Personal finance

The holiday shopping season is always closely followed by a spike in gift returning. But this year, it may be harder to bring things back for free or at a low cost. Roughly 60% of retailers said they’re making changes to existing returns policies, with fewer promising free returns, according to a recent survey of

Thomas Barwick | Digitalvision | Getty Images Many families struggle to come up with the cash when faced with an unexpected $400 expense. That lack of emergency savings may force them to borrow money at high interest rates to pay for the surprise expense, putting their financial security at risk. Now Congress has a window

Where you live may have an impact on your credit rating. With Minnesota’s low poverty rate and high employment, its residents have a credit score of 724, on average, well above those of even wealthier states, such as California and New Jersey, according to a recent report by WalletHub based on TransUnion data. In fact,

Justin Paget | Digitalvision | Getty Images The Biden administration on Tuesday issued a final rule that makes it easier for employers to consider climate change and other so-called environment, social and governance factors when picking investment funds for their 401(k) plans. The U.S. Department of Labor rule, which takes effect in 60 days, undoes

Pixelseffect | E+ | Getty Images If you have unspent money in your health-care flexible spending account, now’s the time to make a plan to use it before you lose it.  Health-care FSAs let workers stash away pretax dollars for qualifying expenses. However, they generally are “use-it-or-lose-it” accounts: Unless your company provides a grace period

Black Friday bargain hunters shop at a Walmart store in New Jersey on Nov. 26, 2021. Tayfun Coskun | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images More Americans are struggling financially just as the peak shopping season kicks into high gear. Yet shoppers will still shell out $1,455, on average, on holiday gifts — in line with

Newsday Llc | Newsday | Getty Images There was a time when Black Friday in the car-selling business meant a flurry of big sales events at dealerships whose lots were full of new vehicles. These days, with inventory still squeezed from supply chain disruptions, discounts are not as generous as they once were. And most

Prostock-studio | Istock | Getty Images In the rush at the store checkout this holiday season, you may be tempted to say yes when asked if you want to apply for a store credit card — especially if you’re offered extra savings on that day’s purchase. But there is good reason to think twice this

Parents and caregivers with the Economic Security Project gather outside the White House to advocate for the Child Tax Credit in advance of the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health on Sept. 20 in Washington, DC. Larry French | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images Millions of families received monthly checks of up

President Joe Biden delivers remarks on protecting Social Security and Medicare and lowering prescription drug costs in Hallandale Beach, Florida, on Nov. 1, 2022. Anadolu Agency | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images The Biden administration on Tuesday announced that it will extend the payment pause on federal student loans until after June or when it’s

Ariel Skelley | Getty Images Giving Tuesday is approaching, and it’s possible to score a tax break while funding your favorite cause. But there are key rules to know before opening your wallet, experts say. An estimated 35 million U.S. adults participated in Giving Tuesday in 2021, donating total gifts of $2.7 billion, a 9%

Olga Ryazantseva | Istock | Getty Images After applying for student loan forgiveness, some borrowers are receiving what looks like good news from the U.S. Department of Education. “We reviewed your application and determined that you are eligible for loan relief under the Plan,” according to a letter sent out by Education Secretary Miguel A.

Samuel Corum | Getty Images News | Getty Images For supporters of congressional proposals to improve the U.S. retirement system, it’s about to be a nail-biting few weeks. Lawmakers are heading back to Washington next week to finish out the so-called lame-duck session — the legislative period between the midterm elections and the new Congress,

David Jakle | Image Source | Getty Images If you’re retired and giving to charity this holiday season, experts say there’s a way to trim your 2022 tax bill while supporting your favorite cause. Despite economic uncertainty, the majority of American adults plan to donate similar amounts this year as they did last year, a

Bahamas-based crypto exchange FTX filed for bankruptcy in the U.S. on Nov. 11, 2022, seeking court protection as it looks for a way to return money to users. Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images After a difficult year for digital assets, many investors were blindsided by the recent collapse of cryptocurrency exchange FTX, as customers

Tom Brenner | Reuters The midterm elections made two key federal programs seniors rely on — Social Security and Medicare — a topic of national conversation. Now, as the final vote tally comes in — with a Democratic majority in the Senate and a Republican majority in the House of Representatives — advocates for the

In this article LC TRU Follow your favorite stocksCREATE FREE ACCOUNT Just as the holiday shopping season gets into full swing, families are finding less slack in their budgets than before. As of October, 60% of Americans were living paycheck to paycheck, according to a recent LendingClub report. A year ago, the number of adults

U.S. President Joe Biden speaks about student loan debt at the White House on Aug. 24, 2022 in Washington, DC. Alex Wong | Getty The Biden administration on Friday asked the Supreme Court to reinstate its federal student loan program after a federal appeals court issued a nationwide injunction against the plan. The administration’s request,

Violetastoimenova | E+ | Getty Images Even as companies spend more on pay raises in a tight labor market, those increases aren’t yet keeping up with inflation. Overall salary boosts are forecast to be 4.6% in 2023, up from a mid-year estimate of 4.1% and higher than the 4.2% bump that workers got this year,

Vladimir Vladimirov | E+ | Getty Images With the holiday season about to be in full swing, the giving spirit is likely to follow. If you’re among those who plan to make charitable donations before the end of the year, it’s worth making sure you know exactly where your money is going and how it