Personal finance

In this article FTCI Srdjanpav | E+ | Getty Images The Federal Trade Commission announced this week that it would send thousands of checks totaling more than $822,000 to student loan borrowers who lost money in a debt-relief scam. More than 14,500 consumers who paid money to a company that operated under the name Student

Impulse buys can quickly erode even the best financial plans. And yet, between sponsored posts on social media and “revenge spending,” they are nearly impossible to avoid. As the cost of living surges and more Americans say they are stretched too thin amid concerns about a possible recession, they’re dipping into their cash reserves and nearly half are falling

Getty Images As Generation X edges closer to retirement, inflation appears to be weighing more heavily on that age group than other adults. Compared with millennials (ages 26 to 41) and baby boomers (ages 58 to 76), a larger share of Gen Xers (ages 42 to 57) are concerned about the nation’s economic outlook, maintaining

Getty Images Another state has joined the growing list of those aiming to boost retirement savings among workers at companies that don’t offer a 401(k) or similar workplace plan. Delaware Gov. John Carney signed a bill into law on Thursday that will create a state-run program to automatically enroll eligible private sector workers in Roth

People stand in line at a Social Security Office in Pasadena, California. Mario Anzuoni | Reuters People who face long waits for service at the Social Security Administration’s field offices have had to contend with one more complication this summer — intense heat. That prompted leaders of the House Ways and Means Committee to send

Getty Images By now, you probably know that prices for new cars have been climbing at a brisk pace, along with many other consumer goods, in the midst of high inflation. The average cost of a car is an estimated $45,869, according to a recent joint forecast from J.D. Power and LMC Automotive. Adding to

Skynesher | E+ | Getty Images Consumers looking to buy a new car may need to clear more room in their budgets for it. For new vehicles, the average auto loan is for 70.4 months (less than two months shy of six years) and monthly payments have climbed past $700 for the first time ever,

seksan Mongkhonkhamsao Personal bankruptcy filings have fallen dramatically since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, but with interest rates rising and government relief waning, filing numbers will likely pick up through this year, say experts. “I’ve had more calls in the last few weeks than the previous six months,” said Charles Juntikka, a New York-based

Getty Images The Inflation Reduction Act, passed by House Democrats on Friday and headed to President Joe Biden’s desk for his signature, is the most ambitious climate spending package in U.S. history — and households that take steps to improve their energy efficiency stand to reap financial benefits. The package would pump $369 billion into

Families, parents and caregivers call on Congress to include paid family and medical leave in the Build Back Better legislative package during an all-day Nov. 2, 2021 vigil in Washington, D.C. Paul Morigi | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images Missing a week of work due to illness, child care or other obligations during Covid-19

Andrew Biggs, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute American Enterprise Institute When Andrew Biggs, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, was nominated by President Joe Biden to be a member of the Social Security Advisory Board in May, it came at an important inflection point for the program. A report subsequently released by

Fluxfactory | E+ | Getty Images Travelers saw prices fall for big-ticket pieces of their vacation budgets in July, offering at least a temporary reprieve after soaring costs earlier this year. Airfares fell nearly 8% from June to July, while prices for rental cars and lodging like hotels declined 9.5% and about 3%, respectively, according