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
Personal finance
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,
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
Damircudic | Getty Images One of the ground rules for individual retirement account contributions is you must have “earned income,” such as wages or salary from a job or self-employment earnings. But there’s a special exception, known as a spousal IRA, which allows you to contribute based on your spouse’s earnings if you file taxes
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. The consumer price
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
Starting in community college and then transferring to a four-year school is a proven pathway to getting a degree for significantly less money. Yet fewer students are going this route. Transfer enrollment from two-year colleges to four-year schools fell again in the fall of 2022 compared to the previous year, this time sinking nearly 8%.
gilaxia If you’re in the market for a new car, be prepared for the possibility of paying more than sticker price. The average new-car price in February was $45,296, compared with the average manufacturer’s suggested retail price, or MSRP, of $41,637, according to new research from iSeeCars.com. An estimated 31% of new vehicles were sold
Visualspace | E+ | Getty Images Small business owners today may feel they’re getting pulled in two directions: stuck between wanting to offer a retirement benefit to their workers but feeling unable to afford costs associated with a 401(k) plan. But entrepreneurs scared by the affordability of maintaining a 401(k) plan can instead consider an