Personal finance

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

David Sachs | The Image Bank | Getty Images It’s no secret that the first half of 2022 has ushered in a lot of expensive changes for consumers: The S&P 500 Index fell 20.6% in the largest first half decline since 1970, pulling down investors’ portfolios with it. The Federal Reserve in June approved a

Pollyana Ventura | Istock | Getty Images The expanded child tax credit, and monthly payments that came with it, expired last year. But eligible Puerto Rico residents can still claim the sums of up to $3,600 per child. Now, Code for America, a non-profit tech organization, is making it possible for Puerto Rico residents to

Beyond highlighting the overwhelming burden of student loan debt, the last few years of economic turmoil have also shed light on the sky-high cost of college. “Sometimes students feel the sense of ‘My parents are going to make it work,'” said Jennifer Finetti, director of student advocacy at ScholarshipOwl. “I think a lot of students don’t

Morsa Images | DigitalVision | Getty Images For some retirees, there’s an extra cost associated with Medicare premiums that can ambush their household budgets. Most Medicare enrollees pay the standard premium amounts for Part B (outpatient care) and Part D (prescription drugs). Yet an estimated 7% of Medicare’s 64.3 million beneficiaries end up paying extra

Momo Productions | Digitalvision | Getty Images The pandemic-era surge in remote work may be an unlikely ally in the fight to tame stubbornly high inflation. As many employees have enjoyed commute-free workdays, less stress and better work-life balance, their employers have also benefited from remote work by paying lower wages than they otherwise might,

An activist holds a placard demanding a $15 an hour minimum wage and tips for restaurant workers during a rally to call for additional relief for restaurants in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 8, 2022. Mandel Ngan | AFP | Getty Images Record high inflation has pushed the value of the federal minimum wage down to

Westend61 | Westend61 | Getty Images The job market is still hot, but that won’t last forever. In fact, there have already been some signs of a shift, according to John P. Morgan, president of talent development and transition firm Lee Hecht Harrison. To be sure, the most recent data shows strong job growth in

In this article WTW Superb Images | The Image Bank | Getty Images In another sign of a tight labor market, U.S. companies plan to give workers their largest pay increase in 15 years in 2023, with an average bump of 4.1%. That’s the finding from a new survey by Willis Towers Watson, a compensation