The US Capitol building in Washington, DC, on November 24, 2024. Daniel Slim | Afp | Getty Images The Senate is getting closer to a final vote on a bill that would increase Social Security benefits for an estimated 3 million people. The chamber voted Wednesday to let consideration of the bill — the Social
Personal finance
Filadendron | E+ | Getty Images High interest rates aren’t deterring many shoppers from store credit cards. When asked to choose between a store card or a buy now, pay later plan, 58% of surveyed shoppers prefer store cards, according to a new report by LendingTree. The remaining 42% picked BNPL loans. The site polled
Hispanolistic | E+ | Getty Images Many investors are likely still deciding whether to stay in bitcoin or reduce their profits from the last bull run to new all-time highs. So, after a strong year for bitcoin, it could be time for investors to weigh rebalancing their portfolio by shifting assets to align with other
Skynesher | E+ | Getty Images When it comes to financial resolutions for 2025, there’s one goal that often lands on the top of the list — paying down debt, according to a new survey from Bankrate. That’s as a majority of Americans — 89% — say they have a main financial goal for 2025,
Blank Social Security checks are run through a printer at the U.S. Treasury printing facility February 11, 2005 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. William Thomas Cain | Getty Images During the Senate’s final days of business in this Congressional session, it is expected to vote on a bill that would change certain Social Security rules. The bill
Ivan Pantic | E+ | Getty Images With the Federal Reserve’s recent moves to lower interest rates — and further cuts on the horizon — some federal student loan borrowers are wondering if now is a good time to refinance. “We are already seeing more borrowers tempted to refinance their federal loans,” said Betsy Mayotte,
Fcafotodigital | E+ | Getty Images If you’re eager to save more for retirement, it’s not too early to boost 401(k) plan contributions for 2025, financial experts say. For 2025, you can defer up to $23,500 into 401(k) plans, up from $23,000 in 2024. For workers age 50 and older, the 401(k) catch-up contribution remains
Alfexe | Istock | Getty Images With the Federal Reserve expected to cut interest rates again this week, it’s a great time to earn competitive returns on cash, experts say. “The best offers on savings accounts, money markets and CDs [certificates of deposit] are still well above inflation, and that’s likely to persist well into
US President Joe Biden speaks during an event in Madison, Wisconsin, US, on Monday, April 8, 2024. Daniel Steinle | Bloomberg | Getty Images With weeks to go before President-elect Donald Trump takes office, the Biden administration is still taking steps to deliver sweeping student loan forgiveness to millions of Americans. The U.S. Department of
Tetra Images | Tetra Images | Getty Images As year-end approaches, there’s still time to slash your 2024 tax bill or boost your refund, financial advisors say. Typically, you can expect a tax refund when you overpay taxes throughout the year. Alternatively, you get a tax bill when you haven’t paid enough. Most 2024 tax
Pixdeluxe | E+ | Getty Images As the Federal Reserve prepares to lower interest rates once again at the end of its two-day meeting this week, Americans’ assessments of the future are improving. Although a prolonged period of high inflation took a toll on household budgets, consumers are feeling increasingly optimistic about their financial situation, according to a
Cavan Images | Cavan | Getty Images Last month, Congress moved to take rare bipartisan action to change certain Social Security rules. The House of Representatives on Nov. 12 passed the Social Security Fairness Act by an overwhelming 327 to 75 majority. The proposal would eliminate rules that reduce Social Security benefits for those who