Personal finance

Millions of student loan borrowers will be closer to debt forgiveness after a number of changes the U.S. Department of Education plans to make to the lending system. The Department made the announcement Tuesday, saying it plans to address “historical failures in the administration of the federal student loan programs.” Those changes include reassessing the

Lee Jimenez, a teacher at Indian Hill Elementary School in Cincinnati, Ohio, discusses credit cards and methods of payments with his 3rd grade class using online financial education curriculum SmartPath. SMARTPATH There’s momentum for personal finance education becoming law in many states across the country. Even more states could pass legislation this year to make

Steven Heap/EyeEm/Getty Images It’s finally here: April 18 is the 2021 federal tax filing deadline for most Americans. As of April 8, the IRS had received more than 103 million returns and sent 70 million refunds, totaling over $222 billion. But that still leaves millions to be filed with limited time remaining.  Doug Campbell, a CPA and

urbazon | E+ | Getty Images When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, many Americans felt the financial shock of a sudden drop in income. If the same kind of event were to happen today, many people would still struggle financially, according to a poll conducted by the Bipartisan Policy Center, Funding Our Future coalition and Morning

Ahead of Tax Day, the IRS has issued more than 70 million refunds, at an average of $3,256. That’s over $400 more than last year, when the average refund was just above $2,800. For many Americans, a lump-sum payment of this size is rare and it’s tempting to squander it. Still, a growing number of tax filers

The Gray Bee Investors researching potential investments during a recent meeting. Mike Scanlan There’s real money on the line for the investing club at St. Benedict’s Preparatory School in Newark, New Jersey. This year, the Gray Bee Investors club — made up of about 15 high school students — is helping make investing decisions for

Woman working at home talks to virtual assistant Martin-dm | E+ | Getty Images Millions of Americans began working remotely or from home during the coronavirus pandemic. Others decided to take the leap amid the “Great Resignation,” start their own business and become their own boss in 2021. But who is able to claim the

Ronnie Kaufman | DigitalVision | Getty Images Some future retirees could end up getting more time to amass a heap of money that won’t be taxed when they or their heirs tap it. Under a provision in a federal retirement bill that cleared the House of Representatives last month, required minimum distributions, or RMDs, from

William F. Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, at a press conference on Sep. 10, 2018. Galvin championed a state rule governing investment advice, which a judge invalidated in March 2022. Michael Swensen for The Boston Globe via Getty Images The fight to protect consumers from bad investment advice has been a multi-year saga.

Student loans remain a substantial hurdle for nearly everyone with a college degree. For those currently struggling under the weight of education debt, President Joe Biden used his executive powers to extend the pause federal student loan payments until September. Nearly 43 million federal borrowers are hoping massive student loan forgiveness might be Biden’s next major move. “We have an opportunity

courtneyk | E+ | Getty Images If you’re scrambling to finish your taxes, it’s easy to overlook the forms needed for a complete and accurate return. Such careless errors may delay your refund, according to the IRS. In most states, you’ll need to file your federal return and pay your bill by April 18 to

A person shops for groceries at Lincoln Market on March 10, 2022 in the Prospect Lefferts Garden neighborhood of Brooklyn borough in New York City. Michael M. Santiago | Getty Images New government inflation data shows prices are surging in one key area – food. Now some states are looking at helping to reduce that

U.S. President Joe Biden. Drew Angerer | Getty Images The Biden administration is moving to make it easier for people who claim they’ve been defrauded by their colleges to get their federal student debt forgiven. Since President Joe Biden has been in office, the U.S. Department of Education has canceled around $2 billion in student

Eakgrunge | Istock | Getty Images Less risk often means lower returns. But that’s not the case with I bonds, an inflation-protected and government-backed asset, which may soon pay an estimated 9.62%. I bonds currently offer 7.12% annual returns through April, and the rate may reach 9.62% in May based on the latest consumer price index data. Annual

In this article PFG Blackcat | E+ | Getty Images If your employer’s contributions to your 401(k) plan are a big part of your retirement planning, be sure you understand when that money will actually belong to you. Vesting schedules — the length of time you must be at an employer for its contributions to

Small changes in the price of gasoline may not seem like much. However, every 10-cent increase at the pump costs consumers overall a combined $11 billion or more over the course of a year, according to Ryan Sweet, a senior director at Moody’s Analytics. Gas prices are up nearly 50% from a year ago and

Asiavision | E+ | Getty Images If you haven’t filed your taxes because you owe money, it may be a costly mistake, financial experts say. That’s because the late filing penalty for federal taxes is 5% of your unpaid balance per month capped at 25%, whereas the late payment fee is 0.5%, said certified financial planner Larry Harris, director

A driver uses the Uber app to drop off a passenger. Chris J. Ratcliffe | Bloomberg via Getty Images When Sergio Avedian, 55, started driving full time for Uber and Lyft in 2016, he used to make $3,000 a week. “Now, it’s impossible to make that kind of money,” he said. Coming out of the

Thomas Barwick | Digitalvision | Getty Images A shortened workweek may become the reality for many employees in California. Legislation is now working its way through the state legislature that would make the standard workweek 32 hours for companies with more than 500 workers. There would be no cut in pay, and those who work

The Biden administration has grappled with ending the pause on loan payments as the economy’s recovery from pandemic lows continues. Jose M. Osorio | Tribune News Service | Getty Images The U.S. Department of Education has extended the payment pause on federal student loans for the sixth time since the pandemic began more than two