Hill Street Studios | DigitalVision | Getty Images Estate planning isn’t only for the wealthy — yet the majority of Americans don’t have a plan in place. Plans may include a will, powers of attorney and a living will — also known as an advance directive. Less than one-third of Americans have one or more
Personal finance
Mary Alexander Source: Mary Alexander Mary Alexander doesn’t make New Year’s resolutions. Instead, the 40-year-old looks back at the past year to help guide her forward. “I hope to have revelations about what’s happened in the year,” said Alexander, who is mom to three kids ages 7 to 17 and lives in Red Hook, New
mphillips007 | iStock Unreleased | Getty Images The Mega Millions jackpot has surged higher. After no ticket matched all six numbers drawn on Friday, the top prize is now $432 million for the next drawing on Tuesday night. Powerball’s jackpot is at $384 million for Saturday night’s drawing. While the chance of a single ticket
The government’s stimulus response to the pandemic may accelerate the trend of companies offering student loan assistance as a benefit. Mark Chilton | iStock | Getty Images Student loan assistance, which started as a niche offering by a handful of companies, was already finding its way into the mainstream menu of workplace benefits before Covid
Millions of Americans report not having enough money to pay for food during the pandemic. Michael Loccisano | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images The latest Covid relief package expands food benefits, giving further aid to millions of Americans who are facing financial difficulty because of the coronavirus pandemic. The $900 billion stimulus bill signed
Around 60% of the workforce has become remote amid the coronavirus pandemic. champja The coronavirus upended the way many workers do their job — whether in person or from home — and increased the time they spend doing it. In 2020, the average workday lengthened by nearly an hour, according to a working paper published by the National
Hispanolistic The latest round of $600 stimulus checks is on the way, but for people who either changed their bank account information or moved recently, the next payment may be delayed. The IRS has already started the process of issuing the checks through direct deposit, and some people have already noticed the payment pending in
Mike Molitoris received the second stimulus check via direct deposit on Wednesday. The pending funds will be available to use Jan. 4. Mike Molitoris Mike Molitoris, a wealth manager in Cary, North Carolina, heard that checks were being issued via direct deposit on the radio while he and his family were out seeing Christmas lights
Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images Morgan Stanley will repay $1.7 million to customers who paid high costs on investments earmarked for education expenses like college tuition. The brokerage firm is paying the sum, including nearly $1.5 million in restitution plus interest, to about 2,300 customers who are saving money in 529 plans, the Financial Industry
Igor Golovniov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images Dead people may get some of the $600 stimulus checks the federal government began issuing Tuesday night. That would mirror what happened this past spring, when deceased individuals were among the recipients of a prior round of direct payments, of up to $1,200 per person. More than 1 million
People wait in line at the Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen on Dec. 15, 2020 in New York City. Robert Nickelsberg | Getty Images Finally, there’s some good news for the millions of people on two key unemployment programs that expired before President Donald Trump signed the latest Covid relief bill — they likely will not
Ty Wright | Bloomberg | Getty Images For car buyers, the end of the year typically marks the best time to get a great deal. Things look a bit different this time around. While there are still discounts and special financing on certain makes and models, those incentives generally are not as generous as in
Chip Somodevilla | Getty Images After months of back-and-forth negotiations, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle agreed on another stimulus package that includes direct payments to many Americans for $600. Then President Donald Trump shocked Washington when he called the package a “disgrace” and suggested he wouldn’t approve of the bill unless the checks were
Federal stimulus checks are prepared for printing at the Philadelphia Financial Center May 8. Jeff Fusco | Getty Images News | Getty Images Another round of stimulus payments is on the way for the millions of Americans financially struggling because of the public health crisis. President Donald Trump on Sunday night signed a $900 billion
Volunteers from Forgotten Harvest food bank at a mobile pantry distribution before Christmas in Warren, Michigan, on Dec. 21, 2020. Emily Elconin | Reuters President Donald Trump signed the $900 billion coronavirus relief bill on Sunday, solidifying another round of aid to Americans. Still, millions of families are staring down a gap in benefits that
A drive-in “Let’s Feed LA County” food distribution event hosted by the Los Angeles Food Bank on Dec. 4, 2020 in Hacienda Heights, California. FREDERIC J. BROWN | AFP | Getty Images However, states must wait to begin issuing the funds. The president’s signature starts a chain reaction that will likely end with workers getting
Bill Clark | CQ-Roll Call, Inc. | Getty Images $600 a week When Congress issued a $600-a-week boost to unemployment benefits in the spring, as part of the CARES Act, the backlash was swift and fierce. The goal of the infusion, coupled with typical state benefits, was to fully replace lost wages for the average
AleksandarNakic | E+ | Getty Images The year is almost over. Yet you still have time to make some financial moves and set the stage for a fresh start in 2021. While there are timely tax savings to consider, it’s also a good time to assess your budget and other money matters. “We, as human
Frederic J. Brown | AFP | Getty Images Mega Millions players can let the daydreaming continue. With no one hitting all six numbers drawn Friday, the jackpot has jumped to an estimated $376 million. And Powerball, with the next drawing set for Saturday night, is at $341 million. Of course, due to taxes, those advertised
Federal stimulus checks are prepared for printing at the Philadelphia Financial Center May 8. Jeff Fusco | Getty Images News | Getty Images Americans likely won’t see $2,000 stimulus checks, and those $600 direct payments may be further delayed. House Republicans on Thursday blocked an attempt by Democrats to pass $2,000 checks, an amount President