Personal finance

Eclipse_images | E+ | Getty Images Many near retirees expect Social Security to be their largest source of income when they stop working. Yet those who are on the brink of their so-called golden years fall short when it comes to knowledge about the program’s rules and what they can personally expect, according to a

For a growing number of families, financial aid is crucial when it comes to paying for college. But students must first fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid to access most forms of assistance. And this year, the new 2024-25 form has been plagued by problems. There is a bit of good news for families who have saved,

  Sturti | E+ | Getty Images The cost of housing is generally expensive across the board for Americans, whether you’re a renter or an aspiring homeowner. While both home prices and rent have outpaced wage growth in most areas, renting can be the smarter financial choice in many markets, said Susan M. Wachter, a

President Joe Biden speaks about his economic plan at the Flex LTD manufacturing plant in West Columbia, South Carolina, on July 6, 2023. Sean Rayford | Getty Images Since the Biden administration’s first student loan forgiveness plan was rejected at the Supreme Court, it has been working on creating a new, legally viable relief package.

A Johnson, Vermont, resident removes items destroyed in flooding of a finished basement in 2023. Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images American basements are a hodgepodge of personal property, leveraged as storage units, man caves, game rooms, wine cellars, home bars and secondary living rooms. The problem is: If your basement floods, your flood

Jose Luis Pelaez Inc With consumer prices still rising due to higher inflation, there is one way to save money that you may be overlooking: raising your credit score. Increasing your score from fair (580 to 669) to very good (740 to 799) may help you save $22,263 over the life of your credit and

  Klaus Vedfelt | Digitalvision | Getty Images This year, I want to be more intentional with my money. A lot of uncertainty lies ahead, especially as a Gen Z adult. We often “doom scroll” and read headlines about how the globe is becoming more uninhabitable with every passing day. While I sometimes question if

Taking a financial education class in high school does pay off. In fact, there is a lifetime benefit of roughly $100,000 per student from completing a one-semester course in personal finance, according to a recent report by consulting firm Tyton Partners and Next Gen Personal Finance, a nonprofit focused on providing financial education to middle and

Olga Rolenko | Moment | Getty Images The nation’s largest credit card companies typically charge higher interest rates than small banks and credit unions — and switching may save the average cardholder hundreds of dollars a year, according to an analysis issued Friday by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. However, some consumers, depending on their

Andreswd | E+ | Getty Images Certain retirees can now change their health coverage during Medicare Advantage open enrollment, which runs until March 31. Medicare Advantage is health coverage provided through private companies that are paid by Medicare to cover your benefits. If you’re already on a Medicare Advantage plan, you can take advantage of

Marlon and his dog, George. Courtesy: Since 1988, Marlon Fox has been paying down his federal student debt. He didn’t see an end in sight. Then, on Aug. 25, 2023, an email popped up in his inbox with the subject line: “Your student loans have been forgiven!” His $119,500 balance was reset to zero. “I

Andresr | E+ | Getty Images It looks like 2024 could be the “Year of the Layoffs.” The Los Angeles Times, Google, Amazon, Macy’s, Paramount and other companies have recently shed substantial numbers of employees. Could your company be next?  Over the past two decades in my work as an advisor, I have helped scores

IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel speaks at a Senate Finance Committee hearing in Washington, D.C., on April 19, 2023. Al Drago | Bloomberg | Getty Images After vowing to “substantially” reduce audits on a low-income tax credit in September, the IRS confirmed it’s taking steps to address the inequity. “We’ve announced a significant and dramatic reduction

President Joe Biden speaks about his economic plan at the Flex LTD manufacturing plant on July 6, 2023 in West Columbia, South Carolina. Sean Rayford | Getty Images The Biden administration has released its proposal for which struggling borrowers should qualify for its new student loan forgiveness plan. The Supreme Court’s conservative majority blocked President

PeopleImages | E+ | Getty Images Above all else, the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid was designed to improve college access. However, problems with the rollout have left many students and their families frustrated with fewer students applying overall. As of the last tally, nearly 4 million students have submitted the 2024-25 FAFSA form so

Violetastoimenova | E+ | Getty Images House lawmakers are weighing relief for a “marriage penalty” that impacts the federal deduction limit on state and local taxes, known as SALT. While the bill doesn’t have broad support, it could help shape future tax policy discussions, experts say. Enacted via the Republicans’ 2017 tax overhaul, there’s currently

Customers shop at an RC Willey home furnishings store in Draper, Utah, Aug. 28, 2023. George Frey/Bloomberg via Getty Images Inflation has pulled back significantly from its pandemic-era peak. In fact, some categories have fallen into outright deflation, meaning consumers are seeing the prices decline instead of rise. Deflation has largely occurred among physical goods

Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former biotech executive Vivek Ramaswamy pose together onstage at the third Republican candidates’ U.S. presidential debate of the 2024 U.S. presidential campaign hosted by NBC News at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami, Florida, U.S., November 8, 2023.  Mike Segar

In this article BTC.CM= Follow your favorite stocksCREATE FREE ACCOUNT Recep-bg | E+ | Getty Images The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday approved the first U.S. spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds. But experts urge caution before piling into the long-awaited ETFs. The agency signed off on 11 bitcoin ETF applications, including funds from BlackRock,

Consumers shop in Rosemead, California, on December 12, 2023. Frederic J. Brown | Afp | Getty Images The annual inflation rate edged higher in December following two months of declines. However, that reversal likely isn’t cause for concern — and may be somewhat misleading, economists said. “We’re still making progress in the inflation fight,” said