Personal finance

The American Dream — which for many people involves some combination of owning a home, getting married, having kids and making enough after expenses to save for retirement and spend on leisure — is becoming increasingly expensive. “The benchmark of a six-figure salary used to be the gold standard income,” Sabrina Romanoff, a clinical psychologist,

Jetcityimage | Istock | Getty Images The annual rate for Series I bonds could fall below 5% in May based on the latest inflation data and other factors, experts predict.   That would be lower than the current 5.27% interest on I bond purchases made before May 1, but higher than the 4.3% interest offered

A screen displays trading information about shares of Truth Social and Trump Media & Technology Group outside the Nasdaq MarketSite in New York City on March 26, 2024. Brendan Mcdermid | Reuters Trump Media has become the latest stock to watch. But rather than a meme stock — an investment that becomes popular for individual

US President Joe Biden gestures after speaking about student loan debt relief at Madison Area Technical College in Madison, Wisconsin, April 8, 2024.  Andrew Caballero-Reynolds | AFP | Getty Images The Biden administration has published its new student loan forgiveness proposal, putting it on the path to start clearing debt for millions of borrowers this

Janina Steinmetz | Digitalvision | Getty Images When it comes to dating etiquette, one question seems to inspire more anxiety than most: Who pays for the first date? Dating experts think there’s a clear answer for heterosexual couples. “The man should pay for the first date,” said Blaine Anderson, a dating coach for men. Erika

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris deliver remarks about healthcare in Raleigh, North Carolina on March 26, 2024. Peter Zay | Anadolu | Getty Images President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have released their annual tax returns, and there are lessons within for average Americans, according to tax experts. The president

U.S. President Joe Biden speaks as he announces a new plan for federal student loan relief during a visit to Madison Area Technical College Truax Campus, in Madison, Wisconsin, U.S, April 8, 2024.  Kevin Lamarque | Reuters The Biden administration on Tuesday released the draft text of its new student loan forgiveness proposal, which could reduce or eliminate

Few college admission cycles have been as hard on students as this one. National College Decision Day — the deadline most schools set to decide on a college — is just two weeks away. But many college hopefuls are still unsure of where they stand financially, as problems persist with the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

Aleksandarnakic | E+ | Getty Images When it comes to retirement, Americans have a new number in mind — $1.46 million — for how much they think they will need to live comfortably, according to new research from Northwestern Mutual. That estimate is up 53% since 2020, when Americans said they would need $951,000, as

Maskot | Maskot | Getty Images Wage growth has cooled from its scorching pandemic-era pace. But there are still pockets of heat. Workers are getting relatively big annual raises in occupations like legal, dental, child care, cleaning and sanitation, and medical information, for example, according to a new analysis by job site Indeed. Nationally, wages

President Joe Biden delivers remarks on canceling student debt on February 21, 2024 in Culver City, California. Mario Tama | Getty Images News | Getty Images President Joe Biden has announced his student loan forgiveness do-over plan. Biden rolled out the details of his Plan B less than a year after the Supreme Court struck

Simpleimages | Moment | Getty Images You don’t have to scroll far to find the #tradwives and #SAHGs (stay-at-home girlfriends) of social media who glamorize the extremes of domesticity, or the wives in Dubai who film their extravagant errands, such as picking up a Cartier bracelet and stopping for a facial on the way home.