Personal finance

Tooga | Digitalvision | Getty Images Long delays to get a new U.S. passport have eased from earlier in 2023 but haven’t yet returned to their pre-pandemic baseline. As of Nov. 6, the U.S. State Department is processing routine passport applications in seven to 10 weeks, the agency said. It’s processing expedited applications — which

Andrew Merry | Moment | Getty Images The following is an excerpt from “This week, your wallet,” an audio program produced by CNBC’s Personal Finance team. Listen to the latest episode here. [Editor’s note: Audio clip begins at the 2:33 minute mark.] Climate change has been described as a ticking time bomb, the threats of which

Recep-bg | E+ | Getty Images Now that federal student loan payments have restarted after a three-year reprieve, some borrowers may be wondering if it’s a good time to refinance. And companies haven’t been shy in pushing the option, said higher education expert Mark Kantrowitz. “Some lenders seem desperate for origination and refinancing volume, so they

Matthew Perry attends the GQ Men of the Year Party 2022 at The West Hollywood EDITION on November 17, 2022 in West Hollywood, California. Phillip Faraone | Getty Images A new foundation has been established in the late actor Matthew Perry’s name to help others who struggle with addiction. “Addiction is far too powerful for

In this article ZG Follow your favorite stocksCREATE FREE ACCOUNT A couple assembling furniture. Drazen_ | E+ | Getty Images Gen Z and millennials are “hacking” the housing market as high prices and interest rates make affordability difficult. The term “house hacking” refers to the practice of renting out a portion of your home or

Fg Trade | E+ | Getty Images More investors are getting access to investments previously earmarked for the wealthiest members of society — but it may be risky for some to participate, experts said. Private investments — such as private equity funds, hedge funds, venture capital funds and stock in early stage companies — typically

U.S. President Joe Biden speaks about administration plans to forgive federal student loan debt during remarks in the Roosevelt Room at the White House in Washington, U.S., August 24, 2022. Leah Millis | Reuters President Joe Biden’s new plan to forgive student debt is likely to look much different than his first. After the Supreme

A mother carrying her young son and looking down a suburban road in spring sunlight. Christopher Hopefitch | The Image Bank | Getty Images Single mothers face high rates of financial insecurity. Between 2021 and 2022, as pandemic-era aid dried up, the poverty rate for families headed by one woman soared to nearly 27% from

Eva-katalin | E+ | Getty Images Millennials are holding and buying bond exchange-traded funds with more gusto than older investors — and that’s likely not an ideal strategy, experts said. Millennial ETF investors — a cohort born between the early 1980s and mid-1990s — have 45% of their investment portfolios allocated to fixed income, on

Rear view of couple traveling through car. Maskot | Maskot | Getty Images A recall on your vehicle can derail your travel plans, depending on the issue at hand.  It’s an issue plenty of drivers have to consider this fall. Subaru, Volkswagen, General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota and Honda Motor are among the vehicle manufacturers that

Kate_sept2004 | E+ | Getty Images As mutual fund investors brace for year-end distributions, experts have tips to lessen the tax burden in future years. Certain mutual funds have capital gains payouts in November and December, which can trigger taxes in brokerage accounts, even if you haven’t sold shares. By comparison, most exchange-traded funds avoid

Aire Images | Moment | Getty Images Holiday shoppers won’t have to look far to find deals this season. While Covid-era supply chain strains have eased, consumer spending has declined, prompting many businesses to sweeten incentives to buy. “This is the best discounting season in years,” said Ted Rossman, senior industry analyst at Bankrate and

Bill Varie | The Image Bank | Getty Images The job market is undeniably cooling. Though the Labor Department’s weekly jobless claims report released on Wednesday showed initial claims for state unemployment benefits dropped 24,000 to a seasonally adjusted 209,000 in the week ending Nov. 18, figures for new and continuing claims remained near highs

Although inflation is cooling, households are still feeling squeezed. As of October, 60% of adults said they are living paycheck to paycheck, according to a new LendingClub report. The figure is unchanged from last year. Overall, 4 in 10 consumers consider themselves worse off relative to 2022, the report found. More from Personal Finance:Inflation is

Fatcamera | E+ | Getty Images A new law is poised to cap seniors’ prescription drug costs covered under Medicare, starting in 2025. But retirees may be in for a shock next year — significantly higher Medicare Part D premiums for prescription drug coverage. The cost of the average premiums will rise between 42% and

By most accounts, Black Friday and Cyber Monday promise some of the lowest prices of the season. And in 2023, more people than ever plan to take advantage of the five-day shopping event that begins on Thanksgiving Day and continues through the following Monday, according to the National Retail Federation’s annual survey. This year, holiday

Entrance to the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, June 1, 2008. Richard Levine | Corbis News | Getty Images For decades, it was nearly impossible for student loan borrowers to walk away from their debt in bankruptcy court. That’s now changing. Last November, the Biden administration rolled out a

Morsa Images | Getty Images Whether you’re a new or a seasoned investor, exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, are one option for your portfolio, depending on your goals and risk tolerance, experts say.  ETFs are a wrapper for individual assets like stocks and bonds, similar to mutual funds. However, many ETFs have better tax efficiency and

Wide shot of waiter taking dinner order from family at tropical beach restaurant during sunset Thomas Barwick | Digitalvision | Getty Images When it comes to dining, tipping at least 15% to 20% is traditional etiquette, say experts. It seems many Americans disagree. Almost 1 in 5, 18%, of people tip less than 15% for

Solstock | E+ | Getty Images A great credit score can be important, but improving that number isn’t always easy. Nearly 4 in 5 Americans say they’re trying to improve their credit score, according to a recent NerdWallet survey. But 50% say they face barriers toward improvement, namely a low credit limit. The website polled