Personal finance

“Spaving,” or spending more to save more, has become a dangerous habit for cash-strapped Americans amid elevated inflation and mounting debt. Though inflation eased in April, the consumer price index was still up 3.4% from a year prior.  Despite higher prices, Americans continue to spend. To that point, credit card debt reached $1.12 trillion in

Ippei Naoi | Moment | Getty Images Generation X is known as the sandwich generation because they sit between having a combination of financial or emotional responsibility for adult children and aging parents — in addition to managing their own current lifestyle aspirations and securing their retirement future. It’s a lot to deal with, and

Finance bros are having a moment. Just ask content creator Megan Boni, who posted a clip from her account @girl_on_couch on April 30 hashing out a new song. The lyrics are simply: “I’m looking for a man in finance, trust fund, 6’5”, blue eyes…” Her 20-second video has more than 38 million views and counting. A representative

SDI Productions | E+ | Getty Images A gradual cooling of the labor market has made it tougher to find a new job, but overall conditions are still favorable for job seekers. “Things have gotten competitive,” said Julia Pollak, chief economist at ZipRecruiter. “Don’t get discouraged; there are opportunities out there,” she added. “This is

Halfpoint Images | Moment | Getty Images The average 401(k) plan savings rate, including employee and company contributions, recently hit a record high — and the percentage is nearing a popular benchmark. During the first quarter of 2024, the combined 401(k) savings rate reached 14.2%, according to a quarterly Fidelity analysis of almost 26,000 corporate

D3sign | Moment | Getty Images Americans aren’t good at taking vacation. About 62% of workers say having a job with paid time off — for vacations or illness — is “extremely important” to them, more so than benefits like health insurance, a 401(k) plan or paid parental leave, according to a Pew Research Center

Last month, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau declared that buy now, pay later customers should have the same federal protections as users of credit cards. However, Marshall Lux, a fellow at the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government at the Harvard Kennedy School who studies BNPL, says the government’s latest guidance is already a few steps behind.

Peshkova | Getty Images From cash stuffing to loud budgeting, TikTok is chock-full of ways to build wealth — and more people are taking notice. Financial TikTok, also known as #FinTok, is now one of the most popular sources for financial information, tips and advice, particularly among Generation Z. With less access to professional advisors and

Early in her career, Kelly Harry worked at a major news organization in New York City as an account executive in ad sales. “I was making $40,000 a year, and I really thought that that was a lot of money at the time, until I had a casual conversation with my co-worker who was actually

Hurricane Irma strikes Miami, Florida, in 2017. Warren Faidley | Getty Images Hurricane season has officially begun. With scientists predicting yet another active year for storms, making your home hurricane resistant has become a more valuable precaution. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said in its forecast May 23 that it expects an 85% chance

Martin Barraud | Ojo Images | Getty Images Many Americans are likely familiar with financial thresholds that are adjusted for inflation each year. They include contribution limits to 401(k) plans, cost-of-living adjustments for Social Security benefits and federal income tax brackets, to name a few. These tweaks help households keep pace with the rising cost

Getty Images If you’re a higher earner and looking to boost tax-free retirement savings, there’s a lesser-known strategy that could be worth considering. While Roth individual retirement accounts offer tax-free growth and other benefits, some investors earn too much for direct contributions. For 2024, the adjusted gross income limits for Roth IRA contributions are $161,000 for

Blackcat | E+ | Getty Images Many consumers are finding it hard to keep up with their bills. To that point, 37% of Americans have been charged a late fee on some kind of bill in the last 12 months, according to a new report by NerdWallet. Credit card late fees were the most common,

Pixelseffect | E+ | Getty Images The pace of hiring remains strong for lower-earning Americans, holding steady above its pre-pandemic baseline even as the demand for higher-income workers has waned slightly, according to new data from Vanguard. The hires rate for the bottom third of workers by income (who earn less than $55,000 a year)

IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel testifies before the House Appropriations Committee in Washington, D.C., on May 7, 2024. Kevin Dietsch | Getty Images The IRS will expand Direct File, its free tax filing program, nationwide starting in 2025, the agency and the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced on Thursday. “After a successful pilot, we are

Alicia Silverstone stars in the 1995 film “Clueless.” Stringer | Array | Reuters Her character Cher Horowitz may have been best known for her shopping habit, but in real life, ”Clueless” star Alicia Silverstone said she never buys retail if she can help it. “Cher, she is such a consumer. We are actual opposites,” the sustainability advocate

Delaware College of Art and Design in Wilmington, Delaware. Google Earth The Delaware College of Art and Design is set to close, the institution announced on May 23, citing low enrollment numbers for the upcoming school year, due in part to issues with the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Experts have continuously warned that

Goodboy Picture Company | E+ | Getty Images For most Americans, living well in retirement depends on how much they can save in their working years. But for millions of older individuals, unpaid student loan debts may put that goal out of reach, according to new research from the Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis

Woman at home looking at the bills and taxes.  Hirurg | E+ | Getty Images As buy now, pay later programs become more common, some shoppers are using this payment structure to make ends meet. Americans owe $17.5 trillion across credit cards, mortgages, auto loans and other forms of debt, according to the Federal Reserve

Alessandro Biascioli | Istock | Getty Images When it comes to claiming Social Security retirement benefits, experts agree it’s generally best to delay. Yet many people still claim early — either at the earliest possible age of 62 or before their full retirement age. Those early claims result in reduced Social Security benefits for life.