Personal finance

Ezra Bailey | The Image Bank | Getty Images Workers are poised to get smaller raises in 2024 — and their annual pay bumps are unlikely to increase again anytime soon amid a cooler job market, labor experts said. U.S. companies plan to give salary increases of 4%, on average, this year, down from 4.4%

Boy_anupong | Moment | Getty Images After higher yields in 2023, investors are bracing for interest rate cuts that could put a damper on shorter-term savings. Federal Reserve officials expect three quarter-percentage-point cuts in 2024, according to December meeting minutes released Wednesday. But there’s lingering uncertainty over when, or if, those changes may occur. More

Ryanjlane | E+ | Getty Images As the new year kicks off, some workers could see a slightly bigger paycheck due to tax bracket changes from the IRS. The IRS in November unveiled the federal income tax brackets for 2024, with earnings thresholds for each tier adjusting by about 5.4% higher for inflation. While it’s

Tanya Constantine | Getty Images Once you start Social Security retirement benefits, you are generally guaranteed to receive monthly checks for life. But that will stop once you die — with some exceptions for your loved ones. A one-time lump-sum death payment of $255 may be available, provided your survivors meet certain requirements. For example,

Maskot | Maskot | Getty Images U.S. Department of Labor data issued Wednesday suggests a two-tiered job market has emerged, in which workers enjoy strong job security while the unemployed may have trouble finding a new gig. “There’s a bifurcated labor market,” said Julia Pollak, chief economist at ZipRecruiter. “There are haves and have nots.”

Harvard University President Claudine Gay’s resignation Tuesday is just the latest upheaval at one of the nation’s top colleges. For college applicants, the move adds more uncertainty to an admissions process that was already shifting in the wake of the Supreme Court‘s ruling against affirmative action. “I don’t expect Harvard to lose its crown as one of

Klaus Vedfelt | Getty Images To live your best life in retirement, it helps to make the most contributions while you’re working. Employees who participate in 401(k) plans can put up to $23,000 in pre-tax or post-tax Roth contributions in 2024. But there’s another limit — $69,000, including employee and employer contributions — that may

South_agency | E+ | Getty Images Many people have a 401(k) plan and other retirement savings that may provide funds after they stop working, but there’s no denying it: The Social Security benefit is an important part of the retirement income stream as people enter the next chapter of their lives. However, there is much

Mark Edward Atkinson | Tetra Images | Getty Images Beneficiaries who rely on monthly checks from the Social Security Administration will get a 3.2% benefit increase now that the calendar has turned to 2024. Those who receive Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, are first in line to receive those enhanced benefit checks. About 7.5 million

Nancy Ney | Photodisc | Getty Images The new year has ushered in a big change to 529 college savings plans, which has made the accounts more attractive to some investors. But the adjustment may have unexpected downsides, experts say. Starting in 2024, families can roll unused 529 plan funds to the account beneficiary’s Roth

Georgijevic | E+ | Getty Images With U.S. Federal Reserve officials expecting to cut interest rates in 2024, there are steps investors can take now to prepare. The central bank’s latest summary of economic projections, issued in December, indicates three cuts may be coming this year. (This assumes each is a quarter-percentage-point decrease.) The Fed

U.S. President Joe Biden speaks on the student debt relief plan as Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona (R) listens in the South Court Auditorium at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on October 17, 2022 in Washington, DC. Alex Wong | Getty Images After the Biden administration’s gigantic setback at the Supreme Court over its sweeping