Personal finance

Image Source | Vetta | Getty Images Social Security retirement benefits provide guaranteed monthly income for the duration of your retirement. But when you die, your checks stop coming. “You only get Social Security while you’re alive,” said Bruce Tannahill, a director of estate and business planning with MassMutual. Surveys show retirees are tempted to

In many cases, applying early to college can give you an edge. By demonstrating a preference for a particular college, studies have shown, an early application can boost your standing, which goes a long way in the hyper-competitive world of college admissions. “There is certainly an admissions strategy with applying early,” said Shannon Vasconcelos, senior

Makatla Ritchter wades through flood waters after having to evacuate her home when the flood waters from Hurricane Idalia inundated it on August 30, 2023 in Tarpon Springs, Florida. Joe Raedle | Getty Images Climate change is expected to impose “substantial financial costs” on U.S. households in the coming years, according to a new report

Student loan forgiveness advocates rally outside the U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C., after the nation’s high court struck down President Joe Biden’s student debt relief program, June 30, 2023. Kent Nishimura | Los Angeles Times | Getty Images Ryan Moran, a nurse in Jacksonville, Florida, hasn’t thought about his federal student loans in

If you’re making $65,000 per year, saving $1 million for retirement might seem out of reach. But with a little dedication and the right timing, it’s certainly possible — if you stick to a clear plan. As a rule of thumb, most financial advisors suggest that you save 10% to 15% of your salary for

The one-year rule is an “archaic belief,” according to career expert Sarah Doody. Courtneyk | E+ | Getty Images PHOENIX — If you’re saving for retirement with a 401(k) or individual retirement account, it’s easy to lose money to taxes and penalties when moving money between accounts. A lot of investors make costly rollover mistakes

Office communication is becoming far more casual, and Gen Z is leading the shift, new research has found. Aleksandargeorgiev | E+ | Getty Images Generation Z is embracing frequent job changes, or job hopping, as a career approach. In fact, 83% of surveyed Gen Z workers consider themselves job hoppers, according to ResumeLab, which polled

U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks at Prince George’s Community College on September 14, 2023 in Largo, Maryland. Kevin Dietsch | Getty Images The Biden administration announced on Friday the next step in its new plan to cancel people’s student debt after the Supreme Court struck down its original policy in June. The U.S. Department

Tim Robberts | Digitalvision | Getty Images When it comes to money, women tend to think of themselves as savers rather than investors. Having that perspective can affect women’s ability to grow wealth over time. “The biggest risk to women’s portfolios is that we don’t take enough risk,” said Nancy Tengler, CEO and chief investment

Increasingly, your earnings potential varies greatly depending on your choice of major in college. “Even more so than the school itself, choosing a major is key in determining what skills a graduate can perform out of school, and what types of professions they’re qualified for,” said Jackson Gruver, data analyst at Payscale. “Ultimately, the degree

Customers browse in a used car lot on Feb. 15, 2023 in Glendale, California. Mario Tama | Getty Images News | Getty Images As recently as 2019, used car shoppers could find a 3-year-old vehicle for about $23,000. That’s less likely today — in terms of both age and price. Pandemic-era manufacturing issues have since

Twenty/20 For many Americans, October is a time for seasonal decorating and pumpkin spice lattes. This year, it also marks the resumption of student loan payments at a point when U.S. households are already struggling to make ends meet amid high inflation and higher interest rates. And yet, just as millions of borrowers face their