Home Alone (1990) 20th Century Fox The classic Christmas movie “Home Alone” tells the improbable tale of a family who leaves their 8-year-old son home when they leave for vacation. Yet in the years since the 1990 film was released, viewers have focused on another question — how wealthy was the fictitious McCallister family featured
Personal finance
U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks during the Tribal Nations Summit at the Department of the Interior in Washington, D.C., U.S., December 9, 2024. Elizabeth Frantz | Reuters The Biden administration has withdrawn two major plans to deliver student loan forgiveness. The proposed regulations would have allowed the U.S. Department of Education secretary to cancel
Mariah Carey performs “All I Want for Christmas Is You” at the 2023 Billboard Music Awards. Gilbert Flores | Penske Media | Getty Images “I don’t want a lot for Christmas / There is just one thing I need / An answer to just one question / An estimate of Mariah Carey’s song royalties, please?”
Professionalstudioimages | E+ | Getty Images President-elect Donald Trump has been vocal about potentially raising tariffs on imported goods, which experts say could bump up car prices. Trump has talked about implementing an additional 10% tariff on Chinese imported goods, as well as adding tariffs of 25% on all products from Mexico and Canada. On
Drs Producoes | E+ | Getty Images The average 401(k) savings rate, including employee deferrals and company contributions, continued to climb in 2023, a new industry survey reported. In 2023, the average combined savings rate was 12.7%, up from 12.1% in 2022, with employees deferring 7.8% of pay and companies adding 4.9%, according to the
Filadendron | E+ | Getty Images High interest rates aren’t deterring many shoppers from store credit cards. When asked to choose between a store card or a buy now, pay later plan, 58% of surveyed shoppers prefer store cards, according to a new report by LendingTree. The remaining 42% picked BNPL loans. The site polled
Blank Social Security checks are run through a printer at the U.S. Treasury printing facility February 11, 2005 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. William Thomas Cain | Getty Images During the Senate’s final days of business in this Congressional session, it is expected to vote on a bill that would change certain Social Security rules. The bill
Alfexe | Istock | Getty Images With the Federal Reserve expected to cut interest rates again this week, it’s a great time to earn competitive returns on cash, experts say. “The best offers on savings accounts, money markets and CDs [certificates of deposit] are still well above inflation, and that’s likely to persist well into
Pixdeluxe | E+ | Getty Images As the Federal Reserve prepares to lower interest rates once again at the end of its two-day meeting this week, Americans’ assessments of the future are improving. Although a prolonged period of high inflation took a toll on household budgets, consumers are feeling increasingly optimistic about their financial situation, according to a
Cavan Images | Cavan | Getty Images Last month, Congress moved to take rare bipartisan action to change certain Social Security rules. The House of Representatives on Nov. 12 passed the Social Security Fairness Act by an overwhelming 327 to 75 majority. The proposal would eliminate rules that reduce Social Security benefits for those who
President Donald J. Trump signs the Tax Cut and Reform Bill in the Oval Office at The White House in Washington, DC on December 22, 2017. Brendan Smialowski | AFP via Getty Images There’s tax uncertainty heading into 2025 as Congress prepares to negotiate President-elect Donald Trump’s economic agenda. But there could be lessons for
The Federal Reserve is expected to lower interest rates by another quarter point at the end of its two-day meeting on Dec. 18. That would mark the third rate cut in a row — altogether shaving a full percentage point off the federal funds rate since September. So far, the central bank has moved slowly as they recalibrate policy after