Personal finance

Collectively, Americans now owe more than $1 trillion on credit cards. Total credit card debt rose nearly 5%, or about $45 billion, in the second quarter to a new high of $1.03 trillion, according to a new report on household debtfrom the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Although delinquency rates are still low by

Sollina Images | Tetra Images | Getty Images After more than a year of gloomy forecasts for the U.S. economy, some experts have backed off recession predictions and embraced the soft landing targeted by the Federal Reserve. These shifts have sparked conversations among financial advisors and their clients, who may have varying levels of optimism

In this article PTON ABT Follow your favorite stocksCREATE FREE ACCOUNT Google headquarters is seen in Mountain View, California, United States on May 15, 2023. Tayfun Coskun | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images It is a combination that is likely to be highly appealing to many workers: the option to work from home and to

Carlo Prearo | Istock | Getty Images With most college bills for the fall semester due this month, parents and students are likely strategizing how to cover the cost. For some, that may include deciding whether to take out private student loans. As higher education has gotten more expensive, the private student loan market has

The Mega Millions jackpot hit a record $1.55 billion on Aug. 7, 2023. VIEW press | Getty The Mega Millions jackpot has ballooned to an estimated $1.55 billion after months without a winner. One of the many choices the winner will make is whether to take the one-time lump sum or 30 annuitized payments. The

Credit cards are one of the most expensive ways to borrow money from month to month, and yet many Americans continue to take on ever-increasing amounts of this debt. On the heels of another rate hike by the Federal Reserve, the average credit card rate is now more than 20% on average, an all-time high, making it

Writers Guild of America and Screen Actors Guild members and supporters on a picket line outside Paramount Studios in Los Angeles on July 17, 2023. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images The recent wave of worker strikes have ushered in a new era: the “summer of strikes,” also known as hot strike summer. Employees at

Peopleimages | E+ | Getty Images The U.S. retirement system is a sprawling complex, a so-called “three-legged stool” of Social Security payments, workplace savings plans and individual wealth. But is the system falling short in its primary goal of achieving a secure retirement for all Americans? related investing news Fitch downgrade of long-term U.S. debt

Lucigerma | Istock | Getty Images Predictions that a recession may be looming for the U.S. economy have so far not come to fruition. Now, some experts are backing off the prediction altogether, including Federal Reserve staff economists. “What’s out: Mild recession,” states new economic research released by Bank of America this week. “What’s in:

Emilija Manevska | Moment | Getty Images Consumers may soon be able to access $14,000 or more of federal rebates for making energy-efficient upgrades to their home. But just how soon will vary by state — and some may opt not to make the funds available at all. The rebates are part of the Inflation

Jgi/tom Grill | Tetra Images | Getty Images Some states are reestablishing a federal pandemic-era policy that offered free school meals to all kids, and most of them are doing so on a permanent basis. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, students qualified for free or reduced-price school breakfasts and lunches based on their income. The federal

Darya Komarova | Moment | Getty Images TikTok users are getting a look at their future selves, thanks to a new “aged” filter that’s gone viral on the social media platform.  The filter gives users a hyper-realistic visual by mimicking skin and facial changes that happen with age. “This is wildly realistic!” exclaimed one user

The Mega Millions jackpot grew to $1.25 billion on August 3, 2023. Justin Sullivan | Getty Images After months of no winners, the Mega Millions jackpot has grown to an estimated $1.25 billion this week, the fourth-largest prize in the game’s history. If you win, there’s a choice between two pretax options: an estimated $625.3

Nopphon Pattanasri | Istock | Getty Images A cashless society is nearly within reach. After years of reluctance, Americans finally abandoned paper currency during the pandemic in favor of “tap and go” transactions and have now almost entirely embraced contactless and digital payment methods. Cashless payment volumes are only expected to increase going forward, according to a recent

President Joe Biden speaks at the White House on June 30, 2023. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images After the Supreme Court struck down President Joe Biden’s original student loan forgiveness plan, Biden said he would pursue a new path to deliver relief to holders of federal educational debt. This second attempt may leave more

Valentinrussanov | E+ | Getty Images The IRS has unveiled plans to offer digital correspondence for the 2024 tax season, building on the agency’s decade-long overhaul of improved service, technology and compliance. By 2025, the agency aims to achieve “paperless processing” for tax returns and so-called information returns, used by employers and financial institutions. related

Courtney Keating | E+ | Getty Images While scrolling social media, you may find a video of President Joe Biden urging you to sign up for extra Social Security benefits for which you are eligible. While the hypothetical video may seem real, the promise of extra benefits is not. It’s one example of the ways

Luis Alvarez | Digitalvision | Getty Images The job market is cooling. Though it remains strong — and workers still have leverage — their power doesn’t seem to be as broad-based as it was earlier in the pandemic, say labor experts. These days, whether employees still enjoy considerable leverage — to find a new job

Downtown Los Angeles. TheCrimsonRibbon | Getty Images Americans are feeling the pinch from the high cost of single-family rentals, despite only slight year-over-year growth, according to a new report. Rental prices shot up during the pandemic. They are likely to remain high, with many Americans hesitant to purchase new homes amid soaring mortgage interest rates,

Bob and Terri Wood, of Mobile, Alabama, with their grandson. Courtesy: Bob Wood Bob Wood, 66, has been thinking of selling his home in Mobile, Alabama. The finance professor and his wife, Terri, purchased the 5,000-square foot house with a pool nearly a decade ago. “It’s probably time to downsize,” he said. They would also