Payment apps have come under scrutiny by lawmakers and regulators as their usage skyrockets. It only takes a tap to instantly send money to friends and family. Customers also use them to quickly buy goods online. That ease of use has 80% of Americans using mobile payment apps, according to a recent survey by NerdWallet.
Personal finance
Runstudio | The Image Bank | Getty Images Credit card interest rates have ballooned to record highs in recent years — and the growing portion of the formula that generates profit for card issuers is partly to blame, according to a new analysis by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The average consumer paid a 22.8%
U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks at an event at Culver City Julian Dixon Library, in Culver City, California, U.S. February 21, 2024. Kevin Lamarque | Reuters When Marlon Fox, a chiropractor in North Charleston, South Carolina, got his student debt forgiven last year, he was thrilled. His $119,500 balance was reset to zero. But the
Sturti | E+ | Getty Images The cost of housing is generally expensive across the board for Americans, whether you’re a renter or an aspiring homeowner. While both home prices and rent have outpaced wage growth in most areas, renting can be the smarter financial choice in many markets, said Susan M. Wachter, a
A Johnson, Vermont, resident removes items destroyed in flooding of a finished basement in 2023. Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images American basements are a hodgepodge of personal property, leveraged as storage units, man caves, game rooms, wine cellars, home bars and secondary living rooms. The problem is: If your basement floods, your flood
Jose Luis Pelaez Inc With consumer prices still rising due to higher inflation, there is one way to save money that you may be overlooking: raising your credit score. Increasing your score from fair (580 to 669) to very good (740 to 799) may help you save $22,263 over the life of your credit and
Klaus Vedfelt | Digitalvision | Getty Images This year, I want to be more intentional with my money. A lot of uncertainty lies ahead, especially as a Gen Z adult. We often “doom scroll” and read headlines about how the globe is becoming more uninhabitable with every passing day. While I sometimes question if
Taking a financial education class in high school does pay off. In fact, there is a lifetime benefit of roughly $100,000 per student from completing a one-semester course in personal finance, according to a recent report by consulting firm Tyton Partners and Next Gen Personal Finance, a nonprofit focused on providing financial education to middle and
Andreswd | E+ | Getty Images Certain retirees can now change their health coverage during Medicare Advantage open enrollment, which runs until March 31. Medicare Advantage is health coverage provided through private companies that are paid by Medicare to cover your benefits. If you’re already on a Medicare Advantage plan, you can take advantage of
Vasily Pindyurin | fStop | Getty Images Consumers lost a record $10 billion to fraud in 2023, and imposter scams were the most prevalent swindle, according to the Federal Trade Commission. Nearly 854,000 people filed complaints to the FTC about imposter scams last year, representing 33% of the total consumer fraud reports filed to the
Violetastoimenova | E+ | Getty Images House lawmakers are weighing relief for a “marriage penalty” that impacts the federal deduction limit on state and local taxes, known as SALT. While the bill doesn’t have broad support, it could help shape future tax policy discussions, experts say. Enacted via the Republicans’ 2017 tax overhaul, there’s currently
Image Source | Image Source | Getty Images As Americans file returns this season, some worry about IRS audits amid agency efforts to ramp up service, technology and enforcement. Recent IRS enforcement has targeted high-income individuals, large corporations and complex partnerships. But everyday filers could still face an audit — and certain issues are more