Personal finance

Kupicoo | E+ | Getty Images Deciding to combine your finances with your significant other can be a big step in the relationship. Nearly 2 in 5 couples, or 39%, of couples who live together completely combine their finances, whether they’re married or not, according to a new report by Bankrate. How couples handle money

Thomas Barwick | Digitalvision | Getty Images A fight is brewing in Washington over whether the mandatory retirement age for airline pilots should be raised from 65. The debate comes as baby boomers more broadly are reaching “peak 65” — the biggest number of Americans reaching that age in history. With that wave, the U.S.

Silke Woweries | The Image Bank | Getty Images Turning 50 is a milestone birthday — and it becomes harder to ignore that retirement may be just around the corner. But research shows that many Americans reach that decade feeling financially unprepared for what’s ahead. Generation X — the oldest of whom turn 59 this

Witthaya Prasongsin | Moment | Getty Images If your tax refund or bill is bigger than expected, it could be time to adjust your paycheck withholding — and a simple calculation could help, experts say.      Typically, you get a refund when you overpay taxes throughout the year, and you owe money when you don’t pay

TikTok‘s latest financial trend, “loud budgeting,” can be as simple as saying “Hey, I don’t want to spend money right now,” Lukas Battle explained on CNBC’s “Power Lunch.” The concept encourages consumers to take control of their finances and be vocal about making money-conscious decisions, rather than modeling purchase behaviors after celebrities and their bottomless

Americans now owe a collective $1.13 trillion on their credit cards, according to a new report on household debt from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Credit card balances increased by $50 billion, or roughly 5%, in the fourth quarter of 2023, the New York Fed found. Credit card delinquency rates also jumped — particularly among

Guido Mieth | Stone | Getty Images As millions of Americans start filing returns, experts warn that last year’s tax withholding errors could trigger an unexpected bill. The IRS requires tax payments throughout the year and many workers do that via automatic employer paycheck withholdings. Typically, you can expect a refund if you overpaid. By

The U.S. Department of Education announced Monday it is introducing a “FAFSA College Support Strategy” with additional personnel, funding, resources and technology to help colleges process the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid forms after the rollout was repeatedly complicated by a number of setbacks.   “We are determined to get this right,” U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel

Rockaa | E+ | Getty Images Despite earning more, many Gen Z adults and millennials are having a hard time finding room in their budgets to invest. To that point, 63% of young adults believe the stock market is a great place to build wealth and invest, but many are not participating, according to the

Catherine Falls Commercial | Moment | Getty Images If you’ve noticed the cost of your car insurance policy has gone up, you’re not alone. Inflation takes some of the blame, but your credit score may have a role as well. The national average cost for full-coverage car insurance has gone up to $2,543 per year,

With competition at an all-time high and admissions practices increasingly unclear, it’s not an easy time to be a college applicant, especially for students of color. The Supreme Court‘s ruling against affirmative action was considered a massive blow to decades-old efforts to boost enrollment of minorities at American universities through policies that accounted for applicants’ race. “In terms of ensuring access

ozgurcankaya Filing taxes is more expensive this year as the industry raises prices to combat a growing accountant shortage. The cost of tax preparation and accounting fees grew 8.3% in November 2023 compared to the previous year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Taxpayers typically spend an average of $140 to file taxes