Personal finance

Simonskafar | E+ | Getty Images President Joe Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law on Tuesday, the largest climate spending package in U.S. history. The legislation earmarks $369 billion for climate and energy policies, including financial incentives for consumers and businesses that take steps to boost energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Cost is now the No. 1 factor when it comes to choosing a college. As a new application season gets underway, families are increasingly concerned about the rising price of tuition and whether a four-year degree is worth it.  For the 2021-2022 academic year, annual tuition and fees plus room and board at in-state public

People stand in line at a Social Security Office in Pasadena, California. Mario Anzuoni | Reuters People who face long waits for service at the Social Security Administration’s field offices have had to contend with one more complication this summer — intense heat. That prompted leaders of the House Ways and Means Committee to send

Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) joins activists in a demonstration outside an entrance to the White House calling for the cancellation of student debt in Washington, U.S., April 27, 2022. Evelyn Hockstein | Reuters Planning his budget for next month, Scott Heins doesn’t know if he’ll have the usual cash he needs for his health-care expenses

The Good Brigade | Digitalvision | Getty Images A new legislative package signed into law by President Joe Biden on Tuesday is a big win for Medicare patients who struggle to cover the cost of insulin to manage their diabetes. But the bill, called the Inflation Reduction Act, falls short of applying those cost controls

Getty Images By now, you probably know that prices for new cars have been climbing at a brisk pace, along with many other consumer goods, in the midst of high inflation. The average cost of a car is an estimated $45,869, according to a recent joint forecast from J.D. Power and LMC Automotive. Adding to

The Chantilly Campus of ITT Technical Institute sits closed and empty on Sept. 6, 2016, in Chantilly, Virginia. The Washington Post | The Washington Post | Getty Images The U.S. Department of Education announced Tuesday that it will cancel all remaining federal student debt taken on by borrowers who were defrauded by ITT Technical Institute

Rep. John Larson, D-Conn., and other lawmakers discuss the Social Security 2100 Act, which would include increased minimum benefits, on Capitol Hill on Oct. 26, 2021. Drew Angerer | Getty Images News | Getty Images Social Security crossed a new milestone when it reached its 87th anniversary on Sunday. The program was signed into law

Skynesher | E+ | Getty Images Consumers looking to buy a new car may need to clear more room in their budgets for it. For new vehicles, the average auto loan is for 70.4 months (less than two months shy of six years) and monthly payments have climbed past $700 for the first time ever,

A decision from the White House on federal student loan forgiveness could be just days away. Yet current high school students will still struggle with how to pay for college without taking on too much debt. With tuition on the rise, most families rely on a combination of resources to make it work. Income and

seksan Mongkhonkhamsao Personal bankruptcy filings have fallen dramatically since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, but with interest rates rising and government relief waning, filing numbers will likely pick up through this year, say experts. “I’ve had more calls in the last few weeks than the previous six months,” said Charles Juntikka, a New York-based

WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 27: Student loan debt holders take part in a demonstration outside of the white house staff entrance to demand that President Biden cancel student loan debt. Jemal Countess | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images A number of big changes are coming for borrowers pursuing public service loan forgiveness. That program,

Getty Images The Inflation Reduction Act, passed by House Democrats on Friday and headed to President Joe Biden’s desk for his signature, is the most ambitious climate spending package in U.S. history — and households that take steps to improve their energy efficiency stand to reap financial benefits. The package would pump $369 billion into

Brothers91 | E+ | Getty Images Depending on how you get your health-care coverage, you may soon get a rebate from your insurer. An estimated 8.2 million policyholders are expected to receive a piece of $1 billion in rebates by Sept. 30 from various insurers, according to an estimate from the Kaiser Family Foundation. The

Families, parents and caregivers call on Congress to include paid family and medical leave in the Build Back Better legislative package during an all-day Nov. 2, 2021 vigil in Washington, D.C. Paul Morigi | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images Missing a week of work due to illness, child care or other obligations during Covid-19

Despite some indications of an economic slowdown, the job market remains remarkably stable, and many workers have reaped the benefits. In fact, a record number of employees quit their jobs, found new positions and renegotiated along the way. But not everyone who joined the so-called Great Reshuffle is better off. More than a quarter —

Evgenia Tsvirko / Getty More than a third of U.S. adults are dipping into their savings accounts to help them afford higher prices, new research shows. In the face of high inflation, 36% of people say they have withdrawn an average of $617 from their savings during the first six months of this year, according

Andrew Biggs, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute American Enterprise Institute When Andrew Biggs, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, was nominated by President Joe Biden to be a member of the Social Security Advisory Board in May, it came at an important inflection point for the program. A report subsequently released by

Rep. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., speaks during a news conference announcing the State and Local Taxes (SALT) Caucus outside the U.S. Capitol on April 15, 2021. Sarah Silbiger | Bloomberg | Getty Images After fighting to repeal the $10,000 limit on the federal deduction for state and local taxes, known as SALT, a group of House

Fizkes | Istock | Getty Images Almost 2,000 consumers who were conned into paying debts they didn’t owe are in the process of getting their money returned to them. More than $1 million, or an average of $516 for each payment, is being returned to the victims either via PayPal or a mailed check, the