Personal finance

Nosystem Images | E+ | Getty Images A college education was supposed to help close the wealth gap for Black Americans. Yet, researchers are finding the opposite is true, thanks to student loan debt. Black families’ median wealth is less than 15% of that of white families, according to the Federal Reserve’s 2019 Survey of

Thomas Barwick Finding a broker or financial advisor you can trust may, at times, seem a daunting task. That’s especially true when investors see sensational stories of brokers fleeing the police in an underwater getaway or faking their death in an airplane crash. Then there are the high-profile fraudsters such as Bernie Madoff, who masterminded

Students participate in the Global Climate Strike march in New York City. Johannes Eisele | Afp | Getty Images As the bull market flourished in 2021, many investors took a shine to investments that reflected their values. Environmental, social and corporate governance — or ESG — investments attracted record levels of new assets. Last year,

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer addresses the state during a speech in Lansing, Michigan on Oct. 8, 2020. Michigan Office of the Governor via AP Michigan is now officially the 14th state in the U.S. to guarantee that its students have access to a personal finance education course before high school graduation. On Thursday, Gov. Gretchen

Nosystem Images | E+ | Getty Images The latest stock market decline may be troublesome if you’re relying on a now-smaller 529 plan balance to cover college tuition this fall. But crafting a multi-year tax strategy may be one way to lighten the burden, experts say. The major stock market indexes have seen double-digit losses

MStudioImages | E+ | Getty Images For many older Americans, record high prices are jeopardizing their financial security just as they approach or live in retirement, according to a recent survey from The Senior Citizens League, a nonpartisan senior group. The online survey was conducted online in the first quarter and included 3,056 participants, 96%

Getty Images The first half of 2022 has been a whirlwind for investors and financial advisors amid high market volatility. As they brace themselves for the second half of the year, a key way for them to succeed will be rebalancing, Omar Aguilar, CEO and CIO at Schwab Asset Management said at the CNBC Financial

The Marriner S. Eccles Federal Reserve Board Building in Washington, D.C. Sarah Silbiger | Reuters The Federal Reserve on Wednesday hiked its benchmark interest rate by 0.75 percentage points, the largest increase in nearly three decades. It’s the latest move from the U.S. central bank to combat the highest inflation in roughly 40 years, which

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell speaks at a news conference following a Federal Open Market Committee meeting on May 4, 2022 in Washington, DC. Win McNamee | Getty Images The Federal Reserve looks set to raise its benchmark rate again today, and may even hand out the first three-quarter-point hike in 28 years. The central

“I’m telling my clients to be very defensive,” said certified financial planner Ivory Johnson, founder of Delancey Wealth Management in Washington, D.C. Flamingoimages | Istock | Getty Images Financial advisor Ivory Johnson doesn’t sugarcoat what’s unfolding in the stock market and economy for his clients. “It’s a very bad time,” said Johnson, a certified financial

Rbkomar | Moment | Getty Images You may not want to check your 401(k) statement for a while. If you do, you may see a drop in your balance, as a recent market rout has sent the S&P 500 Index into bear market territory as of Monday. A “bear market” happens when equity markets are

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on June 10, 2022 in New York City. Spencer Platt | Getty Images Stocks fell into a so-called bear market on Monday, after an intense sell-off that saw the S&P 500 Index shed 3.9% and fall to its lowest level since March 2021.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission headquarters in Washington on Feb. 23, 2022. Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images Charles Schwab agreed to pay $187 million to settle an SEC investigation into alleged hidden fees charged by the firm’s robo-advisor, Schwab Intelligent Portfolios, according to an agency announcement on Monday. “Robo-advisor” is shorthand for a digital

Piksel | Istock | Getty Images Many people who have turned to Social Security for help in recent years have found long waits for service. The pandemic made those delays worse. But the issue actually dates back to before the onset of Covid-19. Congress has cut Social Security’s core operating budget by 17% since 2010,

courtneyk | E+ | Getty Images This week is the last chance to bypass a tax penalty if you’re earning money and the IRS still hasn’t received its share, according to the agency. While some employees pay taxes through withholdings, everyone else must make a second-quarter estimated payment by June 15 — and you’re on

A man shops for meat at a Safeway grocery store in Annapolis, Maryland, on May 16, 2022, as Americans brace for summer sticker shock as inflation continues to grow. Jim Watson | AFP | Getty Images The highest inflation in roughly 40 years is prompting people to shift their shopping habits, especially at the grocery

Westend61 | Westend61 | Getty Images Many workers are finding themselves in an office less often than before the pandemic, and some haven’t gone back at all. So what to do with all those office clothes hanging in your closet? Here are some ideas. Get cash for your clothes You can sell your work clothing

Prasit photo | Moment | Getty Images If you are ready to jump into the market, there are a few things experts want you to know. Investing is a great way to grow wealth, but you have to be smart about it, said certified financial planner Cathy Curtis, founder and CEO of Curtis Financial Planning

Jamie Linton landed a job in marketing before she graduated from University of Tampa in May. Jamie Linton Jamie Linton just graduated into a job market that hasn’t been seen in generations. Despite rumblings about a possible recession down the road, job openings are still near all-time highs. Millions of workers have walked away from

In the face of rising inflation, higher interest rates and slowing economic growth, there’s more competition than ever for consumers’ dollars — and even how their purchases are made. During the pandemic, most shoppers showed a preference for buy now, pay later when it came to payment and still do: Installment buying has exploded in popularity along with a