Personal finance

A van flows in floodwaters in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on Sept. 28 in Asheville, North Carolina. Sean Rayford | Getty Images News | Getty Images States affected by Hurricane Helene are warning residents to watch for the risks of scams in the aftermath of the storm, including price gouging. Price gouging happens when

Internal Revenue Service Commissioner Danny Werfel testifies before the House Appropriations Committee on Capitol Hill on May 07, 2024 in Washington, DC.  Kevin Dietsch | Getty Images News | Getty Images Next year, more than 30 million Americans in 24 states will be eligible for Direct File, the IRS’ free tax filing program, the agency

Jordi Mora Igual | Moment | Getty Images If you’re seeking refuge from market volatility, so-called buffer exchange-traded funds provide some downside protection. But these ETFs also limit upside potential and come with higher fees, experts say.   Buffer ETFs, also known as defined-outcome ETFs, use options contracts to offer investors a pre-defined range of outcomes

The one-year grace period for student loan borrowers who miss a payment expired this week. And yet, millions of Americans are likely unprepared to give up that key safety net. The goal of the 12-month “on ramp” to repayment was to give borrowers some breathing room as they worked student loan payments back into their budgets. Although interest still accrued on

Baona | E+ | Getty Images As year-end approaches, you may be eyeing Roth individual retirement account conversions. The strategy, however, boosts your income, which can have other tax consequences, experts say. Roth conversions shift pretax or nondeductible IRA funds to a Roth IRA, which provides future tax-free growth. But the converted balance boosts your

Frederick MacLean, president of Heritage Investment Group Courtesy: Heritage Investment Group Frederick MacLean, president of Heritage Investment Group, doesn’t mind if you call his strategy boring. In fact, there’s not much that could unsettle him or his approach.    Heritage Investment Group, which ranked No. 1 on CNBC’s list of the top 100 financial advisors in the

Republican vice presidential nominee, U.S. Sen. JD Vance speaks at a campaign rally at Radford University on July 22, 2024 in Radford, Virginia. Alex Wong | Getty Images News | Getty Images Many voters ages 50 and up say two issues — Social Security and Medicare — could decide how they cast their ballots this November.

Port of Miami dockworkers strike near the port entrance and demand a new labor contract, on October 1, 2024 in Miami, Florida.  Giorgio Viera | Afp | Getty Images A dockworker strike at seaports along the U.S. East and Gulf coasts is expected to cause massive problems for global supply chains and the economy. American consumers will likely

Catherine Delahaye | Digitalvision | Getty Images Federal spending on children climbed to a peak of $11,690 per child in 2021 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Since then, there has been a “steep decline” in those expenditures, which fell to $10,190 per child in 2022 and then to $8,990 per child in 2023, adjusted

Owngarden | Moment | Getty Images A handful of states have rolled out rebates to consumers who make their homes more energy-efficient, just months after New York became the first state to do so, in May. Meanwhile, South Dakota officials in August declined the federal funding, which is tied to two new programs created by

Mike Spiering holds Francesca Spiering as he stands in the flood water around his home after record rains fell in the area on April 13, 2023 in Hollywood, Florida. Joe Raedle | Getty Images The cost of insuring your most expensive assets has skyrocketed. While overall inflation has slowed, insurance costs are taking a bigger

Jasondoiy | E+ | Getty Images As a financial advisor mom of three kids, I know well the power of compounded interest and the value of early work experience and learning to save and invest for yourself.  My kids — ages 15, 12 and 11 — have been tutoring, filing, shredding, sweeping, and even researching

The first debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump is shown on television at the Juventud 2000 migrant shelter in Tijuana, Mexico, on Sept. 10, 2024. Immigration has been a hot topic throughout the presidential campaign. Carlos Moreno/NurPhoto via Getty Images The idea that immigration has a negative impact on the

Fstop123 | E+ | Getty Images While housing affordability remains a challenge for many buyers in the U.S., conditions are somewhat improving due to lower mortgage rates. Buyers need to earn $115,000 to afford the typical home in the U.S., according to a new report by Redfin, an online real estate brokerage firm. That’s down

PeopleImages Progress toward narrowing the gender pay gap has mostly stalled, in part due to something researchers call the “gender promotion gap.” “Women have noticeably lower promotion rates compared to men in the same firm, in approximately the same position,” Kelly Shue, a professor of finance at Yale School of Management, said at CNBC’s Women &

Skynesher | E+ | Getty Images When a Social Security beneficiary dies, their loved ones may qualify for a one-time $255 lump-sum death payment. Yet that amount has not changed in 70 years — since 1954 — while inflation has pushed the costs for funerals higher. On Wednesday, Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., introduced a new

From putting your toddler children on your payroll to claiming your car as a business expense, TikTok is chock-full of potentially bad money advice. Yet, financial TikTok, also known as #FinTok, is one of the most popular sources for financial information and tips, particularly among Generation Z. Now, 27% of social media users say they have

Thomas Barwick | Digitalvision | Getty Images Big changes may be ahead for the U.S. economy between now and the end of the year. Investors can get ahead of those changes by taking steps to prepare now, experts say. The Federal Reserve last week slashed interest rates by 50 basis points, in a move expected

Catherine Mcqueen | Moment | Getty Images After years of higher yields on cash, the Federal Reserve’s shifting policy means lower future returns on savings, certificates of deposit and money market funds. Despite falling rates, investors should still keep emergency funds “liquid,” meaning the cash can be easily tapped, financial experts say. Advisors typically suggest

By some measures, retirement savers, overall, are doing well. As of the second quarter of 2024, 401(k) and individual retirement account balances notched the third-highest averages on record, helped by better savings behaviors and positive market conditions, according to the latest data from Fidelity Investments, the nation’s largest provider of 401(k) savings plans. The number of 401(k)