Personal finance

Smoke in the Blue Mountains of Australia after a forest fire. Andrew Merry | Moment | Getty Images If you’re like most Americans, you worry about global warming. Yet it can be hard to know how to channel that anxiety into action that will help the planet. One fairly simple way to make a difference

No-Mad | iStock | Getty Images A bipartisan coronavirus aid deal that lawmakers struck on Sunday will extend the national eviction moratorium through January and establish a rental assistance fund of $25 billion. The relief comes as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s eviction moratorium was set to expire at the end of the

Student loan borrowers won’t get more time to pay their bills in the stimulus deal. Ines Fraile | iStock | Getty Images Americans were already struggling with their student loans before the pandemic hit and drove up unemployment, with more than 1 in 4 borrowers in delinquency or default. Outstanding student loan debt in the U.S. has

Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images Unemployed workers would get an extra 11 weeks of jobless benefits and a $300 weekly enhancement to aid payments as part of a Covid relief deal Congress reached Sunday. Certain self-employed and gig workers would also get an extra $100 a week, according to a document summarizing the legislation. The

Window shoppers view holiday decorations at the Williams & Sons Country Store in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, on Dec. 13, 2020. Joseph Prezioso | AFP | Getty Images While the Covid crisis has boosted the wealth of many of the richest Americans, it has made some reconsider their holiday spending. Nearly a quarter of millionaires surveyed for

wera Rodsawang | Moment | Getty Images As you check off your to-do list for the end of the year, don’t forget to look at your retirement savings. Whether it is an individual retirement account, an employer-sponsored plan like a 401(k) or a brokerage account, assessing your portfolio is crucial. That means checking to see

Randy Chase, 57, does masonry work on construction crews. With unemployment benefits stalled since April and no savings left, he’s been living in his pickup truck outside of Denver since September, using an electric heater to keep warm. Randy Chase Randy Chase has lived in his pickup truck for months. Luckily, the tiny cab of

Getty | Johner Images U.S. retirement savers may want to look to their elders for a cautionary tale about racking up debt: It might be with you well into your golden years. The share of people age 75 or older who lead a household and carry debt jumped to 51.4% in 2019 from 41.3% in

Sarah Silbiger | Bloomberg | Getty Images Millions of Americans are poised to receive second stimulus checks. Yet a fight is taking place on Capitol Hill over how much money will be included in any payments. The latest proposals include direct payments of $600 per person. In contrast, the first round of checks sent out

Getty Images The coronavirus pandemic is slamming the most vulnerable Americans, pushing many into financially precarious situations. The best way to combat the financial fragility that’s brought on by such an event is helping Americans build and maintain an emergency savings fund, according to experts. But most people need the support of the government and

Tom Brenner | Reuters A second set of stimulus checks could be in the works for millions of Americans, based on Congress’ ongoing negotiations for more coronavirus relief legislation. But a fight is brewing over the amount that will be written on those checks. Currently, those talks point to new direct payments to Americans of

It’s the season of giving — and New England Patriots linebacker Brandon Copeland is doing his part. This holiday season, he got together with 19 other current and former NFL players to surprise 200 underserved families each with $800 Amazon gift cards. The total giveaway: $160,000. The players are “guys who we are literally competing

XiFotos | E+ | Getty Images If you planned to max out your 401(k) or other employer-sponsored retirement plan before the end of the year, you’ve likely run out the clock. An employee contribution deadline is Dec. 31 or the year’s final paycheck. Employers generally need a few weeks to process requests such as putting

Getty Images It’s looking more likely that direct payments to Americans will be included in the new coronavirus aid Congress aims to pass before lawmakers head home for the holidays. Those stimulus checks could be around $600 to $700 per individual, Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., told reporters on Wednesday. That’s just about half of the

Although a second stimulus plan is still up in the air, the Federal Reserve is determined to push consumer borrowing costs even lower as the economic recovery takes hold — giving everyday Americans a reason to be optimistic. In addition to holding interest rates near zero, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said Wednesday the central bank will continue

Getty Images There’s still a chance — though small — that some Medicare beneficiaries could receive some money to help with prescription drug costs. Nearly three months after President Donald Trump announced his intent to send $200 drug-discount cards to millions of people on Medicare, the stalled plan has cleared one big hurdle: An industry

Hero Images | Hero Images | Getty Images The coronavirus pandemic threw everyone for a loop in 2020. And as the year winds down, it’s time to reflect, reset and prepare for 2021. It may be especially important for families to assess their financial health for the new year. The coronavirus pandemic had a major

Bill Clark | CQ-Roll Call, Inc. | Getty Images The Covid relief bill released Monday by a bipartisan group of senators has many helpful — if temporary — provisions for unemployed workers, according to experts. The relief package — which, if passed, would be the first since the CARES Act in early spring — extends

Ergin Yalcin | E+ | Getty Images For the nation’s oldest individuals who are eager for protection against Covid, the waiting game has commenced. Shipment of 2.9 million doses of the first U.S.-authorized coronavirus vaccine began Sunday, headed for hundreds of sites around the country. With initial supply limited — the total U.S. population is

Erin Scott | Reuters Capitol Hill lawmakers are wrestling with a big question that’s plagued them for months: How to put together another coronavirus relief package that will garner enough support from both parties. On Monday, a new $908 billion bipartisan proposal aims to do just that, except it lacks one key area of aid