Personal finance

Sollina Images | Tetra Images | Getty Images After more than a year of gloomy forecasts for the U.S. economy, some experts have backed off recession predictions and embraced the soft landing targeted by the Federal Reserve. These shifts have sparked conversations among financial advisors and their clients, who may have varying levels of optimism

Jenny Goff, right, reaches out to a child at Central Park Child Care Center in Vancouver, Washington. Ariane Kunze | The Columbian via AP The cost of child care in the U.S. has been increasing, and many families spend more than what the government considers affordable.  Two-thirds of parents, 67%, spend 20% or more of

Credit cards are one of the most expensive ways to borrow money from month to month, and yet many Americans continue to take on ever-increasing amounts of this debt. On the heels of another rate hike by the Federal Reserve, the average credit card rate is now more than 20% on average, an all-time high, making it

Carlo Prearo | Istock | Getty Images With most college bills for the fall semester due this month, parents and students are likely strategizing how to cover the cost. For some, that may include deciding whether to take out private student loans. As higher education has gotten more expensive, the private student loan market has

Writers Guild of America and Screen Actors Guild members and supporters on a picket line outside Paramount Studios in Los Angeles on July 17, 2023. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images The recent wave of worker strikes have ushered in a new era: the “summer of strikes,” also known as hot strike summer. Employees at

Peopleimages | E+ | Getty Images The U.S. retirement system is a sprawling complex, a so-called “three-legged stool” of Social Security payments, workplace savings plans and individual wealth. But is the system falling short in its primary goal of achieving a secure retirement for all Americans? related investing news Fitch downgrade of long-term U.S. debt

Lucigerma | Istock | Getty Images Predictions that a recession may be looming for the U.S. economy have so far not come to fruition. Now, some experts are backing off the prediction altogether, including Federal Reserve staff economists. “What’s out: Mild recession,” states new economic research released by Bank of America this week. “What’s in:

dowell | Moment | Getty Images After another interest rate hike from the Federal Reserve, investors have several competitive options for cash, including money market funds, with yields currently above 5%. But there are tradeoffs to consider, experts warn. Money market funds — which are different than money market deposit accounts — are a type

Jgi/tom Grill | Tetra Images | Getty Images Some states are reestablishing a federal pandemic-era policy that offered free school meals to all kids, and most of them are doing so on a permanent basis. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, students qualified for free or reduced-price school breakfasts and lunches based on their income. The federal

Darya Komarova | Moment | Getty Images TikTok users are getting a look at their future selves, thanks to a new “aged” filter that’s gone viral on the social media platform.  The filter gives users a hyper-realistic visual by mimicking skin and facial changes that happen with age. “This is wildly realistic!” exclaimed one user

Nopphon Pattanasri | Istock | Getty Images A cashless society is nearly within reach. After years of reluctance, Americans finally abandoned paper currency during the pandemic in favor of “tap and go” transactions and have now almost entirely embraced contactless and digital payment methods. Cashless payment volumes are only expected to increase going forward, according to a recent

Courtney Keating | E+ | Getty Images While scrolling social media, you may find a video of President Joe Biden urging you to sign up for extra Social Security benefits for which you are eligible. While the hypothetical video may seem real, the promise of extra benefits is not. It’s one example of the ways