Personal finance

Getty Images The pension plans of big U.S. companies haven’t looked this good since before the 2008 financial crisis — and that’s good news for workers and employers. A pension’s “funded” status is a core gauge of its health. It’s a measure of plan assets relative to liabilities (how much money the plan needs to

FatCamera | E+ | Getty Images Last year’s child-care expenses may be worth more at tax time than you realize. The child and dependent care tax credit, as it’s called, was expanded in several ways for 2021 alongside other tax changes. This means many families will get a bigger tax break and the credit could

A San Francisco grocery store. David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images Inflation is taking a big bite out of workers’ paychecks, eroding many of the raises businesses have offered to attract and keep employees in a hot job market. But strong wage growth in certain sectors, such as hotels and restaurants, has eclipsed those consumer

Sinenkiy | iStock | Getty Images Social Security beneficiaries are receiving the highest cost-of-living adjustment in decades, thanks to rising inflation. That 5.9% increase went into effect in January. Prices have continued to climb higher since that change was announced in October. The Consumer Price Index, a government measure for price changes for certain goods,

After his confirmation hearing Tuesday, Jerome Powell is likely set for a second term as chairman of the Federal Reserve, which means Americans can expect the U.S. central bank to start raising interest rates to control inflation. In March 2020, the Fed first cut interest rates to near zero and has held them there ever since, along

Morsa Images | E+ | Getty Images Tax season begins on Jan. 24 and filers should expect delays as the IRS combats a backlog and limited staffing, Treasury officials say. The IRS still had not processed 6 million individual returns already submitted by taxpayers as of Dec. 23, according to the agency, and the situation

Damir Khabirov | iStock | Getty Images How high would you score yourself when it comes to feeling comfortable with your current financial situation? If you’re like most, you wouldn’t give yourself very high marks, according to a survey from TIAA. The financial services company set out to evaluate Americans’ financial wellness – defined as

A woman looks at an NFT titled “CURIO CARDS (EST. 2017)” on Sept. 28, 2021, at Christie’s auction house in New York. TIMOTHY A. CLARY | AFP | Getty Images In the digital realm, all taxes aren’t necessarily equal. Amid a cryptocurrency and non-fungible token (NFT) boom, wealthy owners may pay a different tax rate

Georgijevic | E+ | Getty Images The start of the year is the perfect time to review your retirement savings, including pre-tax versus Roth 401(k) contributions. Roughly 86% of 401(k) plans offered a Roth account in 2020, up from 75% in 2019, according to the Plan Sponsor Council of America. While pre-tax deposits offer a

Chesnot | Getty Images Major cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin and ether have had a rough start to 2022. For some investors, it may be an opportunity to buy into the risky digital assets. Bitcoin slumped as much as 6% Monday, falling below $40,000 per coin for the first time since September, according to Coin Metrics.

Getty Images Many Americans are in the dark about one important aspect of their credit cards. Of those who carry a balance, 40% don’t know the interest rate they’re being charged on their primary card, a new survey from Bankrate found. That could wind up costing them a lot of money. “As much as we

Sarah Jessica Parker and Bridget Moynahan are seen on the set of “And Just Like That…” the follow up series to “Sex and the City” in Midtown Manhattan on July 27, 2021 in New York City. Raymond Hall | GC Images | Getty Images For many people, their last will and testament, a document that

Kirby Hamilton | Getty Images The Biden administration in December again extended the moratorium on student loan payments and interest, meaning most people with federal loans are off the hook until May 1. In the meantime, however, confusion about the pause, continued calls for broad-based forgiveness and changes to other aspects of student loan debt

bojanstory | E+ | Getty Images This year may be your chance to get a big raise. As employers try to retain talent amid the “Great Resignation,” many of them expect to pay more in salaries and/or bonuses. In fact, 51% of human resource leaders in the U.S. said their organization expects average merit increases

When it comes to car shopping these days, sticker price may mean sticker shock. New and used car prices continue to spurt higher amid strong demand and tight inventory. While a manufacturing slowdown has improved slightly, there won’t be a return to normal anytime soon for car buyers. “The typical dealership experience that consumers are

In this article KALU brightstars | E+ | Getty Images Beginning this month, a new law that was years in the making bans certain unexpected medical bills. However, advocates say it’s important for consumers to still be on the lookout for these charges and to know what steps to take if they get hit with

In this article CTRU An investing index that aims to track the most transparent companies in the world is changing its holdings for 2022. The index — called the Transparency Index — is adding 20 new companies to its list of 100 companies that exclude certain industries it deems harmful for people and the planet.

NicolasMcComber | E+ | Getty Images Air travel continues to be disrupted this week by the national surge in Covid infections, and many worried Americans may be wondering whether or how to ensure — and insure — upcoming or planned trips. More than 2,221 flights nationwide were canceled Thursday alone, according to website FlightAware. That

LPETTET | iStock | Getty Images If you didn’t get the last stimulus check, don’t despair. You still have time to claim the money if you’re eligible. A third round of stimulus payments was sent to Americans as a part of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, signed into law in March 2021. Starting that

Getty Images Money has piled into municipal bonds, known as muni bonds or “munis,” as investors aim to lower risk and reduce taxes. But some may worry about price drops amid rising interest rates. Investors funneled a record-breaking $96.8 billion of net money into U.S. muni mutual and exchange-traded funds in 2021, according to Refinitiv