In this article NAVI Supannee U-prapruit | iStock | Getty Images For many American families, the largest cash infusion they get all year is their tax refund. The average check cut by the IRS was more than $2,800 in 2021, although refunds might be smaller this year for several reasons. How you should spend the
Personal finance
Catherine McQueen | Moment | Getty Images Many Americans enter their retirement years with little or no savings. As a result, most or all of the money they receive comes from their Social Security check. Around 12% of men and 15% of women rely on the benefit for 90% or more of their income, according
Florist Betty Sejas arranges red roses at Company Flowers in Arlington, Virginia, on Feb. 8, 2022. Saul Loeb | AFP | Getty Images Not even Cupid is immune from inflation’s sting this Valentine’s Day. As consumer prices climb to historic highs, nearly all of the trappings of Feb. 14 cost more in 2022. The average price
Passengers board an Airbus passenger jet operated by Icelandic low-fare carrier Play. Play Startup low-fare Icelandic airline Play announced new transatlantic service out of a third U.S. airport, Stewart International in New Windsor, New York, to begin June 9. (Stewart lies about 65 miles north of New York City.) Play, which launched last July with
In this article PRU Willie B. Thomas | DigitalVision | Getty Images Thought saving for retirement was hard? Spending that money — and ensuring it lasts through old age — is even harder. It may not sound tough at first blush. But consider all the unknowns: how long you’ll live; the need for costly health
Steve Debenport | E+ | Getty Images People who got raises last year might not see their paychecks stretch much farther. That’s because those increases in pay are up against the worst inflation in 40 years. Employers struggling to retain talent amid the so-called Great Resignation anticipated giving out larger pay increases and bonuses in
Getty Images The roughly 50 million American consumers who either don’t have credit history or have a limited record are in luck. In recent years, many financial services companies have come out with programs to establish and build credit for those who have struggled to access the traditional banking system. There are even ways
Chile requires visitors furnish proof of insurance coverage for Covid-19 and related conditions. Pictured, capital city Santiago. Oleh_Slobodeniuk | E+ | Getty Images Are you planning a trip abroad? You may need to buy travel insurance to visit your destination country. Many countries had insurance requirements even before the pandemic. But about a dozen more
Jim Watson | AFP | Getty Images Used-car prices may be starting to soften, research suggests. After surging through the pandemic by as much as 50%, prices in the used-car market showed some easing in the last three weeks of January, according to car-shopping app CoPilot, which tracks daily prices at dealerships across the country.
JGI/Jamie Grill If you save for retirement through a 401(k) plan, you may have noticed changes to it over the years — for example, automatic increases in your contributions and “catch-up” amounts for the over-50 crowd. A couple more tweaks, which were included in a 2019 retirement bill called the Secure Act, could also become
courtneyk | E+ | Getty Images The IRS has warned about “challenges” this tax season, and a slew of automated notices are already causing distress for filers. Some taxpayers who sent last year’s return and paid their balance have received a CP80 notice saying they may lose their credit for payment if they don’t file
Adriana Gamez restocks rose bouquets at California Flowers in downtown Los Angeles on Feb. 12, 2021. Dania Maxwell | Los Angeles Times | Getty Images They say love doesn’t cost a thing, but Valentine’s Day is a different story. For starters, anyone going on a date on the Feb. 14 holiday can expect to pay top dollar