Personal finance

Nirunya Juntoomma | Istock | Getty Images If you’re feeling unsteady amid stock market volatility, high inflation and rising interest rates, you may wonder how much cash you really need to have handy. But the right amount to have in your emergency fund depends on your family’s situation and needs, financial experts say.   Still, with

Chaay_tee | Istock | Getty Images Student debt can make it harder for people to start a business or purchase a home — and one reason for that is that lenders take into account your existing financial obligations. Now that President Joe Biden has announced he plans to cancel up to $20,000 for millions of

Student-loan debt activists rally outside the White House a day after President Biden announced a plan that would cancel $10,000 in student loan debt for those making less than $125,000 a year in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 25, 2022. The Washington Post | The Washington Post | Getty Images Federal student loan borrowers could get

Caroline Purser | The Image Bank | Getty Images The Biden administration is firing back at Republicans considering bringing a legal challenge against President Joe Biden’s historic move to forgive the student debt of tens of millions of Americans. A White House spokesman, Abdullah Hasan, accused the GOP of double standards that punished the middle

Sebastian Rothe / Eyeem | Eyeem | Getty Images Households may soon be able to claim thousands of dollars in tax breaks and rebates if they take steps to reduce their carbon footprint. But eco-friendly consumers must wait until 2023 — perhaps even 2024 or later — to see many of those financial benefits. The

Jose Luis Pelaez | Getty Images Married women may want to make sure they consider the possibility of unplanned singlehood when it comes to retirement preparations. Among women retirees, 51% of those who are divorced or widowed stepped away from the workforce earlier than planned, according to a new report from the Employee Benefit Research

In this article ZG A for-sale sign in front of a home listed for more than $1 million on April 29, 2022 in San Francisco. Justin Sullivan | Getty Images Grocery shoppers aren’t the only ones who have to contend with the phenomenon known as “shrinkflation,” which is what happens when the price of something

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, is reportedly considering a challenge to President Biden’s student loan forgiveness effort. Anna Rose Layden | Getty Images News | Getty Images A number of Republican legislators may bring a legal challenge against President Joe Biden’s historic announcement last week that he’d forgive the student debt of tens of millions of

Newsday Llc | Newsday | Getty Images In pre-pandemic years, Labor Day sales events offered generous discounts on new cars as dealerships aimed to clear out current-year models and start selling the next year’s versions. These days? Not so much. related investing news Goldman Sachs says brace for an even bigger housing downturn Carmen Reinicke

dmphoto | E+ | Getty Images There’s good news if you’re eligible for student loan forgiveness: It won’t trigger a federal tax bill. And while some may still owe state taxes, it may be fewer borrowers than expected. It depends on whether and when states conform to federal tax laws, including the American Rescue Plan

zimmytws | iStock | Getty Images As the November midterm elections approach, leaders on both sides of the aisle are trading barbs on one key program that affects millions of Americans: Social Security. Over the weekend, President Joe Biden called out certain lawmakers on Twitter, including Republican Sens. Rick Scott of Florida and Ron Johnson

RossHelen | Getty Images If you’re not careful how you manage your money, you could be incurring hefty bank fees that may be otherwise avoidable. Between overdraft or non-sufficient fund fees, charges for interest and non-interest checking accounts and ATM fees, a substantial bite could be taken out of your budget, according to Bankrate.com‘s latest

d3sign | Moment | Getty Images Identity crime involving government benefits, social media accounts and other scams jumped by 36% in 2021 to an all-time high, according to the Identity Theft Resource Center. The good news is that there are several ways individuals can protect themselves. About 15,000 people reported an identity-related crime or attempted

Consumers are increasingly relying on credit cards to make ends meet, but it hasn’t significantly impacted their financial standing — at least when it comes to their credit rating. The national average credit score sits at an all-time high of 716, unchanged from a year ago, according to a new report from FICO, developer of one of

Luis Alvarez | Digitalvision | Getty Images Employer demand for workers remains historically strong — and that means workers have the power to negotiate for better pay, benefits and other aspects of their jobs, according to economists. There were more than 11.2 million job openings in July, an increase of 199,000 from June, according to

In this article F HOUSTON, TEXAS – AUGUST 29: Students study in the Rice University Library on August 29, 2022 in Houston, Texas. Brandon Bell | Getty Images News | Getty Images The U.S. Department of Education could have its application for student loan forgiveness up and running as soon as within the next few

Student-loan debt activists rally outside the White House a day after President Biden announced a plan that would cancel $10,000 in student loan debt for those making less than $125,000 a year in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 25, 2022. The Washington Post | The Washington Post | Getty Images When the U.S. Department of Education

A customer shops in a Kroger grocery store on July 15, 2022 in Houston. Brandon Bell | Getty Images Many consumers have suffered sticker shock at the grocery store due to record high inflation. But another surprise that’s grabbing consumers’ attention — and even trending on TikTok — is “shrinkflation.” Almost two-thirds, 64%, of all

The Good Brigade | Digitalvision | Getty Images Mortgage rates are projected to decline next year — but that doesn’t mean prospective homebuyers should necessarily delay a purchase for the prospect of lower financing costs. The rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage will fall to an average 4.5% in 2023, according to a recent housing

Camille Tokerud Photography Inc. | Stone | Getty Images Supplemental Security Income beneficiaries will get two checks in September, for a maximum sum of $1,682. But the second check is no reason to celebrate, as it is not extra money. In months where bank holidays occur, that pushes up the distribution date for payments. In