Personal finance

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

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