Personal finance

Svetikd | E+ | Getty Images Have the money to buy a home? If you follow through, it may not be money well-spent. For generations, Americans have thought of homeownership as a hallmark of success. Even today, 74% of U.S. adults say owning a home is a cornerstone of the American dream — ranking higher

Thanasis Zovoilis | Getty Callers who have sought help from the Social Security Administration in recent years have reported long wait times, dropped calls and inability to access the agency’s services. A new report from the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General found the agency experienced more than 40 telephone system disruptions between

The U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C., on June 27, 2023. Kevin Dietsch | Getty Images The Supreme Court will soon hear a case that could affect broad swaths of the U.S. tax code, corporate revenue and federal wealth tax proposals. The case, Moore v. United States, is slated for the next court term

Pixdeluxe | E+ | Getty Images Americans often worry about hitting specific money goals for retirement, but a new report finds that the decision to retire often happens independently of reaching that “magic number.” U.S. households over the age of 55 control 74% of investable assets, but their retirement status has little to do with

Supersizer | E+ | Getty Images There are two broad categories of life insurance — and data suggests many households aren’t buying the most cost-effective one. Americans bought 4.1 million term insurance policies in 2021, accounting for 40% of all individual policies purchased that year, according to most recent data from the American Council of

Getty Images After a tough year for the stock and bond markets in 2022, some advisors are turning to alternative investments, according to a new survey from the Financial Planning Association.  Nearly 30% of advisors are actively investing in or seeking alternative investments, or “alternatives,” for clients, the findings show. These assets typically fall outside

In this article LC Follow your favorite stocksCREATE FREE ACCOUNT After leaning heavily on their paychecks as prices spiked over the last year, households are finally feeling some relief. As of May, 57% of consumers said they were living paycheck to paycheck, down from 61% the month earlier, according to a new LendingClub report. Workers last month saw their buying

Prospective buyers are welcomed by real estate agents at an open house in West Hempstead, New York on April 18, 2021. Newsday LLC / Contributor It’s been a tough market for U.S. homebuyers with a limited supply of properties driving up prices nationwide. But another factor may have contributed to rising home costs in certain

Antonio Suarez Vega | Istock | Getty Images When it comes to how much they will need to comfortably retire, Americans have a “magic number” in mind — $1.27 million, according to new research from Northwestern Mutual. That’s up from $1.25 million last year, the financial services firm found, based on an online survey of

A lot of financial planning is, of course, about the future. But people’s goals can backfire if they neglect themselves in the present, says Preston Cherry, a certified financial planner and founder and president of Concurrent Financial Planning in Green Bay, Wisconsin. “Starving your current self … could be discouraging,” said Cherry, who is also

Blackcat | E+ | Getty Images Having ample cash set aside can help prevent an unexpected emergency from turning into a financial catastrophe. But when it comes to emergency savings, more than half of Americans — 57% — are uncomfortable with the level of money they have set aside, according to a new Bankrate survey.

New York and London are some of the most desirable cities to live in due to the amount of job opportunities and the vibrant entertainment options — but residents are paying a premium. New York tied with Singapore as the most expensive cities in the world in 2022, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Worldwide

Jose Luis Pelaez Inc | Digitalvision | Getty Images Who’d think a little plastic rectangle could be associated with so much mystery and angst? When it comes to credit cards, 26% of Americans say they’re “dangerous” and another 9% call them “evil,” according to a NerdWallet poll. Credit card debt and interest rates are at

The Federal Reserve may have paused its aggressive interest rate hikes for now, but that offers little relief for anyone with credit card debt. The central bank raised interest rates 10 times since last year — the fastest pace of tightening since the early 1980s — and that has caused credit card rates to hit an all-time high. “Even

Uber driver uses GPS navigation. Jaden Urbi | CNBC Workers have been picking up secondary jobs to help makes ends meet amid rampant inflation. That second stream of income can also be a smart move to help workers fill income gaps after they are laid off and looking for a new opportunity. “They pick up

Bret Shuford and Stephen Hanna knew from early on in their relationship they wanted to raise a child together. But the married couple didn’t think a biological child was a possibility. As freelancers in the creative arts, Shuford and Hanna don’t always see steady income, even when working on Broadway. The Houston-based couple, known as

Marko Klaric / EyeEm | EyeEm | Getty Images Americans are eager to travel this summer despite inflation-strapped budgets. “They’re booking flights, hotels, rental cars, vacation homes,” said Hopper economist Hayley Berg. “They are also exhibiting deal-seeking behavior.” The overall price of travel is up 16% from this time in 2019, according to the NerdWallet

Jonathan Raa | Nurphoto | Getty Images Bitcoin has rallied amid news about possible spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds and other big names entering the digital currency space — and financial experts have tips for investors who want a piece of the action. The price of bitcoin topped $30,000 on Wednesday as traders grew bullish about

Images By Tang Ming Tung | Digitalvision | Getty Images Workers saw their buying power grow in May for the first time in two years, as inflation continues to fall from its pandemic-era peak. If the trend continues, it’d be welcome news for households, who could lean more on their paychecks instead of their savings

The Washington Post | The Washington Post | Getty Images Within two weeks, the Supreme Court justices should break for their summer recess. And yet there’s been no ruling on President Joe Biden’s sweeping student loan forgiveness plan. For many borrowers, it’s been an anxious wait. “Waiting to hear whether or not it will pass