Personal finance

High-profile layoffs at Meta and Twitter and planned cuts at Disney have heightened concerns on the part of managers and senior executives at employers nationwide who are struggling with how to lead a team through a round of corporate downsizing.  How a company handles a layoff can have a major impact on its future success.

Jbyard | Istock | Getty Images When President Joe Biden announced over the summer a sweeping plan to forgive student debt, millions of Americans celebrated the fact their financial situation looked like it would soon improve. But now the Biden administration finds itself unable to start delivering its relief because of a court-ordered stay of

ronnachaipark | iStock | Getty Images Health-care expenses can often be unpredictable and unwelcome. However, depending on your situation, there may be strategies you can employ that make those outlays a bit less financially painful. Because some of them involve taxes, experts say they shouldn’t be viewed in a vacuum. In other words, you may

A shopper checks a carton of eggs at a San Francisco grocery store on May 2, 2022. David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images Which (price change) came first, the chicken or the egg? Grocery prices are increasing at their fastest pace in decades — none more so than eggs. Yet chicken prices fell

Srdjanpav | E+ | Getty Images Layoffs at tech giants Twitter and Meta this week have affected thousands — and they’re just the latest examples in a downsizing trend that was already taking place across the industry.  The news has put a spotlight on what rights employees have in mass layoff situations. While the laws

Even with college application season in full swing, many families are questioning whether a four-year degree is still worth it.  Some experts say the value of a bachelor’s degree is fading and more emphasis should be directed toward career training. A growing number of companies, including many in tech, are also dropping degree requirements for

martin-dm | E+ | Getty Images Car buyers are usually aware that their new vehicle will start losing value as soon as it’s driven off the dealership’s lot. These days, depending on the car, depreciation may be a lot less than it was in past years, according to a new study from iSeeCars.com. With supply-chain

Election workers open mail in ballots at the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Center in Phoenix on Nov. 11, 2022. Justin Sullivan | Getty Images It may take until December to know which political parties control both chambers of Congress after Tuesday’s midterm elections. But that does not mean your personal investment strategy should also

U.S. President Joe Biden is flanked by U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona as he speaks about administration plans to forgive federal student loan debt during remarks in the Roosevelt Room at the White House in Washington, U.S., August 24, 2022. Leah Millis | Reuters The Biden administration has stopped accepting applications for federal student

With grocery prices up sharply from a year ago, Thanksgiving is hitting households a lot harder this year.   Per-pound prices for turkey, the holiday’s biggest staple, are up 17% year over year, according to the latest inflation data. Turkey is forecast to be 23% pricier in the fourth quarter due to both inflation and

Gary John Norman If you make more than $1 million a year in Massachusetts, you may soon be subject to a “millionaire tax” approved by voters this week through a ballot initiative. The new law creates a 4% tax on annual income above $1 million, on top of the state’s current 5% flat income tax,

People shop for bread at a supermarket in Monterey Park, California on Oct. 19, 2022. Frederic J. Brown | Afp | Getty Images Inflation was cooler than expected in October, although household staples like shelter, food and energy remained among the largest contributors to consumer prices still rising at a historically fast pace, the U.S.

Feverpitched | Istock | Getty Images You may know that it’s open enrollment time for Medicare. So do scammers. The Federal Trade Commission is warning that fraudsters could take advantage of this annual period to impersonate Medicare agents. The program’s open enrollment, which started Oct. 15 and runs through Dec. 7, is when Medicare beneficiaries

Charnsitr | Istock | Getty Images Certain tax credits were made temporarily more generous in 2021. For certain people, there still may be time to claim the money, which may add up to thousands of dollars — but some politicians aren’t happy the IRS just reminded Americans about the cash. The federal agency recently sent

Ridofranz | Istock | Getty Images We adamantly want to age in place, say experts. A recent AARP report shows that 85% of respondents 65 or older wish to stay in their current residences as long as possible. Retirement-focused financial advisors can help with both the financial and non-financial preparations to do so. “We’re often

Inflation is weighing heavily on the holidays this year. Roughly half of shoppers will buy fewer things due to higher prices, and more than one-third said they will rely on coupons to cut down on the cost, according to a recent survey of more than 1,000 adults by RetailMeNot. Though the study found many consumers

Anadolu Agency | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images The $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot has a winner — well, two, if you count Uncle Sam. A single ticket sold in California matched all six numbers pulled in the delayed drawing, which was held Tuesday instead of Monday night due to one state needing additional time to

Westend61 | Westend61 | Getty Images The end of the year is one of the most important times for investors because there are so many decisions to make that impact their overall financial planning. This time around, the year’s end is marked with a lot of financial challenges, including inflation, market volatility, domestic political uncertainties

Mark Ralston | Afp | Getty Images Whoever is the next jackpot winner in Powerball will be looking at the largest lottery prize ever awarded. The tax bill will also be pretty impressive. After no one hit all six numbers drawn Saturday, the Powerball jackpot headed higher. For Monday night’s drawing, it’s now an estimated

courtneyk | E+ | Getty Images After a rough year for the stock market, investors may not expect to receive a surprise tax bill from year-end actively managed mutual fund payouts, experts say. When a fund manager sells underlying assets at a profit without losses to offset it, those gains are passed along to investors.