Personal finance

Fg Trade | E+ | Getty Images Rising inventory is helping push rent prices down. For young adults, building credit is a smart step to take as they prepare to enter the rental housing market. The median U.S. asking rent price in December was $1,964, a 0.8% decline from a year ago, according to real

When employees who contribute to a 401(k) plan leave a company, they have options for what to do with that money.  Depending on what the employer retirement savings plan allows, exiting employees may be able to keep the money in the current plan, roll it over into an IRA, or buy an annuity. In some cases,

Laguna Beach, California Luciano Lejtman | Moment | Getty Images When most people think of Laguna Beach, California, they think of its scenic coves and beaches. But the small coastal city — with a population of around 22,600 — is also pioneering a new model for elder care. About 77% of adults ages 50 and

Abraham Gonzalez Fernandez | Moment | Getty Images Student debt often makes it harder for people to save for retirement. But that may soon change. A provision in the Secure 2.0 Act of 2022, which had a delayed effective date of Jan. 1, 2024, allows employers to match workers’ student loan payments with contributions to

US President Joe Biden speaks at Montgomery County Community College in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, on January 5, 2024. Mandel Ngan | AFP | Getty Images The Biden administration announced on Friday it would soon begin forgiving the student loans of borrowers who have been in repayment for a decade or more and originally took out

Ryanjlane | E+ | Getty Images People often start the year by revisiting their budgets with a resolution to save money and cut back on discretionary spending. Yet, experts say hobbies shouldn’t be the first category to go. Americans on average spent $3,458 on entertainment in 2022, according to the most recent Consumer Expenditures report

Jackyenjoyphotography | Moment | Getty Images The start of 2024 has not been kind to workers in industries that opened the year with layoffs. Google has cut several hundred jobs in its central engineering, hardware and assistant teams. Amazon is shedding hundreds of positions across its Prime Video, MGM Studios, Twitch livestreaming and Audible divisions.

Westend61 | Westend61 | Getty Images The fourth quarter estimated tax deadline is Jan. 16, and you could have a surprise bill or owe a penalty if you don’t send a payment, according to the IRS. While many employers withhold levies from every paycheck, other income — such as freelancing, small business or investment earnings

Xavier Lorenzo | Moment | Getty Images One of the major benefits of the Biden administration’s new student repayment plan is that it cancels the debt for certain borrowers — those who took out $12,000 or less — after a decade in repayment. Under the old plans, loan forgiveness didn’t come until 20 years or 25

Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former biotech executive Vivek Ramaswamy pose together onstage at the third Republican candidates’ U.S. presidential debate of the 2024 U.S. presidential campaign hosted by NBC News at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami, Florida, U.S., November 8, 2023.  Mike Segar

In this article BTC.CM= Follow your favorite stocksCREATE FREE ACCOUNT Recep-bg | E+ | Getty Images The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday approved the first U.S. spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds. But experts urge caution before piling into the long-awaited ETFs. The agency signed off on 11 bitcoin ETF applications, including funds from BlackRock,

Consumers shop in Rosemead, California, on December 12, 2023. Frederic J. Brown | Afp | Getty Images The annual inflation rate edged higher in December following two months of declines. However, that reversal likely isn’t cause for concern — and may be somewhat misleading, economists said. “We’re still making progress in the inflation fight,” said

Erin Collins, national taxpayer advocate at the Taxpayer Advocate Service, speaks at a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing in Washington, D.C., on May 19, 2021. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images After a few difficult years, the IRS has boosted taxpayer service and technology with an infusion of funding. But there’s still room for improvement —

Mihtiander | Getty Images People age 50 and older are nearing the final stretch when it comes to planning for retirement. Yet, 62% of those in that age cohort have not consulted a professional to help plan for their golden years, according to a recent survey from AARP. The top answer for why, with 41%,

Consumer spending remained remarkably resilient throughout 2023, even in the face of prolonged inflation and high interest rates. But that’s unlikely to continue, according to Jack Kleinhenz, chief economist at the National Retail Federation. “A year ago, many commentators were skeptical and calling for a recession, but the recession never came. With each passing month,

A customer visits a supermarket in San Mateo, California, on Dec. 12, 2023. Li Jianguo | Xinhua News Agency | Getty Images Inflation is retreating from its pandemic-era highs. Economic jargon yields two similar terms — “deflation” and “disinflation” — that might describe this pullback. So, which is the U.S. experiencing? In short: disinflation. What

Japanese baseball player Shohei Ohtani attends a press conference on his presentation after signing a 10-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles, California, on Dec. 14, 2023. Frederic J. Brown | AFP | Getty Images Roughly a month after Shohei Ohtani signed a $700 million contract with Major League

In this article ABNB Follow your favorite stocksCREATE FREE ACCOUNT Alexandrea Ravenelle, author of “Side Hustle Safety Net.” Courtesy: Alexandrea Ravenelle Alexandrea Ravenelle studies the decline of the one-job era. The sociologist chronicles the spread of the gig economy and the rise of “poly-working,” or working multiple jobs. Ravenelle points to research by the Federal

The United States Capitol building is seen in Washington D.C., United States on October 4 , 2023.  Yasin Ozturk | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images Congress took a step toward avoiding a looming government shutdown when it reached an agreement Sunday on top-line spending. Even if lawmakers fail to finalize an agreement by the necessary

IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel testifies before the Senate Finance Committee on April 19, 2023. Chip Somodevilla | Getty Images The tax season officially kicks off Jan. 29, which marks the first day the IRS will accept and process 2023 tax returns, the IRS announced Monday. Most taxpayers must file federal returns and pay balances by