Personal finance

wera Rodsawang | Moment | Getty Images As you check off your to-do list for the end of the year, don’t forget to look at your retirement savings. Whether it is an individual retirement account, an employer-sponsored plan like a 401(k) or a brokerage account, assessing your portfolio is crucial. That means checking to see

Getty | Johner Images U.S. retirement savers may want to look to their elders for a cautionary tale about racking up debt: It might be with you well into your golden years. The share of people age 75 or older who lead a household and carry debt jumped to 51.4% in 2019 from 41.3% in

Getty Images The coronavirus pandemic is slamming the most vulnerable Americans, pushing many into financially precarious situations. The best way to combat the financial fragility that’s brought on by such an event is helping Americans build and maintain an emergency savings fund, according to experts. But most people need the support of the government and

Sarah Silbiger | Bloomberg | Getty Images Millions of Americans are poised to receive second stimulus checks. Yet a fight is taking place on Capitol Hill over how much money will be included in any payments. The latest proposals include direct payments of $600 per person. In contrast, the first round of checks sent out

Although a second stimulus plan is still up in the air, the Federal Reserve is determined to push consumer borrowing costs even lower as the economic recovery takes hold — giving everyday Americans a reason to be optimistic. In addition to holding interest rates near zero, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said Wednesday the central bank will continue

Hermione Granger | Moment | Getty Images Bitcoin has done it again — the cryptocurrency topped $20,000 Wednesday to reach its second record in three weeks and its highest level since 2017. The digital currency has been on a tear this year and is now up more than 180%, driven in part by new institutional

XiFotos | E+ | Getty Images If you planned to max out your 401(k) or other employer-sponsored retirement plan before the end of the year, you’ve likely run out the clock. An employee contribution deadline is Dec. 31 or the year’s final paycheck. Employers generally need a few weeks to process requests such as putting

LifestyleVisuals | E+ | Getty Images Yes, Medicare’s annual enrollment period ended Dec. 7. No, not all hope is lost if you realize the Advantage Plan you picked for 2021 is a mismatch. That’s because Medicare has a three-month window at the beginning of each year, Jan. 1 through March 31, when you can swap

a It’s looking more likely that direct payments to Americans will be included in the new coronavirus aid Congress aims to pass before lawmakers head home for the holidays. Those stimulus checks could be around $600 to $700 per individual, Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., told reporters on Wednesday. That’s just about half of the $1,200

sturti | E+ | Getty Images A new stimulus check is in the works for millions of Americans. If you’re eligible for a payment, it may feel either like a life raft or a sudden windfall, depending on how Covid-19 has affected you and your family. The payments are said to be around $600 per

It’s the season of giving — and New England Patriots linebacker Brandon Copeland is doing his part. This holiday season, he got together with 19 other current and former NFL players to surprise 200 underserved families each with $800 Amazon gift cards. The total giveaway: $160,000. The players are “guys who we are literally competing

Tom Brenner | Reuters A second set of stimulus checks could be in the works for millions of Americans, based on Congress’ ongoing negotiations for more coronavirus relief legislation. But a fight is brewing over the amount that will be written on those checks. Currently, those talks point to new direct payments to Americans of

Fuse | Corbis | Getty Images Are you one of the 4.7 million individuals who moved out of state last year? Whether you’ve already made the move or are considering an upcoming relocation, you likely created a checklist that includes updating your address, obtaining a new driver’s license and finding new physicians. Unfortunately, many people

BraunS | E+ | Getty Images If someone texts you promising a $1,200 stimulus check, it’s a scam. The IRS and a coalition of state tax agencies and tax industry officials are warning individuals who receive such messages not to respond. The text scam typically reads, “You have received a direct deposit of $1,200 from

Getty Images Can’t save a lot? Don’t worry — as little as $100 in savings can be a huge help. Families with more than $100 in savings are better able to avoid high-cost borrowing such as predatory lending and payday loans, and keep utilities on, and they are more financially satisfied than those with less

Patrick Pleul/picture alliance via Getty Images Investors are pouring money into funds that aim to do environmental and social good. But one of America’s biggest pots of wealth — 401(k) plans — are stunting their growth. The popular savings plans and similar workplace retirement plans held $9 trillion as of last year — almost a

Ergin Yalcin | E+ | Getty Images For the nation’s oldest individuals who are eager for protection against Covid, the waiting game has commenced. Shipment of 2.9 million doses of the first U.S.-authorized coronavirus vaccine began Sunday, headed for hundreds of sites around the country. With initial supply limited — the total U.S. population is

New sneakers, a MacBook, a Peloton — you can pay for almost anything in installments these days. Like the layaway plans of old, but now called point-of-sale loans, “buy now, pay later” lets shoppers break their purchases into equal installment payments without interest or fees, even using a debit card, which can make even the

Bill Clark | CQ-Roll Call, Inc. | Getty Images Millions poised to lose benefits A lag would be consequential for millions of Americans poised to lose their benefits the last weekend in December, when temporary programs enacted by the CARES Act will expire. Federal eviction protections also end after December. A bipartisan group of moderate

Erin Scott | Reuters Capitol Hill lawmakers are wrestling with a big question that’s plagued them for months: How to put together another coronavirus relief package that will garner enough support from both parties. On Monday, a new $908 billion bipartisan proposal aims to do just that, except it lacks one key area of aid