moment | Getty Images Some retirement savers can still snag an extra tax incentive for 2023. However, most eligible filers don’t claim it, according to the IRS. The retirement savings contribution credit, or “saver’s credit,” can help low- to moderate-income filers offset part of the funds added to an individual retirement account,

Actress Gwyneth Paltrow enters the courtroom for her trial in Park City, Utah, March 24, 2023. Rick Bowmer | Getty Images “Quiet luxury” is back under a new name: old money style. The quiet luxury trend, marked by expensive materials in muted tones, caught on in a big way after Gwyneth Paltrow’s ski accident trial last March,

Mstudioimages | E+ | Getty Images Social Security beneficiaries who owe money to the Social Security Administration may see much lower default withholding rates from their monthly checks, thanks to new policies that are going into effect. As of March 25, the Social Security Administration will no longer collect 100% of a total monthly Social

Scott Olson | Getty The Powerball jackpot is officially $1 billion — the fifth-largest prize in the game’s history — without a winner from Saturday night’s drawing. If you win the grand prize by matching all six numbers, you’ll have two payout options: a lump sum of $483.8 Million or annuitized payments worth $1 billion.

Amid arguably the worst year to apply for financial aid, some colleges are implementing new strategies to entice students wary of the high cost.    Vanderbilt University announced it is expanding Opportunity Vanderbilt to include full-tuition scholarships to students of families with an annual income of $150,000 or less. Meanwhile, Dartmouth also said it is nearly

What was once a gesture of appreciation has quickly become a source of annoyance. With the rapid rise of tipping culture post-pandemic, consumers face more opportunities to tip for a wider range of services than ever before, a trend also referred to as “tip creep.” But recent surveys show shoppers are experiencing “tip fatigue” and starting to tip

New cars today are loaded with high-tech features for car shoppers, from their own operating systems to navigation and remote unlock. But with those advancements come questions about driver privacy, said Ivan Drury, the director of insights at Edmunds, a car site. “As much advancement as we have when it comes to new features, many

BlackRock CEO Larry Fink speaks during the New York Times DealBook Summit Nov. 30, 2022 in New York City.  Michael M. Santiago | Getty Images News | Getty Images The idea of raising the Social Security retirement age has one more fan: BlackRock Chairman and Chief Executive Larry Fink. “No one should have to work

Drakula & Co. | Moment | Getty Images With roughly two weeks until the federal tax deadline, there’s still time to reduce an unexpected tax bill or boost your refund. After year-end, investors have limited tax planning opportunities. It’s too late to boost pretax 401(k) contributions, donate to charity or reduce portfolio profits with tax-loss

A majority of Americans, 95%, said they plan to look for a new job this year, according to a January 2024 survey by job site Monster. Money is a big reason, with 45% of workers saying they need a higher income. Data from the Federal Reserve shows that job switchers increase their salaries more quickly, on average, than

Eric Audras | Onoky | Getty Images If you miss a doctor’s appointment these days, you could get hit with a “no-show” fee of up to $100 — or more. This happened to me recently for the first time, and the charge was a steep $150. When I complained to friends and family, I learned

Zeljkosantrac | E+ | Getty Images The Social Security Administration has issued a final rule that will prevent food assistance from reducing payments to certain beneficiaries. The change applies to Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, which provides monthly checks to adults and children who are disabled, blind or age 65 and older, and have little

Harvard University’s Dunster House in Cambridge, MA Blake Nissen for The Boston Globe via Getty Images March 28 is “Ivy Day,” when the nation’s top schools release long-awaited admissions decisions. A fascination with the eight private colleges that comprise the Ivy League spans decades. It is only now, some say, that students are taking a more

Federal Reserve Bank Chair Jerome Powell speaks during a news conference at the bank’s William McChesney Martin building on March 20, 2024 in Washington, DC.  Chip Somodevilla | Getty Images Slowly but surely, recessionary talk is dying down and confidence in the Federal Reserve is picking up. Last week, the central bank held its benchmark