Personal finance

If you’re making $80,000 per year, the thought of racking up $1 million for retirement might seem daunting. But with a little dedication and the right timing, it’s likely within reach — if you stick to a clear plan. As a rule of thumb, most financial advisors suggest that you save 10% to 15% of

Getty Images If you want a good deal on airfare for the fall and winter holidays, get ready to book. “The best time to book is between today and the second week of October, as prices are low and there are a lot of seats left to book,” Hayley Berg, lead economist at Hopper, said Thursday.

Between inflation and economic instability, Americans have depleted most of what they had in their savings accounts. More than half of all Americans now live paycheck to paycheck and most adults — 57% — cannot afford a $1,000 emergency expense, a Bankrate survey from earlier this year found. Meanwhile, experts say having a cash reserve is

Members of the United Auto Workers (UAW) union hold a practice picket in front of Stellantis headquarters in Auburn Hills, Michigan, on September 20, 2023.  Bill Pugliano | Getty Images Regardless of the outcome, the United Auto Workers strike threatens to cause already high car prices to escalate. After the Big Three automakers — Ford,

Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images The “summer of strikes” needs a new name — there is no sign of a slowdown in workers walking off the job this fall. Some 362,000 workers have gone on strike so far in 2023, compared with 36,600 over the same period in 2021, according to data by Johnnie

In this article CAMLX Follow your favorite stocksCREATE FREE ACCOUNT Ascentxmedia | Istock | Getty Images WASHINGTON — Millions of Americans look forward to claiming Social Security retirement benefits after years of paying into the program. But Social Security beneficiaries face the possibility of an across-the board benefit cut of at least 20% in the

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau headquarters in Washington, D.C., on May 14, 2021. Andrew Kelly | Reuters The Biden administration wants to remove medical debt completely from consumer credit reports, so the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on Thursday outlined its proposed rules to keep unpaid medical bills from affecting patient’s credit scores. One in 5

In this article RDFN Follow your favorite stocksCREATE FREE ACCOUNT Twenty/20 Girls and young women want to be homeowners by the time they’re 30 — a higher priority even than getting married or earning a lot of money. About half, 52%, of young women ages 7 to 21 want a house by 30, the most

Credit cards are practically charging “loan shark interest rates” after hitting historic highs this year, said Barry Glassman, a certified financial planner and member of CNBC’s Advisor Council. A credit card’s interest rate is the price consumers pay to borrow money. It’s most commonly expressed as a yearly rate — the annual percentage rate, or

The Federal Reserve left its target federal funds rate unchanged Wednesday, but did not signal an end to its aggressive rate hike campaign. For households, that offers little relief from sky-high borrowing costs. Altogether, Fed officials have raised rates 11 times in a year and a half, pushing the key interest rate to a target range of 5.25%

A sign marks the location of the University of Phoenix Chicago Campus in Schaumburg, Illinois. Getty Images The Biden administration announced on Wednesday that it would cancel nearly $37 million in student debt for more than 1,200 students who attended the University of Phoenix. The relief will go to many borrowers who applied for borrower

Hannah Williams poses for her Salary Transparent Street on TikTok Credit: Hannah Williams of Salary Transparent Street For most people, asking others “What do you do for a living?” is just one part of everyday small talk. But for Hannah Williams, posing that question to strangers is, in fact, what she does for a living.

Jose Miguel Sanchez | Istock | Getty Images Federal student loan repayment is set to restart in October following a pandemic hiatus that has been in place since March 2020. Millions of Americans will be on the hook to make monthly payments on those debts, including some Social Security beneficiaries. But if those debtors fall

Woman going over her finances Damircudic | E+ | Getty Images Ready or not, student loan bills are restarting in a matter of weeks. Most borrowers haven’t made a payment on their education debt since Donald Trump was president and the coronavirus was starting to spark concerns. The pause on the bills and the accrual

Svyatoslav Balan | Getty Almost regardless of how much you have in the bank, it’s hard to feel financially secure. Across the board, households are facing surging child-care costs, ballooning auto loans, high mortgage rates and record rents amid economic uncertainty and recessionary fears. Of those with more than $1 million in investable assets, as many

IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel testifies before a Senate Finance Committee hearing on Feb. 15, 2023. Kevin Lamarque | Reuters As the IRS pauses on processing new claims for a pandemic-era small business tax break, some filers are in limbo as the agency works on further guidance. The IRS on Thursday temporarily halted processing for amended payroll

Artistgndphotography | E+ | Getty Images The Federal Reserve is likely to pause its aggressive interest rate hikes when it meets this week, experts predict. But consumers may not feel any relief. The central bank has already raised interest rates 11 times since last year — the fastest pace of tightening since the early 1980s. Yet recent

Suriyapong Thongsawang | Moment | Getty Images Inflation is broadly retreating in the U.S. economy. But starting in October, health insurance is poised to act as a countervailing force that buoys inflation for about a year, economists said. That’s significant at a time when policymakers are using inflation data to determine how to set interest

EmirMemedovski | E+ | Getty Images This August, two years into their relationship, Yumi Temple and her boyfriend, Daniel, moved into their first apartment together, in Denver. It was Temple’s first time living with another person, outside of family, and she quickly learned there was a lot to navigate. The couple decided to see a

Halfpoint Images | Moment | Getty Images Many women already feel they are behind when it comes to being financially prepared for retirement. There’s another risk they have to watch for: disruptive curveballs life throws at them that may put them off track, according to recent research from financial services firm Edward Jones and aging