Personal finance

Astra Taylor Courtesy: Astra Taylor Early on in Astra Taylor’s new book, “The Age of Insecurity: Coming Together as Things Fall Apart,” she tells a story set in the Brooklyn café where her sister worked until recently. On a quiet day, one of the baristas was talking with a regular customer, a specialist in medieval history,

The U.S. Department of Labor building in Washington, D.C. The Washington Post | The Washington Post | Getty Images The U.S. Department of Labor is poised to issue a rule in coming weeks that’s likely to raise protections for investors who roll money from a 401(k) plan into an individual retirement account, according to attorneys

The Powerball jackpot soared to an estimated $1.4 billion as of Oct. 6, 2023, according to the Multi-State Lottery Association. Justin Sullivan | Getty The Powerball jackpot has soared to an estimated $1.4 billion ahead of Saturday night’s drawing — and financial experts have tips for the lucky winner. As the third largest prize in

David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images The end of the year doesn’t just bring autumn leaves and jack-o’-lanterns, then mistletoe and the chance of snow — it can also bring on financial distress. Nearly half of all consumers say their financial standing fluctuates seasonally, and December is the most cited month for experiencing

Wand_prapan | Istock | Getty Images The trust funds that Social Security relies on to pay benefits are “rapidly heading to zero,” according to the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College. Those funds, which are typically invested in Treasury securities, are projected to run out in 2034, at which point just 80% of benefits

The Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. Celal Gunes | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images As the Supreme Court starts a new term, experts are closely watching a case that could have sweeping effects on the U.S. tax code, including corporate revenue and future wealth tax proposals. This summer, the high court agreed to hear Moore

President Joe Biden holds a Cabinet meeting at the White House on Oct. 2, 2023. Kevin Dietsch | Getty Images President Joe Biden announced on Wednesday that he’d approve $9 billion in student loan forgiveness for 125,000 Americans. The relief is a result of his administration’s fixes to a number of programs, including the income-driven

Brian Snyder | Reuters With competition at an all-time high and admissions practices increasingly unclear, it’s not an easy time for college applicants. As colleges are being forced to rethink their policies in the wake of the Supreme Court‘s ruling against affirmative action, more schools are also choosing to end legacy preferences, adding uncertainty to the process. “There’s

Rep. Jason Smith, R-Mo., speaks during a House Oversight and Accountability Committee impeachment inquiry hearing on Sept. 28, 2023. Jonathan Ernst | Reuters House Republicans are pressing the IRS for answers after the agency paused processing new claims for a pandemic-era small business tax break. Lawmakers voiced “continued concerns” about the employee retention credit, or ERC,

Zoran Zeremski | Istock | Getty Images Retirees who rely on Medicare for health-care coverage may see those benefits diminish in as soon as eight years. “It’s life and death for millions of older Americans,” Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., said last week during a Senate budget committee hearing titled “Medicare Forever: Protecting Seniors by Making

An activist at the offices of Rep. Michelle Park Steel in Cypress, California, on Feb. 24, 2023 Araya Doheny | Getty Images Social Security is essential to older Americans’ financial security, yet there always seems to be a new headline about how the benefits are at risk. Douglas Boneparth, a certified financial planner and president

In this article ZIP Follow your favorite stocksCREATE FREE ACCOUNT Hinterhaus Productions | The Image Bank | Getty Images The job market remains strong despite gradual cooling from pandemic-era highs, according to labor economists — but workers don’t seem to share that outlook. Employee confidence fell last month to its lowest level since 2016, according