Personal finance

As the delta variant drives new Covid cases across country, the pandemic’s economic impact continues to weigh heavily on college enrollment. Now, with another class of undergraduates set to start classes in the fall, families are once again struggling with the cost. Nearly two-thirds of parents, or 63%, said their child’s post-high school plans have

Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty Images The IRS began issuing another 1.5 million tax refunds this week to people who received unemployment benefits in 2020. That adds to the nearly 9 million refunds, worth about $10 billion, the agency sent since May. Funds delivered by direct deposit this week started hitting bank accounts on Wednesday, and

teekid | E+ | Getty Images Although the national ban on evictions that’s been in effect for almost a year will expire tomorrow, there’s still time for struggling renters to apply for federal aid. Congress has allocated more than $45 billion in rental assistance to address the crisis, and only a sliver of the money

d3sign | Moment | Getty Images Around 4 million children in low-income families are at risk of not getting a monthly payment of the expanded child tax credit this year, according to a report published Thursday by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. The IRS began issuing monthly payments of the tax credit on

Yury Karamanenko | iStock Editorial | Getty Images The national ban on evictions will expire in two days, leaving the millions of Americans who are still behind on their rent at risk of being forced out of their homes. But some states will continue to limit the proceedings beyond July 31. In California, where as

Focqus, LLC | iStock | Getty Images President Joe Biden is calling on Congress to extend the national eviction ban set to expire in two days. “This moratorium prevented hundreds of thousands of Americans from experiencing the heartbreak, homelessness and health risks that too often emanate from evictions — particularly during a pandemic,” White House

The Federal Reserve said Wednesday it will keep its benchmark interest rate near zero despite signs inflation is heating up. While rising prices brought on by supply constraints and a sudden spike in consumer demand are paving the way for the Fed to unwind last year’s bond buying, the central bank said it is sticking with ultra-accommodative

People line up outside a newly reopened career center for in-person appointments in Louisville, Kentucky, U.S., April 15, 2021. Amira Karaoud | Reuters There’s good news for some who claimed unemployment benefits in 2020. The IRS is sending another 1.5 million refunds to people who were taxed on unemployment income last year before a portion

Westend61 | Westend61 | Getty Images Workers saw their hourly pay in June jump at the fastest clip in over a decade. Yet some of them saw those gains erased by high levels of inflation. “Real wages” — a measure of income after accounting for the cost of goods and services people buy — fell

A visual representation of digital currencies. Yuriko Nakao | Getty Images Even though it’s a highly volatile asset, cryptocurrency can help investors build wealth, especially if they invest in digital coins over the long-term.   It’s a portfolio play that’s gained traction in recent months and is catching up to stock trading as something that

andresr | E+ | Getty Images Millions of Americans are feeling a financial boost from federal stimulus checks and monthly child tax credit payments. Those direct checks were made possible by tax credits that were created or expanded through legislation aimed at helping the U.S. economy bounce back from Covid-19. And as Americans get used

In this article WMT A worker wearing a protective mask arranges shopping carts outside a Walmart store in Duarte, California, U.S., on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2020. David Swanson | Bloomberg | Getty Images In an effort to help curb soaring student loan debts, Walmart Inc. announced on Tuesday that it will pay 100% of college

Thomas Barwick | DigitalVision | Getty Images In July, the first of six monthly child tax credit payments went out to more than 35 million households with about 60 million kids, according to the IRS. The money is an advance on a 2021 credit and is an enhancement of the existing child tax credit. For

simonlong | Moment | Getty Images Consumer losses due to Covid-related fraud top $500 million, according to data from the Federal Trade Commission. The agency has received more than 558,000 complaints from consumers related to the pandemic since the start of 2020. About 60% of the complaints were associated with fraud, citing an aggregate loss

MoMo Productions You may have been intent on leaving your job, and then your current employer makes a counteroffer. Whether or not to accept depends on your situation. “Ultimately, the answer is going to be: What does your career need next? What options on the table are going to get you there? Are you going

lisegagne | E+ | Getty Images Barbarett Corbbins was relieved when she saw an extra $500 deposited into her bank account last week. She had received letters from the IRS that she was eligible for child tax credit payments for her two children, ages 10 and 17, but had forgotten when the money was to

A concert at Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre outside Denver. John P Kelly | The Image Bank Unreleased | Getty Images With the pandemic upending where Americans live and work, many now face the dizzying maze of income tax issues. However, workers in some industries, such as entertainment, have been dealing with these problems for

In this article MORN A_Carina | iStock | Getty Images Bonds are typically thought of as the safer part of an investors’ portfolio — a form of protection when the stock market gets unruly. Yet as inflation becomes a growing concern, that form of security is looking a little wobbly. “One of the single greatest

When Lawrence Carpenter was released from prison in 2001, he was determined to make a better life for himself and his family. Yet he knew that having a criminal record would make it tough to find a job. “I shouldn’t have to live in poverty for the rest of my life because I made a

Protesters surround the Los Angeles Superior Court on August 21, 2020 to prevent an upcoming wave of evictions in the city. Lucy Nicholson | Reuters Renters struggling with housing costs because of the pandemic have been shielded from eviction for nearly a year, but now the national ban on such proceedings will expire on July