Personal finance

Federal Reserve Bank Chair Jerome Powell speaks during a news conference at the bank’s William McChesney Martin building on March 20, 2024 in Washington, DC.  Chip Somodevilla | Getty Images Slowly but surely, recessionary talk is dying down and confidence in the Federal Reserve is picking up. Last week, the central bank held its benchmark

Maria Korneeva | Moment | Getty Images The Biden administration has set a key deadline for student loan borrowers hoping to get forgiveness. Those with multiple federal student loans who request a consolidation by April 30 — which will leave them with one, larger loan — could benefit from the U.S. Department of Education’s overhaul

Filippobacci | E+ | Getty Images If your home boasts certain trendy outdoor features, you may be able to sell it for more in today’s market. At the top of the list is outdoor TVs, which may help home sale price to 3.1% more than expected, representing a $10,749 boost based on the average home,

The Mega Millions jackpot grew to more than $1.6 billion on Aug. 9, 2023. Justin Sullivan | Getty Images The Mega Millions jackpot soared to an estimated $1.1 billion without a ticket matching all six balls on Friday night. It’s smaller than last year’s record $1.6 billion grand prize, but the victor could still face

Martinprescott | E+ | Getty Images Millions of older adults who are behind on their student loans could soon receive a smaller Social Security benefit. That was the warning from Democratic lawmakers, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., in a recent letter to the Biden administration. “When borrowers are in collections,

While the benefits of having children are shared between both parents, it is mothers who bear the brunt of the costs, according to a recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Despite women’s increasing levels of education and representation in senior leadership positions at work, women are still more likely than men to take time out

A woman votes at the Royal Missionary Baptist Church polling location in North Charleston, South Carolina, on February 3, 2024, during the democratic primary.  Jim Watson | AFP | Getty Images Almost half of all voters, or 48%, say canceling student loan debt is an important issue to them in the 2024 presidential and congressional

South_agency | E+ | Getty Images House Republicans unveiled a plan this week that calls for raising the Social Security retirement age. Meanwhile, Democrats and advocates for the program are ramping up their calls to tax the rich to enhance benefits. “On the right, there is a line in the sand against tax increases,” said

Fatcamera | E+ | Getty Images We’ve all been told that following a routine is important in many aspects of life — for physical fitness, good eating habits, solid work patterns and so on. But many experts are telling us that establishing a routine is also necessary for successful investing and building wealth. At an

Urbazon | E+ | Getty Images The tax deadline is approaching and the IRS has already issued more than 43 million refunds worth nearly $135.3 billion. As of March 8, the average refund was $3,145, up from $2,972 the same week in 2023, the agency reported last week. However, the average refund could change as

Maskot | Maskot | Getty Images After a year full of supply shortages and climbing borrowing costs, 2024 is shaping up to be a better time to buy a car. The average transaction price for a new car in the U.S. last month was $47,244, down 2.2% from February 2023. That’s also down 5.4% from

As problems with the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid persist into the spring, harsh words are being directed at the U.S. Department of Education. Former top student loan official Wayne Johnson accused the Education Department of “malicious negligence” in a recent letter written to U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and other senior officials and