Personal finance

dowell | Moment | Getty Images After another interest rate hike from the Federal Reserve, investors have several competitive options for cash, including money market funds, with yields currently above 5%. But there are tradeoffs to consider, experts warn. Money market funds — which are different than money market deposit accounts — are a type

Lucigerma | Istock | Getty Images Predictions that a recession may be looming for the U.S. economy have so far not come to fruition. Now, some experts are backing off the prediction altogether, including Federal Reserve staff economists. “What’s out: Mild recession,” states new economic research released by Bank of America this week. “What’s in:

Jgi/tom Grill | Tetra Images | Getty Images Some states are reestablishing a federal pandemic-era policy that offered free school meals to all kids, and most of them are doing so on a permanent basis. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, students qualified for free or reduced-price school breakfasts and lunches based on their income. The federal

Nopphon Pattanasri | Istock | Getty Images A cashless society is nearly within reach. After years of reluctance, Americans finally abandoned paper currency during the pandemic in favor of “tap and go” transactions and have now almost entirely embraced contactless and digital payment methods. Cashless payment volumes are only expected to increase going forward, according to a recent

Darya Komarova | Moment | Getty Images TikTok users are getting a look at their future selves, thanks to a new “aged” filter that’s gone viral on the social media platform.  The filter gives users a hyper-realistic visual by mimicking skin and facial changes that happen with age. “This is wildly realistic!” exclaimed one user

Courtney Keating | E+ | Getty Images While scrolling social media, you may find a video of President Joe Biden urging you to sign up for extra Social Security benefits for which you are eligible. While the hypothetical video may seem real, the promise of extra benefits is not. It’s one example of the ways

President Joe Biden speaks at the White House on June 30, 2023. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images After the Supreme Court struck down President Joe Biden’s original student loan forgiveness plan, Biden said he would pursue a new path to deliver relief to holders of federal educational debt. This second attempt may leave more

Valentinrussanov | E+ | Getty Images The IRS has unveiled plans to offer digital correspondence for the 2024 tax season, building on the agency’s decade-long overhaul of improved service, technology and compliance. By 2025, the agency aims to achieve “paperless processing” for tax returns and so-called information returns, used by employers and financial institutions. related

Tomml | E+ | Getty Images The notion of technological advancement upending the job market isn’t a new phenomenon. Robots and automation, for example, have become a mainstay of factory floors and assembly lines. And it has had various effects on the workplace, by displacing, changing, enhancing or creating jobs, experts said. related investing news

Luis Alvarez | Digitalvision | Getty Images The job market is cooling. Though it remains strong — and workers still have leverage — their power doesn’t seem to be as broad-based as it was earlier in the pandemic, say labor experts. These days, whether employees still enjoy considerable leverage — to find a new job

Downtown Los Angeles. TheCrimsonRibbon | Getty Images Americans are feeling the pinch from the high cost of single-family rentals, despite only slight year-over-year growth, according to a new report. Rental prices shot up during the pandemic. They are likely to remain high, with many Americans hesitant to purchase new homes amid soaring mortgage interest rates,

U.S. President Joe Biden, joined by Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, speaks on student loan debt in the Roosevelt Room of the White House August 24, 2022 in Washington, DC. Alex Wong | Getty Images News | Getty Images The Biden administration has launched a beta application for its new repayment plan for student loan borrowers.

In this article LC Follow your favorite stocksCREATE FREE ACCOUNT By many measures, consumers who have been squeezed by higher prices should be experiencing some relief. Recent releases show that, at least compared with the soaring inflation from a year ago, prices have begun to ease. The consumer price index, which measures inflation, increased 3% from

The Mega Millions jackpot soared to $1.05 billion on July 31, 2023. Shannon Stapleton | Reuters The Mega Millions jackpot has soared to more than $1 billion for the fifth time in the game’s history. Currently, the 30-year annuitized payout is worth $1.05 billion, Mega Millions’ fourth-largest prize to date. Winners may also choose the

Simon Potter | Getty Images When it comes to stocks, investors face a big question: How much exposure is enough? For investors already in retirement, how well they answer that question may have big consequences for how well they reach their goals. “About 37% of boomers have more equity than we would recommend for their

Johnnygreig | E+ | Getty Images This October may be a stressful time for many people with federal student loans. After a three-year break, the U.S. Department of Education will start expecting payments again at that point. Borrowers will get their first bill in September or October, the Department says. From then, they’ll have at

The Mega Millions jackpot grew to $940 million on July 27, 2023. OLIVIER DOULIERY | Getty The Mega Millions jackpot has ballooned to an estimated $940 million ahead of Friday’s high-stakes drawing at 11:00 p.m. ET. If you pick the magic six numbers, there are two payout options: a lump sum of $472.5 million or 30

It can be hard for young people to build credit, but some parents seem to think they have it figured out. They often start by adding their teenager as an authorized user on their credit card. That can help children practice healthy credit habits when they’re young. However, what’s considered a wise strategy is fraught

Designer491 | Istock | Getty Images Student loan borrowers are likely still reeling from the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down the Biden administration’s forgiveness plan. It may make them feel a little better to learn that there are other ways to get their debt canceled. There are already numerous federal and state programs that

A ‘Shark Week’ blimp flies over the San Diego Convention Center on July 23, 2022. Aaronp/bauer-griffin | Gc Images | Getty Images It’s “Shark Week,” the annual television-programming event on Discovery that stars the ocean’s apex predators. And perhaps the most famous of these fish — the fictional, man-eating great white from the 1975 thriller