Personal finance

Over the last 50 years, Americans have eradicated smallpox, reduced infant mortality rates and deaths from heart disease by around 70%, added a decade to the average American’s life and invented the internet. When it comes to the national poverty rate, however, we’ve made almost no progress. In 1970, a little more than 12% of

Recent bank woes and rising interest rates have prompted higher levels of economic uncertainty. When it comes to the markets, that means more volatility may be in the forecast. Volatility happens when the value of an investment “fluctuates wildly in a short period of time,” according to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. “In the months

Digital artist FEWOCiOUS auctions five NFT works of art, along with five physical paintings and drawings at Christie’s on June 28, 2021 in New York. Noam Galai | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images The IRS said it plans to tax some non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, as collectibles akin to art or gems — an

Prostock-studio | Istock | Getty Images It’s a strange time for people with federal student loan bills, which means that their experience with this year’s tax season will likely also be unusual. The Biden administration’s plan to cancel up to $20,000 in student debt for tens of millions of Americans is on hold until the

Photographer: Samuel Corum/Bloomberg via Getty Images President Joe Biden used his first veto to preserve a recent U.S. Department of Labor rule about investment choice in 401(k) and other workplace retirement plans. The regulation, which took effect in January, applies to so-called “environmental, social and governance” funds. These ESG investments — also known as sustainable

Tetra Images | Tetra Images | Getty Images The recent banking crisis has fueled concern of a “credit crunch” and the resulting negative impact on households, businesses and the U.S. economy. But what is a credit crunch and how might you prepare? Loans would be tougher to get related investing news Demand for Fed help

PeopleImages | Getty Images Contemplating your own death may not be on the list of things you’re eager to do. Yet for your family or other loved ones who would find themselves trying to sort out your affairs while also dealing with the emotional fallout from losing you, your having a so-called estate plan is

When it comes to college these days, students are more concerned about how they will pay the tab than they are about getting in, according to a recent survey of college-bound students and their families. Higher education already costs more than most families can afford, and college costs are still rising. Tuition and fees plus room and board

A protest sign outside the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 28, 2023. The Washington Post | The Washington Post | Getty Images There’s no precedent in recent history for the sweeping federal student loan forgiveness policy President Joe Biden is trying to carry out. A look at the math of the program shows

Skynesher | E+ | Getty Images For some young adults, retirement is so far away that it can feel absurd to put part of their income in an account that they can’t tap for decades. “They want to invest but can’t envision not being able to touch it until age 59½,” said Winnie Sun, co-founder

In this article SBNY Follow your favorite stocksCREATE FREE ACCOUNT Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images Some consumers who tried to deposit an Equifax settlement check in recent days got a surprise: It bounced. The checks, a result of a legal settlement over the credit-reporting firm’s 2017 data breach, were written against an account at

In recent days, a crisis in the financial sector sent markets into a tailspin, erasing hopes for an early 2023 turnaround. For retirement savers, these losses come on the heels of a year when 401(k) account balances already lost nearly one-quarter of their value. Average 401(k) balances sank 23% in 2022 to $103,900, according to

Matthew Hatcher | Afp | Getty Images Retail egg prices retreated in February, according to federal data issued Tuesday, delivering relief to consumers who saw prices spike at the grocery store in recent months. Average egg prices fell almost 7% in February relative to January, according to the consumer price index, a key barometer of

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts (Photo: Bloomberg / Getty Images) With an acceptance rate of just under 4%, Massachusetts Institute of Technology is considered the ultimate dream school, according to a new survey of college-bound students and their families. However, it’s not only one of the hardest schools to get into

miodrag ignjatovic | E+ | Getty Images Some Medicare beneficiaries will begin paying less next month for 27 prescription drugs whose prices have increased at a rate that outpaces inflation, government officials announced Wednesday. Depending on their individual coverage, beneficiaries could save between $2 and $390 per average dose for these drugs starting April 1,

In this article AMZN YOU 9201.T-JP UAL AAL SAVE LUV DELTACORP-IN DAL JBLU TRV TNL SSVC NTFL MHI-AU C WFC BAC DFS COF MA V AXP CCF Follow your favorite stocksCREATE FREE ACCOUNT Having multiple credit cards and playing the rewards game can save you hundreds of dollars each year — if you’re smart about

It’s been a tough time for cryptocurrency but, despite volatility, you still need to know how the technology works, said Douglas Boneparth, a certified financial planner based in New York. The digital currency market dropped by nearly $1.4 trillion in 2022, following a cascade of bankruptcies and liquidity issues, including the high-profile collapse of crypto

A customer shops at a grocery store in Brooklyn on Feb. 14, 2023. Michael Nagle/Xinhua via Getty Images The annual inflation rate in February continued its gradual cooling trend, though it remained well above policymakers’ target. Inflation is a measure of how quickly prices are rising or falling in the U.S. economy. related investing news

A customer stands outside of a shuttered Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) headquarters on March 10, 2023 in Santa Clara, California. Justin Sullivan | Getty Images After two bank failures and dramatic moves from U.S. regulators to protect depositors, financial advisors have a message for consumers: Don’t panic. The U.S. government on Sunday approved plans to

When markets hit a slump, investors are often tempted to head for the exits in search of safer places to put their money. There are always reasons investors may get spooked. In the latest example, the failure of Silicon Valley Bank rattled investors and sent stocks lower on Friday. Signature Bank was seized by regulators