Personal finance

U.S. households that already were less prepared to weather a financial storm are getting hit hardest from the recent rash of job losses across the country, research shows. Adults with lower income (under about $37,500 annually) and middle income ($37,500 to $112,600) comprise a greater share of those who have lost their job or taken

The sun sets behind a crude oil pump jack on a drill pad in the Permian Basin in Loving County, Texas, U.S. November 24, 2019. Angus Mordant | Reuters Stay-at-home orders aren’t only hitting mom-and-pop businesses. They’re also a driver behind the cratering price of oil. For example, the cost of a futures contract for

shot of social security card Kameleon007 The Covid-19 crisis has upended the U.S. economy. Now retirees may face another financial challenge: a lower Social Security cost-of-living adjustment in 2021. Based on data for the first quarter of 2020, the estimated Social Security COLA for 2021 could be just 0.8%, according to The Senior Citizens League,

Add child support and alimony to the list of obligations weighing on people during this coronavirus crisis. As household finances reel from unemployment, business shutdowns and stay-at-home orders, some individuals are reaching out to lawyers to explore their options for modifying those payments. “Anecdotally, [family law] attorneys are seeing a marked increase in inquiries for

freemixer | E+ | Getty Images Social Security beneficiaries who do not typically file tax returns have until tomorrow to tell the government to include their dependent children in their stimulus payments.  The U.S. government is in the process of deploying one-time checks of up to $1,200 to Americans who qualify, including those receiving Social

US Senator Chuck Schumer speaks at media briefing with mayor Bill de Blasio on first death related to COVID-19 outbreak in New York CIty at City Hall. Lev Radin | Pacific Press | Getty Images Congress is hashing out the terms for the next package of federal loans for small businesses, even as millions of

Pascal Broze | Getty Images  Millions of Social Security beneficiaries are eligible for coronavirus stimulus payments. But even as the first checks have started to go out, many still have questions as to when and how they will receive their money. Most individuals who receive Social Security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits are eligible

Raymond Boyd Some big restaurant chains have gotten called out in recent days for using a loophole in the $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief law to access loan money earmarked for smaller businesses. Potbelly Sandwich Shop, for example, got a $10 million loan from the Paycheck Protection Program — the upper lending limit. Ruth’s Chris Steak House got

Adam Hester America is a resilient nation. Americans are optimistic, innovative, forward-looking and compassionate. And when a crisis occurs, America’s best qualities shine through and burn brightly. We are in the midst of an unprecedented health crisis that has caused a momentous disruption to our nation’s and the world’s economy as businesses have been ordered

One conundrum that some investors face is how to capture the safety of bonds while trying to get in on riskier stock-like returns. Enter convertible bonds. These hybrid investments are corporate-issued bonds that pay interest — generally higher than U.S. Treasury rates but lower than those on regular corporate bonds. After a predetermined length of

miodrag ignjatovic Younger Americans are eager to eat and drink out in public again. They will, however, likely shy away in large numbers from festivals, sports venues and international trips for a while once conoravirus lockdowns are lifted across the U.S., perhaps preferring to shop online from home while waiting to see how vaccine trials

Deborah Harrison | Photographer’s Choice RF | Getty Images If you’re behind on your debts, your coronavirus stimulus check could be taken from you. Some states are fighting back to prevent that from happening. This week, Ohio Attorney General David Yost warned creditors that those one-time government checks are protected by state law from garnishment.

NoDerog | iStock | Getty Images Millions of Americans received stimulus checks from the U.S. government this week to help stave off the negative economic effects of the coronavirus. But many people are still asking: Where is my money? If you haven’t received your payment yet, take heart: Millions more Americans are slated to receive

Empty desks and chairs in a high key cafeteria room with no people during corona virus pandemic. Giulio Fornasar Samantha Costanza was furloughed in March by her company, which designs merchandise for Broadway shows, all of which are now closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.  “I had not heard of the term ‘furlough’ before, and assumed

andresr/Getty Images This week was supposed to include Tax Day, when personal income taxes are traditionally due. Instead, it marked a different big milestone: the beginning of the coronavirus stimulus payments. Now, Congress has updated its timeline on when subsequent rounds of payments can be expected. Here’s the latest, according to the House Ways and

Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin speaks with President Donald J. Trump and members of the coronavirus task force during a briefing in response to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic on Thursday, April 02, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images) The Washington Post Veterans and their family members will

The seal of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) hangs on a podium during an IRS Criminal Investigation 100th year anniversary event at the agency’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Monday, July 1, 2019. Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images Bloomberg An unlikely group counts itself among the recipients of the coronavirus stimulus checks: the

Don’t count on being able to get emergency cash from your 401(k) account, even if a new law says you can. While the recently passed CARES Act included provisions to make it easier to access your retirement money penalty free for coronavirus-related reasons, it’s up to employers whether to implement the legislative changes. And at

Wondering where your coronavirus stimulus payment is? The delay could be due to a glitch related to your tax preparation service. A new report from The Washington Post on Thursday estimates that millions of Americans could still be waiting to see their stimulus money if they previously filed their taxes with companies like TurboTax, H&R

A view of new York State Department of labor office in Flushing Queens during coronavirus pandemic on April 12, 2020. More than 10% american workers have applied for unemployment benefits as of April 11, 2020. (Photo by John Nacion/NurPhoto via Getty Images) NurPhoto Americans are filing for unemployment benefits in record numbers, and scammers are