Personal finance

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

Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody’s Analytics, testifies during the Senate Budget Committee hearing titled “The Default on America Act: Blackmail, Brinkmanship, and Billionaire Backroom Deals,” in Dirksen Building on Thursday, May 4, 2023.  Tom Williams | Cq-roll Call, Inc. | Getty Images The economy is doing “exceptionally well” as President-elect Donald Trump gets ready

Andersen Ross Photography Inc | Digitalvision | Getty Images Most people believe in the value of college and, for the most part, institutions of higher education have been able to weather significant financial challenges throughout history.   But now, the number of colleges set to close in the next five years is expected to spike, a

Ljubaphoto | E+ | Getty Images If you’re in the market for a used car, the best time of the year to buy one is fast approaching. New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day are the best days of the year to buy a used car because there are 47.9% more deals than average, according

Traders react after the closing bell on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., December 13, 2023.  Brendan Mcdermid | Reuters However you feel about the world these days, you’re likely happy with the stock market. The S&P 500 is up nearly 30% this year so far. But

A driver for an independent contractor to FedEx delivers packages on Cyber Monday in New York, US, on Monday, Nov. 27, 2023. Stephanie Keith | Bloomberg | Getty Images Holiday shopping is expected to reach record levels this year. But a growing share of those purchases will be sent back. Returns in 2024 are expected to

Grace Cary | Moment | Getty Images After decades of building your nest egg, you will eventually have to start taking required minimum distributions, or RMDs, from pretax retirement accounts. The first RMD can be tricky, according to financial experts. Since 2023, most retirees must begin RMDs at age 73. The first deadline is April