Paul Burns | Getty Images Claiming Social Security retirement benefits early means locking in a lower benefit amount for life. Yet a recent survey of U.S. adults ages 26 and up by Nationwide Retirement Institute found that claiming early is exactly what many Americans are planning to do. The survey found 42% of respondents plan
Personal finance
Kevin Dodge | The Image Bank | Getty Images As inflation causes a spike in the cost of college, many parents may be concerned about higher tuition bills. A few tax breaks, however, may offer relief for cash-strapped families, financial experts say. While tuition and fees mostly remained flat during the pandemic, some colleges are
Glowimages | Glowimages | Getty Images It’s a good time to be an American traveling abroad. The value of the U.S. dollar has been at its strongest in years relative to many major global currencies of late— meaning travelers can buy more overseas than in the recent past. Put another way, Americans are effectively getting
“My goal was to get money,” said Adekunle Adedeji, a former romance scammer from Nigeria who goes by the name Chris. While Adedeji, 23, did not pose as a “Nigerian prince,” he did tap another long running internet fraud: the romance scam. Using someone else’s photos found on Instagram and pretending to be an American
In this article WFC Virojt Changyencham | Moment | Getty Images Nearly half of consumers holding a credit card with travel perks opened the card to chase the rewards — and a big share of them blew their budgets in the pursuit, according to a new survey. Specifically, 45% travel credit cardholders opened a card
skynesher With the stock market flashing more red than green these days and economists warning that the chances of a recession are rising, some investors may be eyeing the exit sign. But by leaving now you risk missing the best days of the market, experts say. “High volatility doesn’t mean only downside volatility,” said Veronica
Kateryna Onyshchuk | iStock | Getty Images If your income is trending much higher this year than you anticipated, it’s likely a welcome shift. However, for anyone who gets their private health insurance through the public marketplace, that extra cash could mean an unexpected tax bill when they prepare their 2022 return next spring. A
Marko Geber | DigitalVision | Getty Images After battling downturns in the stock and bond markets, more financial advisors looking to further diversify their clients are turning to alternative investments, according to a recent survey from Cerulli Associates. Falling outside of traditional asset classes, alternative investments are typically added to portfolios for more diversification, income generation and
Prostock-Studio | Getty Images It only takes a quick scroll through Instagram to see how many people are on vacation right now, going to concerts and enjoying amazing meals out. To be sure, “revenge tourism” — and “revenge spending” more broadly — has been surging, at least as far as social media is concerned. At
Jim Watson | AFP | Getty Images It’s no secret that used-car prices have skyrocketed over the last two years amid an industry turned upside down by supply-chain issues and reduced new-car inventory. But how much extra are consumers paying? An average of $10,046 more — 43% — than if typical depreciation expectations were in
Getty Images If your family has significant wealth, it’s now easier to avoid federal estate taxes, thanks to recent changes from the IRS. The IRS improved a strategy known as “portability,” used by high-net-worth married couples expecting to owe federal estate taxes when the second spouse dies. Here’s how it works: While a spouse may
Like many Americans, you may be worried we are heading into a recession. More than 6 out of 10 Americans — 62% — believe there will be a recession in the next year, according to the latest CNBC All America Economic survey conducted in early July. Older Americans in their late 50s and beyond feel
Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images In response to reports that the Biden administration could soon move to forgive student debt, Republican leaders warned Wednesday of “the perils” of such action. “It’s a giveaway to highly educated college grads,” said Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, ranking member of the House Ways and
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., questions Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen during the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee hearing on May 10, 2022. Tom Williams | Reuters Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., along with 22 more Democratic lawmakers, want to save millions of Americans time and money by pushing the IRS to create its own free
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau headquarters in Washington, D.C. Joshua Roberts/Bloomberg via Getty Images The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau plans to tighten rules around fraudulent money transfers via services like Zelle by pushing banks to repay more customers harmed by these alleged scams, according to a report published Tuesday in The Wall Street Journal. These
In this article DAL Tim Boyle | Getty Images News | Getty Images Air travel has been rocky this summer — and baggage problems factor among many other issues for travelers like flight cancellations and delays. Nearly 220,000 bags were “mishandled” by U.S. airlines in April 2022, meaning they were lost, damaged, delayed or stolen,
Getty Images With increased fears of a possible recession, investors seeking steady income may turn to stocks paying quarterly dividends, which are part of company profits sent back to investors. Historically, dividends have significantly contributed to an asset’s total return, sometimes providing a boost during economic downturns. From 1973 to 2021, companies paying dividends earned
Considering the impact of inflation, consumers are spending more on back-to-school supplies — and then some — as retailers pass along credit card fees in the form of higher prices. This year, total back-to-school spending is expected to match the 2021 record high of $37 billion, according to the National Retail Federation. The so-called swipe
In this article PRI Images By Tang Ming Tung | Stone | Getty Images The reality of inflation and the specter of a recession appear to be weighing heavily on middle-class households. Among those whose income falls in the $30,000-to-$100,000 range, 75% say their earnings are falling behind the cost of living, and 77% think
Carol Yepes | Moment | Getty Images Most federal student loan borrowers who’ve been pursuing public service loan forgiveness have faced some confusion and frustration along the way. The program, which allows those who work for the government or specific nonprofits to get their debt canceled after 10 years, has been plagued by problems. Borrowers