Personal finance

The Federal Reserve left rates unchanged last week and signaled that only one cut is expected before the end of the year. That means anyone who carries a balance on their credit card won’t be getting much of a break from sky-high interest charges. “Consumers need to understand that the cavalry isn’t coming anytime soon,

A customer shops at a Safeway store on June 11, 2024 in Mill Valley, California.  Justin Sullivan | Getty Images The rate of price increases for food has subsided in recent months, according to the latest government inflation data. However, shoppers still report feeling burdened by the prices they’re seeing in the grocery store aisles.

D’Aungilique Jackson, of Fresno, California, holds a “Cancel Student Debt” sign outside the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., after the nation’s high court struck down President Joe Biden’s student debt relief program on Friday, June 30, 2023. Kent Nishimura | Los Angeles Times | Getty Images It took Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin around

Goodboy Picture Company | E+ | Getty Images More homeowners are listing their homes for sale, but properties are taking longer to sell as potential buyers face high prices and interest rates. New listings from home sellers jumped in May, up 13% from a year ago, according to the latest market report by Zillow. “You

D3sign | Moment | Getty Images The second-quarter estimated tax deadline for 2024 is June 17, and you could owe a penalty if you don’t send a payment, according to the IRS. You typically owe estimated tax payments for income without withholdings, such as from contract jobs, freelancing or gig economy work, or if you

zimmytws | iStock | Getty Images A protester interrupted a January congressional committee hearing to consider a bill that would create a bipartisan commission to address Social Security. “A vote for a commission is a vote to cut Social Security,” the man shouted before he was escorted off the floor. While there was a protest

In this article SCHW Follow your favorite stocksCREATE FREE ACCOUNT Eternity In An Instant | Stone | Getty Images Gen Z is getting an early start with investing — and experts say that’s to their advantage. Gen Z adults began investing and saving at age 19 on average, according to the 2024 Schwab Modern Wealth

Jose Luis Pelaez Inc To gauge your retirement preparedness, you may compare your 401(k) balance with other savers’ progress. But you might find that people in your field are a better comparison point than those in your age group. Recent data from Fidelity finds that 401(k) plan investors on the firm’s platform had a $125,900

Senior couple repairing kitchen cabinet at home Momo Productions | Digitalvision | Getty Images Alex Marrero and his wife bought their first home this spring in Coral Springs, Florida — and the couple has already spent nearly $17,000 on home maintenance, repairs and installations.  While they knew they needed to do improvements from “the minute

Director of the National Economic Council Lael Brainard speaks at the White House in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 11, 2024. Drew Angerer | Getty Images President Joe Biden‘s top economic advisor on Thursday unveiled plans to address trillions of dollars in expiring tax breaks enacted by former President Donald Trump. After 2025, several provisions from the Tax

Pixelseffect | E+ | Getty Images Consumers saw prices for some goods and services deflate in May, amid a backdrop of broadly easing inflationary pressures. Whereas inflation is a measure of how quickly consumer prices are rising, deflation is the opposite: It gauges how quickly they’re declining. There are currently some “micro pockets” of deflation

Moyo Studio | E+ | Getty Images With half of 2024 in the rearview mirror and the second half on the horizon, you may be able to give yourself a pat on the back for sticking to the financial goals you set at the start of the year — or, maybe, discover that you’ve veered

Customers purchase gas at a station in Chicago, Illinois, June 11, 2024. Scott Olson | Getty Images Inflation fell slightly in May, as positive trends such as lower gasoline prices were counteracted by others including stubbornly high costs for housing. Trends under the surface suggest the fight against inflation continues to bear fruit, albeit slowly,

Chris Wattie | Reuters The Federal Reserve announced Wednesday that it will leave interest rates unchanged. Fresh inflation data issued earlier in the day showed that consumer prices are gradually moderating though remain above the central bank’s target. The Fed’s benchmark fed funds rate has now stood within the range of 5.25% to 5.50% since

Stacey Hachenberg, left, and her partner, Sharon Fleming, right, review long-term care options with the help of Fleming’s daughter, Alexa Fleming, center. Van Applegate, CNBC Almost three-quarters — 70% — of people turning 65 will need long-term care in their lifetime, according to a report by the Urban Institute and the Department of Health and

Martonaphoto | Moment | Getty Images A federal program for people with disabilities and older adults made its first benefit payments 50 years ago. In 1974, Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, began sending the first monthly checks starting at around $140 per individual, or $210 per couple. In 2024, the maximum monthly benefit is $943

Joe Biden and Donald Trump 2024. Brendan Smialowski | Jon Cherry | Getty Images Presumptive nominees President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have both pledged to extend expiring tax breaks for most Americans — but questions remain on how to pay for it. Trillions in tax breaks enacted by Trump via the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

Ascentxmedia | E+ | Getty Images It can feel like the U.S. economy has divided consumers into groups of haves and have nots — and retirees are no exception. Research has found a great wealth transfer is underway, with research and consulting firm Cerulli Associates estimating an $84 trillion to shift from older to younger

Experts are torn about where exactly the housing market is headed in the latter half of the year. “Mostly, we think the housing market is going to improve over the next half of the year,” Glenn Kelman, chief executive of Redfin, a real estate brokerage site, said on a May 22 appearance on CNBC’s “Money

Urbazon | E+ | Getty Images If you’re living and working abroad and still need to file 2023 taxes, the deadline is only one week away. While the regular tax deadline was April 15 for most taxpayers, there’s an automatic two-month extension to June 17 for those U.S. citizens and resident aliens, including dual citizens,