Personal finance

Bargain hunting is certainly not new. But with the Covid pandemic came a surge in “thrifting,” or buying and selling pre-owned goods. At first, some families under financial pressure looked to secondhand shopping as a way to save. Then it became mainstream. More from Personal Finance:66% of workers are worse off financially than a year

The U.S. Department of the Treasury on Tuesday announced Series I bonds will pay 6.89% annual interest through April 2023, down from the 9.62% yearly rate offered since May. It’s the third-highest rate since I bonds were introduced in 1998, and investors may lock in this rate for six months by purchasing anytime before the end of

Skynesher | E+ | Getty Images As inflation has pushed the cost of living higher, those eligible for Social Security retirement benefits may be tempted to claim benefits sooner than they had planned. Social Security beneficiaries stand to get a record 8.7% cost-of-living adjustment in 2023 that will help them contend with higher costs. But

Voters file down the hall as early voting begins for the midterm elections at the Citizens Service Center in Columbus, Georgia, on Oct. 17, 2022. Cheney Orr | Reuters Investment advisers say it’s not wise to try to time the market, but it does make sense to periodically adjust your portfolio. So with the midterm

Catherine Yeulet | Getty Images As investors brace for another interest rate hike from the Federal Reserve, many are closely watching signals about the future of the economy. This week, investors are expecting the fourth 0.75 percentage point increase, which may continue to affect government bond yields. As the Fed takes further action to fight

Lauren Bates | Moment | Getty Images If history is a guide, insurance claims for unexplained disappearances will jump this Halloween. Renters and homeowners insurance claims related to a “mysterious disappearance” increased by 5% on Halloween and 3% on Mischief Night, which is the night before Halloween, according to Travelers Insurance claims data from 2011

Fg Trade | E+ | Getty Images A key federal program providing benefits to elderly, blind and disabled people — Supplemental Security Income — is turning 50 years old. The program, which currently serves nearly 8 million beneficiaries, was created by legislation signed by President Richard Nixon on Oct. 30, 1972. But even as Supplemental

amriphoto Amid the nationwide flurry of tax cuts, two states are voting on whether to enact a “millionaire tax” on top earners in November. In California, Proposition 30 would add a 1.75% levy on annual income of more than $2 million, in addition to the state’s top income tax rate of 13.3%, beginning Jan. 1. 

Brandon Bell | Getty Images It’s no secret that higher prices are taking a bite out of household budgets. They also appear to have made some people change their retirement savings habits: Inflation has caused 54% of adults to either reduce or stop their contributions, according to a new report from Allianz Life. Additionally, 43%

Shapecharge | E+ | Getty Images Investors crashed the Treasury Department website for Series I bonds on Friday as they clamored to lock in a record-high interest rate before a key deadline. I bonds have proven to be a bright spot for investors amid declines in the broad stock and bond markets this year. They

Charles Rettig, IRS Commissioner, testifies during the Senate Finance Committee hearing in Washington, D.C., June 8, 2021. Tom Williams | Pool | Reuters The IRS said it has passed a milestone of hiring 4,000 new customer service workers as the agency prepares for the 2023 tax filing season. Hired over the past several months with

Zoom In IconArrows pointing outwards The average cost to attend a private college in 1970 was about $3,000 a year. Today, it costs more than $50,000. How we got to this point, and its seemingly endless consequences on families and U.S. society, are the issues explored in Will Bunch’s new book, “After the Ivory Tower

Fly View Productions | E+ | Getty Images For individuals or families that get — or could get — health insurance through the public marketplace, the opportunity to choose coverage for 2023 is nearing. Open enrollment, when you can pick a health plan for next year, runs Nov. 1 through Jan. 15 for the federal

In this article TRU Follow your favorite stocksCREATE FREE ACCOUNT From credit cards to mortgages, it’s suddenly a lot more expensive to borrow money. The Federal Reserve has raised its benchmark short-term rate 3 percentage points since March in an effort to curb unrelenting inflation, with another rate hike likely on the way next week. “Borrowers are feeling

Rohit Chopra, director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, testifies during a Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee hearing on April 26, 2022. Tom Williams | Cq-roll Call, Inc. | Getty Images The nation’s consumer watchdog is upping its efforts to clamp down on so-called junk fees that some banks charge consumers. The Consumer

nd3000 | iStock | Getty Images Despite signs of a cooling housing market, home prices are still relatively high, resulting in bigger down payments.  Over the past year, average down payments in the country’s 50 biggest metros have grown by more than 35%, according to a LendingTree report, based on 30-year fixed-rate mortgage data from

Soon more job descriptions will include salary ranges. New York City’s Wage Transparency Law goes into effect on Nov. 1, making it mandatory for employers to share the salary or hourly wage in postings. A growing number of states, including California, Connecticut, Colorado, Maryland, Nevada, Rhode Island and Washington are rolling out their own pay

Mstudioimages | E+ | Getty Images Americans now expect they will need $1.25 million to retire comfortably, according to a new study from Northwestern Mutual. That figure represents a 20% increase from the $1.05 million respondents cited last year. That’s not necessarily good news for individuals who have seen their retirement savings decline in the

Michael M. Santiago | Getty Images A monthly gauge of what could lie ahead for the U.S. economy is flashing a recession warning sign. The Leading Economic Index dipped by 0.4% in September from August and is down 2.8% since March, according to the Conference Board, an independent group that publishes the index. The latest

Terry Vine | Getty Images There are few bright spots for investors in a down market. But tax-loss harvesting, which allows you to offset profits with losses, may offer a silver lining. Before attempting, however, you need to know your complete tax situation, experts say. Here’s why: There’s a lesser-known 0% long-term capital gains tax