Personal finance

Image Source | Vetta | Getty Images Social Security retirement benefits provide guaranteed monthly income for the duration of your retirement. But when you die, your checks stop coming. “You only get Social Security while you’re alive,” said Bruce Tannahill, a director of estate and business planning with MassMutual. Surveys show retirees are tempted to

In many cases, applying early to college can give you an edge. By demonstrating a preference for a particular college, studies have shown, an early application can boost your standing, which goes a long way in the hyper-competitive world of college admissions. “There is certainly an admissions strategy with applying early,” said Shannon Vasconcelos, senior

Student loan forgiveness advocates rally outside the U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C., after the nation’s high court struck down President Joe Biden’s student debt relief program, June 30, 2023. Kent Nishimura | Los Angeles Times | Getty Images Ryan Moran, a nurse in Jacksonville, Florida, hasn’t thought about his federal student loans in

If you’re making $65,000 per year, saving $1 million for retirement might seem out of reach. But with a little dedication and the right timing, it’s certainly possible — if you stick to a clear plan. As a rule of thumb, most financial advisors suggest that you save 10% to 15% of your salary for

The one-year rule is an “archaic belief,” according to career expert Sarah Doody. Courtneyk | E+ | Getty Images PHOENIX — If you’re saving for retirement with a 401(k) or individual retirement account, it’s easy to lose money to taxes and penalties when moving money between accounts. A lot of investors make costly rollover mistakes

Office communication is becoming far more casual, and Gen Z is leading the shift, new research has found. Aleksandargeorgiev | E+ | Getty Images Generation Z is embracing frequent job changes, or job hopping, as a career approach. In fact, 83% of surveyed Gen Z workers consider themselves job hoppers, according to ResumeLab, which polled

U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks at Prince George’s Community College on September 14, 2023 in Largo, Maryland. Kevin Dietsch | Getty Images The Biden administration announced on Friday the next step in its new plan to cancel people’s student debt after the Supreme Court struck down its original policy in June. The U.S. Department

Tim Robberts | Digitalvision | Getty Images When it comes to money, women tend to think of themselves as savers rather than investors. Having that perspective can affect women’s ability to grow wealth over time. “The biggest risk to women’s portfolios is that we don’t take enough risk,” said Nancy Tengler, CEO and chief investment

Increasingly, your earnings potential varies greatly depending on your choice of major in college. “Even more so than the school itself, choosing a major is key in determining what skills a graduate can perform out of school, and what types of professions they’re qualified for,” said Jackson Gruver, data analyst at Payscale. “Ultimately, the degree

When Jacynthe Riviere graduated from college with an accounting degree, “there were plenty of jobs,” she said — and “the big firms paid well.” The year was 1984. Riviere, now 61 and living in Puerto Rico, made roughly $18,000 in her first position as a staff auditor — the equivalent of more than $53,000 today

Twenty/20 For many Americans, October is a time for seasonal decorating and pumpkin spice lattes. This year, it also marks the resumption of student loan payments at a point when U.S. households are already struggling to make ends meet amid high inflation and higher interest rates. And yet, just as millions of borrowers face their

President Joe Biden walks with Labor Secretary Marty Walsh before an event in the Rose Garden of the White House on Sept. 15, 2022. Anna Moneymaker | Getty Images News | Getty Images A Biden administration ESG rule for workplace retirement plans survived a recent court challenge by 26 red states. But the most significant

Bloomberg Creative | Bloomberg Creative Photos | Getty Images A government shutdown looms over this coming weekend. If it does occur, a shutdown would pose far-reaching and potentially severe financial risks for American households. Those risks — everything from delayed paychecks and federal benefits to long waits at airports and skeleton customer service crews at

After a prolonged period of high inflation and higher interest rates, Americans are just getting by. As of August, 60% of adults said they are living paycheck to paycheck, according to a new LendingClub report, unchanged from last year. Recent data is painting a mixed picture of where the economy stands. Inflation has shown some signs of cooling but the

A student debt relief activist outside the U.S. Supreme Court on June 30, 2023. Kevin Dietsch | Getty Images Two big events could soon coincide: The U.S. federal government is poised to shut down just as student loan bills restart after a pause of more than three years. With lawmakers thus far unable to strike

A general view of the U.S. Capitol, where Congress will return Tuesday to deal with a series of spending bills before funding runs out and triggers a partial U.S. government shutdown, in Washington, D.C. Sept. 25, 2023. Jonathan Ernst | Reuters Washington lawmakers are scrambling to pass a spending bill before an Oct. 1 deadline.

Customers browse in a used car lot on Feb. 15, 2023 in Glendale, California. Mario Tama | Getty Images News | Getty Images As recently as 2019, used car shoppers could find a 3-year-old vehicle for about $23,000. That’s less likely today — in terms of both age and price. Pandemic-era manufacturing issues have since

Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., speaks to a crowd during a presidential campaign kickoff event at Charleston Southern University on May 22, 2023. The Washington Post | The Washington Post | Getty Images At a campaign event earlier this month in Fort Dodge, Iowa, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina said former president Ronald Reagan had it

Courtneyk | E+ | Getty Images Americans are at risk of falling short of what they may need to live on financially in retirement. One potential reason is lifestyle creep, or the tendency to upgrade your lifestyle as you earn more. An upgrade people are often tempted to make – the purchase of a second

Jose Luis Pelaez Inc | Digitalvision | Getty Images There are a lot of opportunities to minimize your tax burden when it comes to retirement planning. Of course, making the most of tax-advantaged accounts is a key aspect of any retirement strategy. Some employer-sponsored plans such as 401(k)s allow you to make contributions on either