Personal finance

Increasingly, your earnings potential varies greatly depending on your choice of major in college. “Even more so than the school itself, choosing a major is key in determining what skills a graduate can perform out of school, and what types of professions they’re qualified for,” said Jackson Gruver, data analyst at Payscale. “Ultimately, the degree

Tim Robberts | Digitalvision | Getty Images When it comes to money, women tend to think of themselves as savers rather than investors. Having that perspective can affect women’s ability to grow wealth over time. “The biggest risk to women’s portfolios is that we don’t take enough risk,” said Nancy Tengler, CEO and chief investment

The one-year rule is an “archaic belief,” according to career expert Sarah Doody. Courtneyk | E+ | Getty Images PHOENIX — If you’re saving for retirement with a 401(k) or individual retirement account, it’s easy to lose money to taxes and penalties when moving money between accounts. A lot of investors make costly rollover mistakes

Customers browse in a used car lot on Feb. 15, 2023 in Glendale, California. Mario Tama | Getty Images News | Getty Images As recently as 2019, used car shoppers could find a 3-year-old vehicle for about $23,000. That’s less likely today — in terms of both age and price. Pandemic-era manufacturing issues have since

Twenty/20 For many Americans, October is a time for seasonal decorating and pumpkin spice lattes. This year, it also marks the resumption of student loan payments at a point when U.S. households are already struggling to make ends meet amid high inflation and higher interest rates. And yet, just as millions of borrowers face their

President Joe Biden walks with Labor Secretary Marty Walsh before an event in the Rose Garden of the White House on Sept. 15, 2022. Anna Moneymaker | Getty Images News | Getty Images A Biden administration ESG rule for workplace retirement plans survived a recent court challenge by 26 red states. But the most significant

After a prolonged period of high inflation and higher interest rates, Americans are just getting by. As of August, 60% of adults said they are living paycheck to paycheck, according to a new LendingClub report, unchanged from last year. Recent data is painting a mixed picture of where the economy stands. Inflation has shown some signs of cooling but the

Bloomberg Creative | Bloomberg Creative Photos | Getty Images A government shutdown looms over this coming weekend. If it does occur, a shutdown would pose far-reaching and potentially severe financial risks for American households. Those risks — everything from delayed paychecks and federal benefits to long waits at airports and skeleton customer service crews at

When Jacynthe Riviere graduated from college with an accounting degree, “there were plenty of jobs,” she said — and “the big firms paid well.” The year was 1984. Riviere, now 61 and living in Puerto Rico, made roughly $18,000 in her first position as a staff auditor — the equivalent of more than $53,000 today

A student debt relief activist outside the U.S. Supreme Court on June 30, 2023. Kevin Dietsch | Getty Images Two big events could soon coincide: The U.S. federal government is poised to shut down just as student loan bills restart after a pause of more than three years. With lawmakers thus far unable to strike

A general view of the U.S. Capitol, where Congress will return Tuesday to deal with a series of spending bills before funding runs out and triggers a partial U.S. government shutdown, in Washington, D.C. Sept. 25, 2023. Jonathan Ernst | Reuters Washington lawmakers are scrambling to pass a spending bill before an Oct. 1 deadline.

Jose Luis Pelaez, Inc. | Getty Images Caregiving can require a significant investment of time and money, no matter your background, but Latino caregivers — particularly Latinas — tend to have more burdensome expenses. Lea este artículo en español aquí. It’s worth being aware of those financial effects, experts say, because caregiving is an important touchstone

Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., speaks to a crowd during a presidential campaign kickoff event at Charleston Southern University on May 22, 2023. The Washington Post | The Washington Post | Getty Images At a campaign event earlier this month in Fort Dodge, Iowa, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina said former president Ronald Reagan had it

Courtneyk | E+ | Getty Images Americans are at risk of falling short of what they may need to live on financially in retirement. One potential reason is lifestyle creep, or the tendency to upgrade your lifestyle as you earn more. An upgrade people are often tempted to make – the purchase of a second

IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel testifies before the Senate Finance Committee on April 19, 2023. Chip Somodevilla | Getty Images Roughly one year after Congress approved tens of billions in IRS funding, the agency has unveiled plans to crack down on tax preparers with “questionable practices.” The news comes amid heightened scrutiny of a popular small

If you’re making $80,000 per year, the thought of racking up $1 million for retirement might seem daunting. But with a little dedication and the right timing, it’s likely within reach — if you stick to a clear plan. As a rule of thumb, most financial advisors suggest that you save 10% to 15% of

Getty Images If you want a good deal on airfare for the fall and winter holidays, get ready to book. “The best time to book is between today and the second week of October, as prices are low and there are a lot of seats left to book,” Hayley Berg, lead economist at Hopper, said Thursday.

Between inflation and economic instability, Americans have depleted most of what they had in their savings accounts. More than half of all Americans now live paycheck to paycheck and most adults — 57% — cannot afford a $1,000 emergency expense, a Bankrate survey from earlier this year found. Meanwhile, experts say having a cash reserve is

In this article CAMLX Follow your favorite stocksCREATE FREE ACCOUNT Ascentxmedia | Istock | Getty Images WASHINGTON — Millions of Americans look forward to claiming Social Security retirement benefits after years of paying into the program. But Social Security beneficiaries face the possibility of an across-the board benefit cut of at least 20% in the

Members of the United Auto Workers (UAW) union hold a practice picket in front of Stellantis headquarters in Auburn Hills, Michigan, on September 20, 2023.  Bill Pugliano | Getty Images Regardless of the outcome, the United Auto Workers strike threatens to cause already high car prices to escalate. After the Big Three automakers — Ford,