Personal finance

Laylabird | E+ | Getty Images Breaking up in old age can be costly, especially for women. The rate of “gray divorce” — a term that describes divorce at age 50 and older — doubled from 1990 to 2019, according to a 2022 study published in The Journals of Gerontology. It tripled for adults over

Fangxianuo | E+ | Getty Images There can be ample roadblocks during a job hunt, including so-called “ghost” jobs. These can be phantom listings for jobs that don’t exist, or those posted such a long time ago that it seems the job may not be available. Luckily, there are ways for job seekers to sidestep

Female firefighter putting on her protective equipment inside the fire station in response to an emergency Trevor Williams | Digitalvision | Getty Images The Biden administration’s latest student loan forgiveness announcement contained good news for more people than the 77,700 borrowers eligible for this round of aid. Starting next week, the administration said, President Joe

Fatcamera | E+ | Getty Images We’ve all been told that following a routine is important in many aspects of life — for physical fitness, good eating habits, solid work patterns and so on. But many experts are telling us that establishing a routine is also necessary for successful investing and building wealth. At an

Maskot | Maskot | Getty Images After a year of supply shortages and climbing borrowing costs, 2024 is shaping up to be a better time to buy a car. The average transaction price for a new car in the U.S. in February was $47,244, down 2.2% from February 2023. That’s also down 5.4% from the

As problems with the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid persist into the spring, harsh words are being directed at the U.S. Department of Education. Former top student loan official Wayne Johnson accused the Education Department of “malicious negligence” in a March 7 letter written to U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and other senior officials

U.S. President Joe Biden announces a preliminary agreement with Intel for a major CHIPS and Science Act award, during a visit to the Intel Ocotillo Campus, in Chandler, Arizona, U.S., March 20, 2024.  Kevin Lamarque | Reuters The Biden administration announced on Thursday it would forgive $5.8 billion in student debt for 77,700 borrowers through

Former Gov. Martin O’Malley (D-MD), President Biden’s nominee to be the next Commissioner of Social Security, testifies during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Finance Committee at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on November 02, 2023 in Washington, DC. Kevin Dietsch | Getty Images Three months into his role as commissioner of the Social Security

A landmark class-action lawsuit may change the way Americans buy and sell homes. The National Association of Realtors agreed to a $418 million settlement last week in an antitrust lawsuit where a federal jury found the organization and several large real-estate brokerages had conspired to artificially inflate agent commissions on the sale and purchase of

Woman shopping for groceries in Brooklyn, NY, on September 15, 2023. Paola Chapdelaine | The Washington Post | Getty Images A recession that was in the forecast for 2023 never came to fruition. That has led to optimism that the Federal Reserve can reduce inflation and slow the economy without a recession, in what is

The Good Brigade | Digitalvision | Getty Images Over the last few years, the Biden administration has repeatedly announced that it was forgiving student debt for small groups of qualifying borrowers. So far, it has canceled the loans for almost 3.9 million people, totaling $138 billion in relief. Those who haven’t qualified for the aid

red_moon_rise The rules around claiming Social Security benefits are full of caveats and nuances. Among them is a valuable quirk for certain divorced spouses: In many cases, the monthly Social Security benefit you can claim based on a former spouse’s work history essentially doubles when they die. “Your ex is worth twice as much dead

Affordability is the No. 1 issue among college hopefuls, and yet, fewer students are applying for financial aid. Problems with the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid have discouraged many high school seniors and their families from completing an application, experts say. At the current rate, the number of FAFSAs submitted by the end of August will

Chris Wattie | Reuters Economists expect the Federal Reserve to leave interest rates unchanged at the end of its two-day meeting this week, even though many experts anticipate the central bank is preparing to start cutting rates in the months ahead. In prepared remarks earlier this month, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said policymakers don’t want to ease

Kate_sept2004 | E+ | Getty Images Investing can seem overly complicated, and that complexity may paralyze Americans into doing nothing. But investing — and doing so smartly — doesn’t have to be hard. In fact, getting started can be relatively easy, according to financial experts. “You don’t need to be a rocket scientist. Investing is

US President Joe Biden speaks at the Pieper-Hillside Boys & Girls Club in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US, on Wednesday, March 13, 2024.  Sara Stathas | Bloomberg | Getty Images The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 made student loan forgiveness tax-free at the federal level through the end of 2025. President Joe Biden wants to extend

Pixelseffect | E+ | Getty Images Some grocery store products are providing less for your money. And everyone from President Joe Biden to Cookie Monster has noticed. Blame shrinkflation. The term — which is increasingly used in conversation — refers to products becoming smaller in size, weight or quantity as their prices stay the same

Portra | E+ | Getty Images Spring is almost here — and people looking for a new rental face a competitive market. Asking rent prices in the U.S. jumped to $1,959 in February, according to Zillow Group’s latest Rental Market Report. That’s up just 0.4% from the month prior, but a 3.5% increase from a

Momo Productions | Digitalvision | Getty Images WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Choosing when to claim Social Security is a decision that can carry big financial stakes for all older Americans, but it’s especially important for women. “It all comes down to longevity,” Mary Beth Franklin, a certified financial planner and Social Security expert, said

In this article BTC.CM= Follow your favorite stocksCREATE FREE ACCOUNT Chesnot | Getty Images The price of bitcoin notched record highs this week, and experts have tax tips for investors flocking to the flagship digital currency. Fueled by demand for newly approved spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds, bitcoin set a fresh record of $73,000 on Wednesday.