Personal finance

Mariah Carey performs “All I Want for Christmas Is You” at the 2023 Billboard Music Awards.  Gilbert Flores | Penske Media | Getty Images “I don’t want a lot for Christmas / There is just one thing I need / An answer to just one question / An estimate of Mariah Carey’s song royalties, please?”

Credit card rewards can go a long way toward attracting new customers and encouraging existing borrowers to spend. But whether they’re earning cash back, points or miles, most consumers end up leaving some reward dollars on the table. Now the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is cracking down on some issuers’ “bait-and-switch” rewards programs. The consumer

Professionalstudioimages | E+ | Getty Images President-elect Donald Trump has been vocal about potentially raising tariffs on imported goods, which experts say could bump up car prices. Trump has talked about implementing an additional 10% tariff on Chinese imported goods, as well as adding tariffs of 25% on all products from Mexico and Canada. On

Drs Producoes | E+ | Getty Images The average 401(k) savings rate, including employee deferrals and company contributions, continued to climb in 2023, a new industry survey reported. In 2023, the average combined savings rate was 12.7%, up from 12.1% in 2022, with employees deferring 7.8% of pay and companies adding 4.9%, according to the

A few years ago, Wes Bellamy, 38, took stock of his investment accounts in preparation to buy a home in Charlottesville, Virginia. It was then that he noticed significant gains in his 401(k). Although Bellamy, who is the chair of the political science department at Virginia State University, had been saving diligently for nearly a

Richard Stephen | Istock | Getty Images As Congress scrambles to avoid a government shutdown, the Senate is also poised to consider another bill that would increase Social Security benefits for some public workers. But the bill, the Social Security Fairness Act, may undergo changes if some Senators’ efforts to add amendments are successful. Per

U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the economy at the Brookings Institution in Washington, DC, U.S. December 10, 2024.  Kevin Lamarque | Reuters The Biden administration announced on Friday that it would forgive another $4.28 billion in student loan debt for 54,900 borrowers who work in public service. The relief is a result of fixes

In this article NNI Follow your favorite stocksCREATE FREE ACCOUNT Chair Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., conducts the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Growth hearing titled Promoting Competition, Growth, and Privacy Protection in the Technology Sector, in Dirksen Building on Tuesday, December 7, 2021. Tom Williams | CQ-Roll Call, Inc. | Getty Images A

The US Capitol building in Washington, DC, on November 24, 2024.  Daniel Slim | Afp | Getty Images The Senate is getting closer to a final vote on a bill that would increase Social Security benefits for an estimated 3 million people. The chamber voted Wednesday to let consideration of the bill — the Social

Filadendron | E+ | Getty Images High interest rates aren’t deterring many shoppers from store credit cards. When asked to choose between a store card or a buy now, pay later plan, 58% of surveyed shoppers prefer store cards, according to a new report by LendingTree. The remaining 42% picked BNPL loans. The site polled

Hispanolistic | E+ | Getty Images Many investors are likely still deciding whether to stay in bitcoin or reduce their profits from the last bull run to new all-time highs. So, after a strong year for bitcoin, it could be time for investors to weigh rebalancing their portfolio by shifting assets to align with other

Skynesher | E+ | Getty Images When it comes to financial resolutions for 2025, there’s one goal that often lands on the top of the list — paying down debt, according to a new survey from Bankrate. That’s as a majority of Americans — 89% — say they have a main financial goal for 2025,

Digital assets have rallied since the November U.S. election — with bitcoin notching a new high above $107,000 on Monday — and continue to gain ground as President-elect Donald Trump details his pro-cryptocurrency policy plans.  Still, many financial advisors remain wary.  “As traditional long-term planners, we currently do not incorporate crypto in our portfolio allocations,”

Ivan Pantic | E+ | Getty Images With the Federal Reserve’s recent moves to lower interest rates — and further cuts on the horizon — some federal student loan borrowers are wondering if now is a good time to refinance. “We are already seeing more borrowers tempted to refinance their federal loans,” said Betsy Mayotte,

Fcafotodigital | E+ | Getty Images If you’re eager to save more for retirement, it’s not too early to boost 401(k) plan contributions for 2025, financial experts say. For 2025, you can defer up to $23,500 into 401(k) plans, up from $23,000 in 2024. For workers age 50 and older, the 401(k) catch-up contribution remains

Laylabird | E+ | Getty Images A popular retirement strategy known as the 4% rule may need some recalibration for 2025 based on market conditions, according to new research. The 4% rule helps retirees determine how much money they can withdraw annually from their accounts and be relatively confident they won’t run out of money

US President Joe Biden speaks during an event in Madison, Wisconsin, US, on Monday, April 8, 2024.  Daniel Steinle | Bloomberg | Getty Images With weeks to go before President-elect Donald Trump takes office, the Biden administration is still taking steps to deliver sweeping student loan forgiveness to millions of Americans. The U.S. Department of

Tetra Images | Tetra Images | Getty Images As year-end approaches, there’s still time to slash your 2024 tax bill or boost your refund, financial advisors say.   Typically, you can expect a tax refund when you overpay taxes throughout the year. Alternatively, you get a tax bill when you haven’t paid enough. Most 2024 tax

President Donald J. Trump signs the Tax Cut and Reform Bill in the Oval Office at The White House in Washington, DC on December 22, 2017. Brendan Smialowski | AFP via Getty Images There’s tax uncertainty heading into 2025 as Congress prepares to negotiate President-elect Donald Trump‘s economic agenda. But there could be lessons for

Cavan Images | Cavan | Getty Images Last month, Congress moved to take rare bipartisan action to change certain Social Security rules. The House of Representatives on Nov. 12 passed the Social Security Fairness Act by an overwhelming 327 to 75 majority. The proposal would eliminate rules that reduce Social Security benefits for those who