Personal finance

Hirurg | E+ | Getty Images With the start of tax season approaching, Democratic and Republican lawmakers are split on the future of Direct File, the IRS’ free tax filing program. Direct File, which recently expanded to limited taxpayers in 25 states, processed roughly 140,000 returns in 2024 during the pilot that launched mid-season. The

In this article EFX Follow your favorite stocksCREATE FREE ACCOUNT Elijah Nouvelage/Bloomberg via Getty Images The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau fined Equifax $15 million over errors tied to consumer credit reports, alleging the company failed to conduct proper investigations of disputed information, the federal watchdog announced Friday. Equifax is one of three major credit reporting

Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) speaks during a House Committee on Ways and Means in the Longworth House Office Building on April 30, 2024 in Washington, D.C. Anna Moneymaker | Getty Images News | Getty Images With less than one week until President-elect Donald Trump takes office, some House Republicans are pushing for swift extensions of

President Joe Biden is joined by Education Secretary Miguel Cardona as he announces new actions to protect borrowers after the Supreme Court struck down his student loan forgiveness plan, in the Roosevelt Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., on June 30, 2023. Chip Somodevilla | Getty This year, for the first time in

Headquarters of Ashford University in San Diego, a for-profit university belonging to Bridgepoint Education. Frank Duenzl | Picture-Alliance | DPA | AP The Biden administration announced Wednesday that it would forgive $4.5 billion in student debt for 261,000 borrowers who attended the now-defunct Ashford University. Borrowers who qualify for the relief are those who studied

Jose Luis Pelaez Inc | Digitalvision | Getty Images The health sector holds many of the best job opportunities for workers in 2025, due to factors like high labor demand and pay, according to a new ranking from job search site Indeed. Health care roles account for six of the top 25 jobs for 2025,

President Joe Biden. Irfan Khan | Los Angeles Times | Getty Images The Biden administration announced this week yet another round of federal student loan forgiveness. More than 150,000 people stand to benefit from the roughly $4.2 billion in loan cancellation, which comes days before President Joe Biden leaves office. Here’s who qualifies for the

Freshmen college enrollment increased in fall 2024, the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center said — contrary to its previous report that the enrollment declined. A “methodological error” in the preliminary enrollment report, released in October, caused the miscalculation, Executive Director Doug Shapiro said in a statement Monday. “The error in research methodology caused the mislabeling

Richard Stephen | Istock | Getty Images When President Joe Biden signed the Social Security Fairness Act on Jan. 5, it was a victory for those who tirelessly lobbied for years for new changes that will provide more generous benefits to public workers with pensions. Yet for the policy community, the enacted change backed by

Internal Revenue Commissioner Danny Werfel speaks during his swearing-in ceremony at the IRS in Washington, D.C., on April 4, 2023. Bonnie Cash | Getty Images News | Getty Images The 2025 tax season kicks off on Jan. 27, and more taxpayers will have access to Direct File, the IRS’ free tax filing program, which launched

Workers dismantling a mattress. Thomas Lohnes | Getty Images News | Getty Images Consumers in a handful of states are paying to help make the mattress industry more eco-friendly — and more states may follow suit? Four states — California, Connecticut, Oregon and Rhode Island — now levy a flat fee on any mattress or

Rhetoric & Writing Studies Major, Adamary Garcia studies inside of the Perry-Castaneda Library at the University of Texas at Austin on February 22, 2024 in Austin, Texas. Brandon Bell  | Getty Images If your federal student loans were forgiven in 2024, you may be wondering if there are any tax implications. Many borrowers have benefited

A bitcoin ATM in Miami.  Joe Raedle | Getty Images News | Getty Images Bitcoin prices soared in 2024. But you may want to tread with caution before euphoria leads you on a hasty buying spree. Bitcoin and other crypto should generally account for just a sliver of investor portfolios — generally no more than

Many Americans are starting 2025 a little worse off than before, at least when it comes to credit card debt. Almost half of cardholders — 48% — now carry debt from month to month, according to a new report by Bankrate. That’s up from 44% at the start of 2024. Of those carrying balances, 53%

Ryanjlane | E+ | Getty Images The start of a new year is the most popular time to make a resolution or two. For many, those include giving up alcohol for the first 31 days. This year, 22% of adults are participating in Dry January, five percentage points higher than in previous years, according to a

Pra-chid | Istock | Getty Images The 2025 tax filing season will begin on Jan. 27, which marks the first day the IRS will accept and process individual tax returns for 2024, the agency announced on Friday. Most taxpayers must file federal returns and pay taxes owed by April 15 this year to avoid penalties

Firefighters work as a brush fire burns in Pacific Palisades, California on Jan. 7, 2025. David Swanson | AFP | Getty Images Massive wildfires are devastating the Los Angeles area of Southern California. As of Thursday morning, at least five people were killed, more than 100,000 residents have been ordered to evacuate and nearly 2,000

Israel Sebastian | Moment | Getty Images The fourth-quarter estimated tax deadline for 2024 is Jan. 15, and missing a payment could trigger “unexpected penalties and fees” when filing your return, according to the IRS. Typically, estimated taxes apply to income without withholdings, such as earnings from freelance work, a small business or investments. But

Morsa Images | Digitalvision | Getty Images List prices for the top 25 prescription drugs covered by Medicare Part D have nearly doubled, on average, since they were first brought to market, according to a new AARP report. Moreover, that price growth has often exceeded the rate of inflation, according to the interest group representing

Fire engulfs a home as the Eaton Fire moves through the area on January 08, 2025 in Altadena, California.  Justin Sullivan | Getty Images Federal student loan borrowers affected by the wildfires ripping across Southern California have relief options if they’re worried about keeping up with their payments as they recover. The same holds true