Personal finance

A 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV RST all-electric pickup truck on display at the International Auto Show at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York on April 13, 2022. China News Service | China News Service | Getty Images Car shoppers are paying more than ever to finance new vehicles — and pickup trucks are

Consumers have remained remarkably resilient amid a series interest rate hikes aimed at cooling inflation. However, there are recent signs of a shift. Shoppers are still buying more than last year, but spending growth is slowing as the economy settles down, according to Jack Kleinhenz, the National Retail Federation’s chief economist. “There are ongoing economic

Dax Shepard at the grand opening of a Hello Bello distribution and manufacturing center on Oct. 26, 2021 in Waco, Texas. Rick Kern | Getty Images Not even Hollywood’s A-list is immune from financial anxiety. Dax Shepard is a successful actor with countless credits under his belt, and he’s married to TV and film staple

amriphoto Earning a good salary is one thing, feeling “rich” is another. Even doctors, lawyers and other highly paid professionals — also referred to as the “regular rich” — who benefit from stable jobs, homeownership and a well-padded retirement savings account said they don’t feel well off at all. Some even said they feel poor,

Dikushin | Istock | Getty Images Federal student loan borrowers can now officially sign up for the Biden administration’s new loan repayment plan. The option is expected to dramatically shrink many people’s bills. In fact, under the new Saving on a Valuable Education, or SAVE, plan, some will see their monthly obligation fall to zero

A Miami supermarket in July 2023. Joe Raedle | Getty Images News | Getty Images The forecast for the post-pandemic U.S. economy once called for a recession. Now many experts are backing off those predictions. In the latest about-face, 69% of economists surveyed by the National Association for Business Economics said they see a “soft

Mementojpeg | Moment | Getty Images If you have an outstanding federal student loan, you may have a different servicer when payments resume in October. Several of the lenders that managed the debt for the government — including Navient, the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (also known as FedLoan) and Granite State — stopped doing

Peter Dazeley | The Image Bank | Getty Images The price of getting married has ballooned amid sticky inflation, and some couples are footing the bill with personal loans – which may be a costly mistake, experts say. Driven by inflation, the average cost of a ceremony and reception was $30,000 in 2022, up from

Getty Images For students and their families, this could be the most expensive back-to-school season to date. This year’s total back-to-school spending, including for college students, is expected to reach a record $41.5 billion, up from $36.9 billion last year and the previous high of $37.1 billion in 2021, according to the National Retail Federation. Families

Getty Images As the year-end approaches, there’s been debate around tax reporting for business transactions on payment apps such as Venmo and PayPal, along with e-commerce companies, such as eBay, Etsy and Poshmark. Some lawmakers are pushing to increase the IRS reporting threshold for Form 1099-K, which covers third-party business payments. Taxpayers who use a payment app to process

Moyo Studio | E+ | Getty Images Social Security benefits provide retirement income for millions of Americans. Because the timing of your claim may impact the size of the benefits you receive, it’s a high-stakes decision. And the results may also affect your spouse or dependents. But sifting through Social Security’s claiming rules may make

Ascentxmedia | Istock | Getty Images Social Security beneficiaries may get a much lower cost-of-living adjustment in 2024 as inflation subsides. But with two months before the COLA for next year is officially announced, there’s one unusual factor that may push the adjustment higher: hurricanes. The Social Security COLA for 2024 may be 3%, The