Personal finance

Lourdes Balduque | Moment | Getty Images High inflation eased slightly in April, which may provide some relief to consumers who have been contending with elevated prices.   For retirees and people approaching retirement, higher than normal inflation poses unique challenges. Most retirees have access to one of the few inflation-adjusted sources of income —

In this article AMC GME Follow your favorite stocksCREATE FREE ACCOUNT Traders walk the floor during morning trading at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on May 14, 2024 in New York City.  Spencer Platt | Getty Images Shares of AMC Entertainment and GameStop have surged once again in a new “meme stock” rally triggered

Joe Biden and Donald Trump 2024. Brendan Smialowski | Jon Cherry | Getty Images The next U.S. president will face trillions in expiring tax breaks. While President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have shared early proposals, the federal budget deficit could complicate plans, experts say. Enacted under Trump, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act,

Tetra Images | Tetra Images | Getty Images Consumers are putting down more money to buy a home — but the typical down payment is still much less than you might expect. The average down payment was 13.6% in the first quarter of 2024, according to a new report by Realtor.com. The median down payment

Those armed with a newly minted diploma are entering a job market that looks a little less promising than it did one year ago. Employers plan to hire about 5.8% fewer new college graduates from this year’s class than they hired from the Class of 2023, according to a report from the National Association of Colleges

Westend61 | Westend61 | Getty Images As home values climb, more Americans owe capital gains taxes when selling property. But knowing how to calculate your home’s profit could reduce your bill, experts say. Most Americans do not owe taxes for selling a primary residence because of a special tax break — known as the Section

Wand_prapan | Istock | Getty Images When it comes to spending money in retirement, there’s one rule of thumb — the 4% rule — that has persisted for decades. The 4% withdrawal rule calls for retirees to withdraw that portion from their investment portfolio in the first year of retirement. In each subsequent year, the

I remember my first credit card. My parents added me to their Visa Gold card when I was around 13 years old.  My mom specifically told me that it was for emergencies, or if I had permission beforehand to use it. She thought it was a way to help her daughter in case she needed

Tim Robberts | Stone | Getty Images There’s good news for at least some of the student loan borrowers who missed the April 30 deadline to qualify for quicker debt forgiveness: They may still be eligible for other relief options. Borrowers with multiple student loans who requested a so-called loan consolidation by the end of April 30

Skynesher | E+ | Getty Images Fewer homeowners have been taking on remodeling projects, reports show. But don’t mistake it for a slow market. The Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity, an outlook measuring home improvement and repair spending on owner-occupied homes, peaked at 17.3% in the third quarter of 2022. The LIRA has been declining

Jenn Lueke, 27, is a recipe developer based in Boston who creates content online showing people how to eat well on a budget. “I think it’s no secret that prices are going up in pretty much every area right now,” Lueke told CNBC. About two thirds, 65%, of U.S. adults surveyed by CNBC/SurveyMonkey this spring

Kate_sept2004 | E+ | Getty Images The Social Security Administration is set to implement new rules to make it easier for beneficiaries to access certain benefits and increase the payments some may receive. The new changes affect Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, which provides more than 7 million Americans with monthly benefit checks. Those benefits

Hartford, Connecticut Sean Pavone | Istock | Getty Images When it comes to improving access to higher education, each state is largely left to its own devices. Some are trying a broader array of tactics than others. Connecticut, for example, recently rolled out several programs to establish pathways to college and lower the debt burden.

Director of the National Economic Council Lael Brainard speaks at the White House January 11, 2024 in Washington, DC. Drew Angerer | Getty Images President Joe Biden‘s top economic advisor on Friday laid out plans for the country’s looming debate over trillions in expiring tax breaks enacted by former President Donald Trump. Several provisions from

Courtneyk | E+ | Getty Images Some Americans plan to tap into real estate markets outside of the U.S. this year. Almost 40% U.S. millionaires plan on buying a home overseas within the next 12 months, according to the latest Trend Report by Coldwell Banker Global Luxury. Another two-thirds of respondents plan to purchase a

Buy now, pay later options are seemingly everywhere lately. But there’s one place they’re notable absent: your credit report. Up until now, installment payments have largely gone undetected, primarily because most lenders don’t report their customers’ loan information and payment history to the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. That has made buy

A City College of New York graduate takes a selfie during the school’s commencement ceremony. Mike Segar | Reuters Newly minted college graduates should feel pretty good about their job prospects. The U.S. economy just notched another month of job gains, and although the unemployment rate edged up to 3.9%, “the streak below 4% has

Andresr | E+ | Getty Images There is $1 billion in unclaimed 2020 tax refunds up for grabs — but the last chance to file returns and collect the money is approaching. Nearly 940,000 taxpayers have until May 17 to file 2020 returns and claim their refund, the IRS said in a “final reminder” this

Geber86 | E+ | Getty Images The IRS has unveiled the 2025 contribution limits for health savings accounts, which are triple-tax advantaged for medical expenses. The new HSA contribution limit for 2025 will be $4,300 for self-only health coverage, up from $4,150 in 2024, based on inflation adjustments, the IRS announced Thursday. The contribution limit

US President Joe Biden gestures after speaking about student loan debt relief at Madison Area Technical College in Madison, Wisconsin, April 8, 2024.  Andrew Caballero-Reynolds | AFP | Getty Images President Joe Biden hopes to start forgiving the student loans of millions of Americans before the November presidential election. But first his administration will need