Personal finance

Bret Shuford and Stephen Hanna knew from early on in their relationship they wanted to raise a child together. But the married couple didn’t think a biological child was a possibility. As freelancers in the creative arts, income isn’t always steady for Shuford and Hanna, even when working on Broadway. The Houston-based couple, known as

Uber driver uses GPS navigation. Jaden Urbi | CNBC Workers have been picking up secondary jobs to help makes ends meet amid rampant inflation. That second stream of income can also be a smart move to help workers fill income gaps after they are laid off and looking for a new opportunity. “They pick up

Blackcat | E+ | Getty Images Having ample cash set aside can help prevent an unexpected emergency from turning into a financial catastrophe. But when it comes to emergency savings, more than half of Americans — 57% — are uncomfortable with the level of money they have set aside, according to a new Bankrate survey.

Marko Klaric / EyeEm | EyeEm | Getty Images Americans are eager to travel this summer despite inflation-strapped budgets. “They’re booking flights, hotels, rental cars, vacation homes,” said Hopper economist Hayley Berg. “They are also exhibiting deal-seeking behavior.” The overall price of travel is up 16% from this time in 2019, according to the NerdWallet

Jonathan Raa | Nurphoto | Getty Images Bitcoin has rallied amid news about possible spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds and other big names entering the digital currency space — and financial experts have tips for investors who want a piece of the action. The price of bitcoin topped $30,000 on Wednesday as traders grew bullish about

The Washington Post | The Washington Post | Getty Images Within two weeks, the Supreme Court justices should break for their summer recess. And yet there’s been no ruling on President Joe Biden’s sweeping student loan forgiveness plan. For many borrowers, it’s been an anxious wait. “Waiting to hear whether or not it will pass

More than half of Tal Thompson’s 46 employees are teenagers. The owner of the Art Factory in Midlothian, Virginia, said this summer, more than ever, she’s been inundated with applications from high school and college students looking for work. The pay for jobs at the studio and coffee shop, which hosts art classes, summer camps,

D3sign | Moment | Getty Images The recent tax season was relatively smooth compared with last year’s. But national taxpayer advocate Erin Collins still sees room for improvement as the IRS rolls out funding plan changes. “Overall, the difference between the 2022 filing season and the 2023 filing season was like night and day,” Collins

Gilaxia | E+ | Getty Images Humans use mental shortcuts in everyday life to help process information and make speedy decisions. But they can lead to bad choices when it comes to personal finance. Some of those poor outcomes are the result of “anchoring bias,” which can undermine a consumer’s rational thinking. This cognitive bias

Daniel Grill | Tetra Images | Getty Images The start of the year was plagued by waves of layoffs: through the end of May, companies announced plans to cut 417,500 jobs, up 315% from the same period last year, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Big names like Disney, Google, Lyft and Meta were among

Erin M. Collins, National Taxpayer Advocate Source: IRS After a flood of business returns with a pandemic-era tax credit, the IRS is weighing guidance for those who wrongly claimed the tax break. The employee retention credit, or ERC, was created to support small businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic. There’s still time to amend returns and

The Manhattan skyline is shrouded in a smoky haze from Canadian wildfires as seen from the East River waterfront in Brooklyn, New York, June 6, 2023. Ed Jones | Afp | Getty Images Eight of the warmest years in history have all come since 2015. With an El Niño weather pattern developing, it could be

brightstars | E+ | Getty Images Small businesses are facing an onslaught of ads, phone calls and emails to help them claim a pandemic-era tax credit. However, experts urge business owners to review eligibility with a qualified tax professional. The tax break — known as the employee retention credit, or ERC — was enacted in

Simon2579 | E+ | Getty Images Auto insurance premiums have been among the fastest-rising prices for consumers over the past year, according to federal data — a dynamic that might seem at odds with car prices, which are broadly trending lower. So, what’s going on? In short: Auto insurance prices generally track those in the

The United States Supreme Court Building Geoff Livingston | Moment | Getty Images The Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling on the Biden administration’s student loan forgiveness plan this month. That decision will play a role in shaping the the financial future of 40 million Americans. If the justices greenlight President Joe Biden’s

swissmediavision | E+ | Getty Images For those who hit the road to travel this summer, there is good news: Gas prices are substantially lower than they were last year. “What a difference a year makes,” said Andrew Gross, a spokesperson for AAA, the motoring and leisure travel membership organization. As of Friday, the national

Pavlo Gonchar | Lightrocket | Getty Images Do you think artificial intelligence is being overhyped? Dan Niles, founder and portfolio manager of the Satori Fund, agrees. Well, sort of. The answer to that question really depends on whether you’re talking about the current moment or the long haul, said Niles during a session for CNBC’s Financial

Moyo Studio | E+ | Getty Images Saving enough money to comfortably retire later in life may seem like a daunting, out-of-reach goal. But some are challenging themselves to reach that goal even sooner than usual. The FIRE movement — which stands for Financial Independence, Retire Early — is built on the idea that handling

Many Americans feel wealthy — but don’t necessarily measure it in dollars and cents. Well-being, not money, has become the leading measure of wealth for most adults today, according to the new Charles Schwab “Modern Wealth” survey. It takes an average net worth of $2.2 million to be considered “wealthy,” the survey found — but

Couple talking to financial advisor at home Fg Trade | E+ | Getty Images After an interest rate pause from the Federal Reserve and predictions of future hikes, advisors are weighing bond allocation changes and portfolio opportunities. The central bank on Wednesday announced a break from raising interest rates, following rate increases during the last