Personal finance

Getty Images If you’re expecting a tax refund this season, you can avoid delays by filing a complete and accurate return. But first, you’ll need to gather your tax forms. You get tax forms such as W-2s and 1099s from employers and financial institutions each year. Those entities also send the IRS copies, called “information

Fg Trade | E+ | Getty Images Amazon, Google, Microsoft and Paramount are among a long list of companies with recent layoffs. Many of those unemployed workers are now trying to figure out how to get by without a paycheck. CNBC spoke to financial experts on the best way to use your financial resources while

Milos Dimic | E+ | Getty Images With various factors keeping homeownership out of reach for Americans, many aspiring homeowners are pessimistic, doubting they ever achieve that goal. Would-be buyers point to two major obstacles holding them back, according to a new Bankrate report. About half, 51%, point to a high cost of living, and

Brandon Bell | Getty Images News | Getty Images A handful of airlines — Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, JetBlue Airways and United Airlines — have raised their fees for checked bags this year. But if you plan ahead, such fees are easy to reduce or avoid altogether. On Friday, United raised its fee to $40

Alistair Berg | Digitalvision | Getty Images A record 8.7% cost-of-living adjustment helped Social Security beneficiaries stave off the effects of inflation in 2023. But as they file their federal returns this tax season, they may be surprised to find more of their benefit income has been taxed. Capitol Hill lawmakers on both sides of

Payment apps have come under scrutiny by lawmakers and regulators as their usage skyrockets. It only takes a tap to instantly send money to friends and family. Customers also use them to quickly buy goods online. That ease of use has 80% of Americans using mobile payment apps, according to a recent survey by NerdWallet.

Maskot | Digitalvision | Getty Images Several factors may affect your path towards homeownership — one may be your parents. “If your parents are homeowners, you’re more likely to be a homeowner,” said Susan M. Wachter, a professor of real estate and finance at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Homeowner parents are

Maskot | Digitalvision | Getty Images While homeownership is out of reach for many Black Americans, most still see it as a hallmark of success. About 66% of Black Americans consider themselves successful in some way, according to a recent study by the Pew Research Center. Slightly more than half of all those surveyed, 52%, believe

U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks at an event at Culver City Julian Dixon Library, in Culver City, California, U.S. February 21, 2024.  Kevin Lamarque | Reuters When Marlon Fox, a chiropractor in North Charleston, South Carolina, got his student debt forgiven last year, he was thrilled. His $119,500 balance was reset to zero. But the

Getting into college is hard enough, but figuring out how to pay for it is even trickier. Problems with the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid only add to the stress this year. “All of these different pieces create a concern about placement and affordability,” said Eric Greenberg, president of Greenberg Educational Group, a New

For a growing number of families, financial aid is crucial when it comes to paying for college. But students must first fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid to access most forms of assistance. And this year, the new 2024-25 form has been plagued by problems. There is a bit of good news for families who have saved,

  Sturti | E+ | Getty Images The cost of housing is generally expensive across the board for Americans, whether you’re a renter or an aspiring homeowner. While both home prices and rent have outpaced wage growth in most areas, renting can be the smarter financial choice in many markets, said Susan M. Wachter, a

Eclipse_images | E+ | Getty Images Many near retirees expect Social Security to be their largest source of income when they stop working. Yet those who are on the brink of their so-called golden years fall short when it comes to knowledge about the program’s rules and what they can personally expect, according to a

A Johnson, Vermont, resident removes items destroyed in flooding of a finished basement in 2023. Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images American basements are a hodgepodge of personal property, leveraged as storage units, man caves, game rooms, wine cellars, home bars and secondary living rooms. The problem is: If your basement floods, your flood

President Joe Biden speaks about his economic plan at the Flex LTD manufacturing plant in West Columbia, South Carolina, on July 6, 2023. Sean Rayford | Getty Images Since the Biden administration’s first student loan forgiveness plan was rejected at the Supreme Court, it has been working on creating a new, legally viable relief package.

Jose Luis Pelaez Inc With consumer prices still rising due to higher inflation, there is one way to save money that you may be overlooking: raising your credit score. Increasing your score from fair (580 to 669) to very good (740 to 799) may help you save $22,263 over the life of your credit and

  Klaus Vedfelt | Digitalvision | Getty Images This year, I want to be more intentional with my money. A lot of uncertainty lies ahead, especially as a Gen Z adult. We often “doom scroll” and read headlines about how the globe is becoming more uninhabitable with every passing day. While I sometimes question if

Marlon and his dog, George. Courtesy: Since 1988, Marlon Fox has been paying down his federal student debt. He didn’t see an end in sight. Then, on Aug. 25, 2023, an email popped up in his inbox with the subject line: “Your student loans have been forgiven!” His $119,500 balance was reset to zero. “I

Taking a financial education class in high school does pay off. In fact, there is a lifetime benefit of roughly $100,000 per student from completing a one-semester course in personal finance, according to a recent report by consulting firm Tyton Partners and Next Gen Personal Finance, a nonprofit focused on providing financial education to middle and

Olga Rolenko | Moment | Getty Images The nation’s largest credit card companies typically charge higher interest rates than small banks and credit unions — and switching may save the average cardholder hundreds of dollars a year, according to an analysis issued Friday by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. However, some consumers, depending on their