Personal finance

Democratic presidential candidate US Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a campaign rally at Enmarket Arena during a two-day campaign bus tour in Savannah, Georgia, on August 29, 2024. Saul Loeb | AFP | Getty Images As Vice President Kamala Harris outlines her economic agenda, the Democratic presidential nominee has called for higher taxes on

Thomas Barwick You’d think earning more would make it easier to boost retirement savings. But high earners may find it tricky to access tax breaks in individual retirement accounts. U.S. tax law imposes income limits on breaks related to certain tax-preferred accounts like Roth and traditional (i.e., pretax) IRAs. Those rules may pose a challenge

College still pays off, but the return on investment largely depends on your choice of major. College graduates earn 37% more than those with only a high school diploma, according to a new report by Payscale. But as the cost of a degree rises, it is increasingly important to consider both your area of concentration and future earnings

Many American workers are optimistic about their retirement goals, but most believe it will be challenging for them to retire comfortably.  Almost half, 44%, of workers in a new CNBC poll are “cautiously optimistic” about their ability to meet their retirement goals, and 27% say they are “realistic” about that happening.  Even so, 82% of

The U.S. Department of Education in Washington, D.C. Caroline Brehman | CQ-Roll Call, Inc. | Getty Images Seven Republican-led states have sued the U.S. Department of Education to block the Biden administration from carrying out its sweeping new student loan forgiveness plan. In the lawsuit, the states — Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Missouri, North Dakota

Cooper Union’s Foundational Building, left, and 41 Cooper Square facility, right, in New York’s Greenwich Village. Image source: Mario Morgado In a move years in the making, the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science announced Tuesday a return to full-tuition scholarships for all graduating seniors. The New York City-based private college, founded in 1859,

Afternoon commuters sit in traffic on southbound Interstate 5 near downtown San Diego on March 12, 2024. Kevin Carter | Getty Images “Rush” hour isn’t what it used to be. As more commuters settle into flexible working arrangements, fewer workers are making early morning or early evening trips compared to pre-pandemic traffic patterns The traditional

Hero Images | Getty Images Since most Americans aren’t eligible for Medicare before age 65, many younger retirees rely on Marketplace health insurance, which offers lower monthly premiums through the end of 2025 thanks to boosted tax breaks. But retirees can face a costly tax surprise without proper planning, experts say. As of open enrollment

President Joe Biden announces a new plan for federal student loan relief at Madison Area Technical College Truax Campus, in Madison, Wisconsin, on April 8, 2024. Kevin Lamarque | Reuters President Joe Biden may try to forgive student debt again as early as next month, in a sweeping redo effort that could impact tens of

Hinterhaus Productions | Digitalvision | Getty Images Travel spending among American households continues to outpace its pre-pandemic levels, a trend underpinned by a zeal for international trips, according to new Bank of America research. “A key part of travel momentum lies within vacationing abroad,” Taylor Bowley and Joe Wadford, economists at the Bank of America

Ascentxmedia | E+ | Getty Images With the Federal Reserve poised to start cutting interest rates, experts are divided on what’s ahead for the U.S. economy. While some worry the economy could be in for a broad decline, or recession, others hope the central bank can effectively avoid a downturn and execute a “soft landing.”

Vm | E+ | Getty Images Owning isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be. For many reasons — including affordability — more Americans are choosing to rent everything from cars and apartments to clothing and furniture these days, according to a report by Intuit Credit Karma. Far beyond the traditional tuxedo, the rental industry