Personal finance

Military veterans, like many Americans, are struggling to find work as the coronavirus pandemic stretches on. While vets’ June unemployment rate is lower than the overall number, at 8.6% compared to 11.1% for the general population, it is still at more than double the number reported in March, the Military Times said. The Labor Department survey

When Diane Pearson’s sons both attended Robert Morris University, buying a condo for them in the suburb of Pittsburgh made financial sense. Pearson, who is a certified financial planner, took out a home equity line of credit to purchase the property with cash in 2013.  Three years later, the family sold it at a $5,000

Tim Robberts Saving for retirement can be hard. Planning how to spend that nest egg — while ensuring the money doesn’t run out — is harder. But there’s good news: Americans can build a simple, low-cost retirement plan using just Social Security and savings, according to experts. From an academic standpoint, the “optimal” retirement strategy combines two

NYUestimates it will cost students more than $78,000 to attend the school in 2020-2021. That includes tuition, fees, textbooks and room and board. But that’s not the price you will pay in 18 years. CNBC ran the numbers, and we can tell you how much money you would need to save to send your child

kate_sept2004 Pandemic first-aid kit You need seven things, according to Jeff Weinstein, a paramedic and medical operations supervisor for Global Rescue, which provides medical and crisis response service to travelers.  It’s likely you already have three: masks, hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes. Carry isopropyl alcohol wipes and use them to wipe down your phone. Major smartphone

One analysis found that more than 40% of CDFI’s loans and investments are in majority-minority communities. LeoPatrizi Consumers can push for racial justice – and it’s as simple as opening an account at a community bank or credit union that supports under-served communities. Netflix announced recently that it would transfer $100 million of its cash

If you’re hoping to score a good deal on a new car during July Fourth sales events,  it will be a mixed bag. While manufacturers and dealerships are offering special deals on some models to prop up sales amid the pandemic, inventory is down due to coronavirus-related disruptions in manufacturing. “We’ve seen incentives continue to

swissmediavision The seemingly endless nationwide pandemic lockdown has resulted in a lot of pent-up travel demand. As the second major long holiday weekend of summer gets underway, people looking to celebrate Independence Day are getting in their cars and campers for road trips — deemed by many a safer bet than air or cruise travel. 

Joseph Wardenaar was an executive chef in Portland before the coronavirus hit. Now he’s pursuing a career in computer programming. Source: Joseph Wardenaar Before the coronavirus crisis, Joseph Wardenaar was a successful chef in Portland, Oregon. At 36, he had worked his way up from line cook to executive chef at Irving Street Kitchen. Then,

Playing games with coins is one way to teach kids about money Source: Diana David Joseph School may be out for summer, yet you can still find the time to teach your kids about money — and it doesn’t have to be boring. “Some parents think they need to have the ‘money talk,’ but it’s

President Donald Trump speaks to journalists in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House July 2, 2020. The president addressed reports that the unemployment rate fell to 11.1%. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images The U.S. unemployment rate is at its lowest level in months and the economy added a record number of jobs in June.

RichVintage Ditch old assumptions Saving for retirement and paying down debt are critical financial tasks. But these days, the usual financial wisdom may not apply. Right now, emergency savings should be top-of-mind for most people. Depending on household circumstances, you might trim retirement plan contributions. If you’re saving through a workplace retirement plan that offers a match,

Bobby Bonilla of the New York Mets looks on before a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on May 15, 1999 at Shea Stadium in New York. Mitchell Layton/Getty Images Bobby Bonilla, who retired as a baseball player in 2001, hasn’t played for the New York Mets since 1999. Yet Bonilla is among the highest-paid

Pedestrians in Washington pass a “We Are Open” restaurant sign during the Covid-19 outbreak on May 12. Jonathan Ernst | Reuters When it comes to the next coronavirus stimulus package and providing more direct financial aid, the question on most Americans’ lips is, “Will they or won’t they?” One political analyst predicts it’s likely lawmakers

Hundreds of unemployed Kentucky residents wait in long lines outside the Kentucky Career Center for help with their unemployment claims on June 19, 2020 in Frankfort, Kentucky. John Sommers II/Getty Images The financial aid that jobless workers have been receiving to shore up household income during the coronavirus pandemic is poised for a dramatic reduction

Maskot/Getty Images Uncle Sam has heard your requests for more time to file your taxes – and they have been denied. The Treasury Department and the IRS will stick with the July 15 deadline for 2019 income tax returns and taxes owed for that year, the agencies said. The announcement came less than a week

Bloom Productions Financial advisors are largely an optimistic bunch when it comes to growing their practices, new research shows. Yet they know they have some work to do to make that happen. While most advisors expect growth in their assets under management to come primarily from new and existing clients rather than market returns, they

Lauren Bringle Jackson, 32, has occasional flashbacks to the 2008-09 recession. Source: Lauren Bringle Jackson Millennials have a dubious distinction: Smacked for the second time in young adulthood by a global economic meltdown. Maybe this time, they are more aware of what’s coming.  More than half of millennials said they expected the pandemic to have

Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill. Ralf-Finn Hestoft | Corbis | Getty Image The bill, called the Student Recovery Eligibility for Low-Income Individuals to Exact Funds (RELIEF) Act of 2020, would make students receiving Pell Grants eligible to receive $1,200 stimulus checks. Federal Pell Grants are need-based funds given to low-income students to help them complete their

Klaus Vedfelt If you took a mandatory distribution from an inherited retirement account this year, the IRS will let you put the money back. The CARES Act, which became law on March 27, allowed individuals to skip required minimum distributions for 2020. This is the annual withdrawal you must take from your individual retirement account and