Personal finance

Getty Images It’s never ideal to build up debt, but it may be necessary these days. The coronavirus outbreak has disrupted the economy. Businesses have shuttered and workers have been laid off or furloughed from their jobs. On April 2, the Labor Department reported 6.6 million people filed for unemployment the week prior — bringing the total

EmirMemedovski Homeowners whose finances have been battered by coronavirus might want to think again before postponing their mortgage payments. Congress has offered some relief to mortgage borrowers who are experiencing financial strain from the coronavirus pandemic, which has left a flood of layoffs in its wake. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act –

A Japanese male businessman typing on a laptop computer. kazuma seki Whether you were looking for a new job before the coronavirus pandemic hit or have lost your job because of it, one thing is clear: Getting hired now isn’t going to be so easy.  “We’re seeing a lot of interviews rescheduled or canceled,” said Emily

damircudic Stay … Assuming there’s no outstanding loan, ask yourself if there’s a chance you’ll return to this employer. “If yes, leave it alone,” Parks said. “There are provisions to let you rejoin the plan, and you will get credit for time served.” You could stay in the plan, most likely, if your account balance

If you already are paying on a loan from your 401(k) account and lose your job amid the coronavirus pandemic, that borrowed money could generate a tax bill you weren’t expecting. Although the latest round of economic rescue legislation provides relief for coronavirus-related withdrawals from 401(k) plans, loans that already have been in repayment are subject

Victor Maffe | iStock / 360 | Getty Images The government is just getting started in sending out $1,200 in stimulus relief money it promised to millions of Americans. Many already say it won’t be enough. A recent survey from SimplyWise, a retirement income technology company, found that 63% of respondents said they will need

Rolling coins is one way of teaching kids about money. Michelle Fox | CNBC With many schools shut down to protect against coronavirus exposure, many parents have found themselves in a new role: teacher. So why not add some personal finance to your lesson plans? “This is the most amazing opportunity for doing things with

Author Simon Sinek speaks on stage during the Massachusetts Conference For Women 2019 in Boston on Dec. 12, 2019. Marla Aufmuth/Getty Images for Massachusetts Conference for Women 2019 Motivational speaker and author Simon Sinek also prefers to include another title alongside his name: optimist. Sinek’s books include titles like, “Find Your Why: A Practical Guide

By every measure, the job market is getting grim. With many non-essential businesses forced to close, workers across the country are suddenly facing extended furloughs or lay-offs. The unemployment rate jumped to 4.4% — from 3.5% — its highest level since August 2017, and it will likely climb much higher. “There’s no avoiding a substantial rise in

Elenaleonova | Getty Images Online tax preparation service TurboTax has launched a free stimulus registration website so that Americans who do not typically file tax returns can get their relief checks faster. Millions of Americans are slated to get one-time government checks of up to $1,200 or $2,400, based on whether they are single or

Damircudic As the country grapples with an unprecedented pandemic that’s left millions of Americans unemployed, the U.S. Department of Education is giving most federal student loan borrowers a break from their monthly bills until at least October.  That reprieve started on March 13 and goes until Sept. 30. And during that time, no interest will

SIphotography | Getty Images It’s been about a week since Congress pushed through a new bill that will send $1,200 stimulus payments to millions of Americans. And your questions about who is eligible for that money and how soon it could arrive keep on coming. Individuals with adjusted gross income of up to $75,000 stand

Steven Mnuchin, U.S. Treasury secretary, speaks during a Coronavirus Task Force news conference at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Thursday, April 2, 2020. Kevin Dietsch | Bloomberg | Getty Images The Treasury Department changed the terms on some loans it’s offering to small businesses during the coronavirus pandemic, making them less favorable

In times of market downturns, many of the stocks that take a beating will eventually rebound. Others, not so much. For investors who have a big portion of their assets in one particular stock, the current drubbing may serve as a reminder that diversification matters. It might also be time to make sure you still

As millions of jobs are lost to the coronavirus pandemic, almost half of low-income Americans say they expect to burn through their savings within three months, according to a survey released Thursday. The government’s monthly employment numbers for March, due to be released Friday, are expected to show an unprecedented surge in layoffs by businesses

A customer pays with cash at a Best Buy store in Texas, United States, on November 26, 2010. Aaron M. Sprecher | Bloomberg | Getty Images If you’re counting the days until you receive your stimulus money from the government, hold tight: It could take up to five months. A House Ways and Means Committee

PeopleImages | E+ | Getty Images Restaurants and concert venues aren’t the only places that are off limits due to coronavirus. A visit to your tax professional is probably out of the question, too. States and localities have been imposing restrictions on social interactions as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to skyrocket: Thirty-eight states

Self-employed and gig workers may have to wait a little longer than other jobless Americans to get their unemployment benefits. The new coronavirus relief law significantly expanded the financial assistance it gives to out-of-work Americans, partly by expanding pay to groups of workers who were previously ineligible. But the claims-filing process for these groups has

NoDerog | iStock | Getty Images There may be a catch for individuals who typically don’t file a tax return but are expecting to receive a stimulus check. They may have to send a return to the government in order to get paid. New guidance was released on Monday by the IRS, which said there

shot of social security card Kameleon007 People who receive Social Security benefits and who do not submit tax returns will not have to file in order to get a government stimulus check. The announcement by the Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service on Wednesday night reverses earlier guidance that said those people would have to