Personal finance

The U.S. Department of Education in Washington, D.C. Caroline Brehman | CQ-Roll Call, Inc. | Getty Images Seven Republican-led states have sued the U.S. Department of Education to block the Biden administration from carrying out its sweeping new student loan forgiveness plan. In the lawsuit, the states — Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Missouri, North Dakota

Hero Images | Getty Images Since most Americans aren’t eligible for Medicare before age 65, many younger retirees rely on Marketplace health insurance, which offers lower monthly premiums through the end of 2025 thanks to boosted tax breaks. But retirees can face a costly tax surprise without proper planning, experts say. As of open enrollment

Hinterhaus Productions | Digitalvision | Getty Images Travel spending among American households continues to outpace its pre-pandemic levels, a trend underpinned by a zeal for international trips, according to new Bank of America research. “A key part of travel momentum lies within vacationing abroad,” Taylor Bowley and Joe Wadford, economists at the Bank of America

Ascentxmedia | E+ | Getty Images With the Federal Reserve poised to start cutting interest rates, experts are divided on what’s ahead for the U.S. economy. While some worry the economy could be in for a broad decline, or recession, others hope the central bank can effectively avoid a downturn and execute a “soft landing.”

Piranka | E+ | Getty Images The season of fall foliage and pumpkin spice lattes is approaching. Meanwhile, the job market might also turning over a new leaf. A “September surge,” or the idea that more job postings become available after Labor Day, is tied to an end of a summer slowdown as job recruiters

Morsa Images | Digitalvision | Getty Images Retirees who are worried about the high costs of prescription drugs are set to get new relief starting in 2025. Starting in January, Medicare drug plan enrollees will have their annual out-of-pocket drug costs capped at $2,000. Between 2025 and 2029, on average, about 1.4 million participants in

Xavier Lorenzo | Moment | Getty Images A lack of attention to taxes may be costing investors big bucks. Many investors are probably familiar with the concept of asset allocation, which entails selecting the right mix of stocks and bonds (say, 60/40) to balance investment risk and return. But where those assets are held —

Images By Tang Ming Tung | Digitalvision | Getty Images Employers are increasingly putting workers’ 401(k) plan savings on autopilot. But the positive impact of automated retirement savings is more muted than initially thought, new research finds. Previously “underexamined” factors — like workers cashing out 401(k) balances when they leave a job — “meaningfully reduce”

A Dollar General store in Germantown, New York, on Nov. 30, 2023. Angus Mordant/Bloomberg via Getty Images Three of the nation’s largest retailers — Dollar General, Dollar Tree and Kroger — charge fees to customers who ask for “cash back” at check-out, amounting to more than $90 million a year, according to the Consumer Financial

Source: Getty Images During a strong year for the stock market, a lesser-known strategy could help rebalance your portfolio and save on future taxes. The tactic, known as tax-gain harvesting, involves strategically selling your profitable brokerage account assets during lower-income years. That could include early years of retirement or periods of unemployment. As of Aug.

Grace Cary | Moment | Getty Images Travelers, be warned: The federal government may revoke your passport if you ignore a big tax bill. Such punishments have become more frequent in recent years, experts said. Federal law requires the IRS and Treasury Department to notify the State Department if an American has a “seriously delinquent

Stefanie Kiser Book: “Wanted: Toddler’s Personal Assistant”. Cover design by Jillian Rahn/Sourcebooks. Courtesy: Stefanie Kiser Stephanie Kiser came to New York City in 2014 as a new college graduate, hoping to become a screenwriter. Instead, she spent the next seven years as a nanny for wealthy families. Kiser’s new memoir, “Wanted: Toddler’s Personal Assistant: How