Personal finance

Andreswd | E+ | Getty Images Medicare beneficiaries have until Dec. 7 to change their Medicare health and prescription drug coverage for the coming year through open annual enrollment. This year, there’s even more reason to pay attention, as financial assistance for prescription drug coverage is set to expand starting Jan. 1, according to Meena

To be sure, women in corporate America have come along way in the last decade. While the overall gender pay gap has not changed much, it has narrowed among top executives. And, for the first time ever, women CEOs make up more than 10% among Fortune 500 companies. But CEOs are often recruited from among

Between the sky-high overall cost and hefty student loan tab, more students and their families are reconsidering the value of a college education. But ultimately, it’s the choice of major and type of degree that most affects your return on investment. Students who pursue a degree specifically in computer science, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering or economics — mostly

IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel speaks at a Senate Finance Committee hearing in Washington, D.C., on April 19, 2023. Al Drago | Bloomberg | Getty Images The IRS on Tuesday unveiled more details about its direct filing pilot program launching for the 2024 tax season. Known as Direct File, the pilot will allow certain taxpayers to

Adam Gault | OJO Images | Getty Images Prices keep creeping higher for shoppers in the market for a new or used vehicle. Car prices and interest rates are higher, pushing up costs for drivers. Yet, pent-up demand has kept cars moving off lots, experts say, meaning dealers don’t have much reason to offer discounts.

Concerns about high inflation and a possible recession have not only impacted the financial lives of many American workers — they’re also now changing the type of workplace perks that employees say they’d value most. Some employers are taking notice and expanding their offerings.  More from Personal Finance:Here’s the inflation breakdown for September 2023 —

Martin-dm | E+ | Getty Images Gen Zers are cutting back on spending. More than half — 53% — say a high cost of living is a barrier to their financial success, according to a new survey from Bank America. Nearly 3 in 4 young adults surveyed — 73% — have changed their spending habits

Without the promise of broad-based student loan forgiveness, there’s another option for eliminating higher-education debt before it balloons. Through dual enrollment, high school students can complete college-level coursework and even receive an associate’s degree by the time they graduate. That can shave years off the cost of a bachelor’s degree, in some cases cutting the

Peter Cade | Stone | Getty Images Plenty of people feel like they are behind on their retirement savings. But what exactly does “behind” mean? More than half, 56%, of American adults in the workforce say they are behind where they should be when it comes to saving for their retirement, including 37% who reported

D3sign | Moment | Getty Images If you have yet to purchase your fall and winter holiday travel and are hoping for a bargain airfare, time is running out. While ticket prices have plateaued in the last two weeks, travel experts expect them to spike soon. “Travelers are going to miss out on the opportunity

Synthetic-exposition | Istock | Getty Images The standard monthly premium for Medicare Part B will increase by $9.80 per month in 2024, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. That means the standard monthly premium will go up to $174.70 in 2024, an increase from $164.90 in 2023. The new rate is in

Without broad-based student loan forgiveness, some colleges have a new strategy to keep students from drowning in debt.   Roughly two dozen schools have introduced “no-loan” policies, which means they are eliminating student loans altogether from their financial aid packages. “College is expensive — we have to make sure we keep it accessible,” said Nicole

Inverse Couple Images | Moment | Getty Images Consumers have been hearing a lot about inflation in the U.S. economy since early 2021, and rightfully so. At their pandemic-era peak, consumer prices were rising faster than at any point in 40 years. But the dynamic seems to have shifted. Inflation has been declining gradually, which

Creatas | Creatas | Getty Images Before the pandemic, the federal student loan system caused borrowers frustration and confusion. As the Biden administration resumes payments this month for some 40 million Americans after more than a three-year reprieve, the situation has been especially difficult. Borrowers describe receiving incorrect bills and spending hours on the phone

Staticnak1983 | E+ | Getty Images Recent indicators show that women are increasingly eager to put their money to work outside of traditional portfolio offerings.  For instance, women accounted for 31.2% of angel investors in the first two quarters of 2022, a slight increase from 30.3% in the same period in 2021, according to a

Kate_sept2004 | E+ | Getty Images Despite economic uncertainty, it’s still possible to build and preserve generational wealth, experts said Thursday at CNBC’s Financial Advisor Summit.   “There’s a real chance of a soft landing” for the economy, said Mel Lagomasino, CEO and managing partner of WE Family Offices, which has locations in New York City

Fg Trade Latin | E+ | Getty Images Social Security beneficiaries are set to receive a 3.2% increase to their benefits in 2024 based on the annual cost-of-living adjustment, the Social Security Administration announced on Thursday. The change will result in an estimated Social Security retirement benefit increase of more than $50 per month, on

Jozef Polc / 500Px | 500Px Plus | Getty Images Social Security beneficiaries will see a 3.2% boost to their benefits in 2024, the Social Security Administration announced on Thursday. The annual cost-of-living adjustment for 2024 will affect more than 71 million Social Security and Supplemental Security Income beneficiaries. These benefit adjustments are made annually

Getty Images Given record-high interest rates, now is not the time to be taking on more credit card debt. The Federal Reserve is expected to further hike interest rates before the end of the year, and the average credit card interest rate is already at an all-time high. The average rate for existing accounts is

Shoppers along the Magnificent Mile shopping district in Chicago on Aug. 15, 2023. Jamie Kelter Davis | Bloomberg | Getty Images A recession has been in the forecast for much of 2023. Yet an economic downturn — formally defined as two consecutive quarters of declining GDP growth — has yet to happen. “A recession is