Personal finance

Retirees lose a collective $3.4 trillion in Social Security income by not waiting as long as possible to tap benefits, a new report concludes. The study from investment firm United Income examines the long-term financial effects of the decisions surrounding when to claim Social Security. Just 4% of retirees make the generally optimal decision of

Democratic presidential candidates New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio (L-R), Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH), former housing secretary Julian Castro, Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), former Texas congressman Beto O’Rourke and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) take part in the first night of the Democratic presidential debate on June 26, 2019 in Miami,

A man walks up the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court on January 31, 2017 in Washington, DC. Mark Wilson | Getty Images News | Getty Images The Supreme Court said Friday that it will hear a case between pensioners and US Bank concerning whether members of a pension plan can sue the fund manager

Career advice is like shoes. You’ve got to try it on and walk around in it to see if it fits. Dress for the job you want … Know everyone’s name … Ask questions when you don’t know something … There’s plenty of trite advice floating around. But what’s really going to help you? For some

Aimstock | Getty Images A measure under consideration in Congress could have big implications for how you view your Social Security statements. The bill, called the Beneficiary Education Tools, Telehealth, and Extenders Reauthorization Act of 2019, or BETTER Act, includes a provision that would reinstate mailed Social Security statements. Since 2012, the Social Security Administration

John Lund/Marc Romanelli | Getty Images It’s no secret that Americans are staying on the job longer, or returning to work after retiring. In some cities, though, the 65-and-older crowd is more of a presence in the workforce than others. To identify where those older workers are clocking in the most, retirement community operator Provisional

When it comes to Social Security benefits, women and minorities tend to receive less money. That means those individuals have a greater chance of retiring into poverty or grappling with financial instability if they become disabled. That also affects their families, who often receive less in dependent or survivor benefits. Congressional Democrats took to the

A bill that cleared the House on Wednesday includes an amendment that would upend securities regulators’ plans to hold brokers to a new standard when giving advice to retail investors. Added to an appropriations bill that passed 224 to 196, the late addition would prohibit the Securities and Exchange Commission from implementing and enforcing a

If you’ll reach age 65 after this year, be aware that the lineup of Medicare supplement insurance policies — aka Medigap plans — will look a bit different beginning in 2020. While the options will remain the same for people who turn 65 before Jan. 1, those who hit that Medicare-eligible age after this year

Americans collectively hold a record $1.6 trillion in student loan debt. But that’s not the No. 1 reason that prompts them to file for bankruptcy. Here’s what most often does drive them to the financial brink: big medical bills. Hiroshi Watanabe | Getty Images A recent academic study found that 66.5% of all bankruptcies were

Homeownership comes with a lot of extra expenses, mostly thanks to the tax man. Due to increasing demand and limited inventory, the nationwide median sale price has reached $226,800, according to Zillow. Values have gone up 5.4% over the past year and are expected to rise another 2.5% in the next year. On top of

A recruiter for The Art Institutes, left, greets a job seeker at a National Career Fairs job fair in San Diego. David Maung | Bloomberg | Getty Images More than 150,000 former students of for-profit colleges filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on Tuesday, claiming the agency

As tensions with other countries climb, American investors are sticking close to home. While 66% of Americans said they think foreign equities could diversify their portfolios, just 48% of investors hold 1% to 25% allocations to these stocks in their portfolios. And alomst half — 48% — said political tensions between the U.S. and other

Americans for Tax Reform’s Grover Norquist told CNBC on Monday that Sen. Bernie Sanders’ plan to eliminate outstanding student loan debt in the country ignores the real problem of going to college. The Vermont independent’s legislation seeks to cancel $1.6 trillion in existing loans by taxing stock and bond transactions. Norquist took a jab at

Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) speaks to the crowd during the 2019 South Carolina Democratic Party State Convention on June 22, 2019 in Columbia, South Carolina. Sean Rayford | Getty Images Sen. Bernie Sanders will announce a plan on Monday to erase the country’s $1.6 trillion outstanding student loan tab, intensifying the higher

Artist Jeff Koons with his 1986 sculpture “Rabbit,” which sold at auction this year for a record-setting $91.1 million. Steve Parsons – PA Images | PA Images | Getty Images Interest in collectibles is hitting new heights. “Rabbit,” a 1986 stainless steel sculpture by the artist Jeff Koons, sold to Robert E. Mnuchin, father of

With record levels of student loan debt, it’s no wonder recent graduates don’t save for retirement. Studies show that college grads with student loans only save about half as much as those without loans by the time they’re 30. Some employers recognize how difficult the debt burden can be — and are trying to help.

ABRA BELKE WAS IN LAW SCHOOL when she came across the Givling app, which calls itself “the world’s most incredible trivia game.” It promised winners payments toward their student debt. Belke was interested. Her student loan balance was more than $100,000 and she had previously won $62,000 on the syndicated game show, “Who Wants To

Goodbye study sessions, dorm food and lecture halls. Real life awaits. For Jessica Granofsky, 23, however, that means moving back home. Granofsky graduated from college last year and now works full time as a communications coordinator in the Toronto office of a San Francisco-based start-up. Although she says she earns a good salary and even

You’re ready to make bank. Maybe your goal is financial independence, an early retirement, more travel cash or more time to devote to a passion project. And you’ve chosen a side business as the fastest way to get there. But that little matter of your full-time job seems like a huge roadblock standing between you