urbazon | E+ | Getty Images An inflation gauge closely watched by the Federal Reserve has reached a record high. The core Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index climbed 4.9% from a year ago in December. The index measures the prices people pay in the U.S. for goods and services, excluding food and energy, which tend
Personal finance
Getty Images Nearly one-third of undergraduates borrow money from the federal government to pay for college. That’s about 43 million Americans who owe a staggering total of nearly $1.6 trillion in outstanding student loans. A new survey found that 54% of federal student loan borrowers said taking on that debt was not worth it. Overall,
Westend61 | Westend61 | Getty Images The pandemic has upended millions of American lives, and for many has made them reconsider priorities around work. That’s prompted many to quit jobs amid the so-called Great Resignation. In November, a record 4.5 million workers left their jobs, according to data from the Labor Department. There are also
Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange at the opening bell Jan. 25, 2022. TIMOTHY A. CLARY | AFP | Getty Images The specter of rising interest rates is spooking the stock market. The Federal Reserve, the U.S. central bank, is expected to increase its benchmark rate several times this year
Westend61 | Westend61 | Getty Images If you’re like most people, the idea of a four-day workweek sounds appealing. While the jobs are few and far between, there has been a slow buildup of companies moving to the shortened week, either permanently or through a trial phase. Some have already implemented the perk. Others may
Representative Judy Chu, a Democrat from California, speaks during a news conference announcing the State and Local Taxes (SALT) Caucus outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, April 15, 2021. Sarah Silbiger | Bloomberg | Getty Images As Democrats debate Build Back Better, the social and climate spending plan may still include changes to
Marko Geber | DigitalVision | Getty Images The IRS has issued all third-round stimulus payments to eligible Americans, the agency said Wednesday. However, new parents and other recipients who added dependents in 2021 may still qualify for additional money. The payments, up to $1,400 a person, were authorized by the American Rescue Plan Act, a
Rohit Chopra, director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Alex Edelman/Bloomberg via Getty Images The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on Wednesday signaled a broad crackdown on hidden and excessive fees charged by banks, mortgage lenders and other financial entities. The federal agency, created in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, is seeking consumers’ input
Mihtiander | Getty Images The stock market’s wild ride this week may have you questioning your retirement investing strategy. On Monday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average shed more than1,100 points before rebounding to close slightly higher. However, Tuesday’s early market activity ushered in a new triple-digit drop before the index began to bounce back midday.
J. Kempin | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images The wild swings in the stock market may have you stressed about your investments. Yet if you took a page from self-made billionaire Warren Buffett, you shouldn’t be too concerned about daily market moves. “You’ve got to be prepared when you buy a stock to have
Tetra Images If you’re looking for a relatively safe, tax-friendly asset, you may be eyeing municipal bonds, known as muni bonds or “munis.” Demand soared in 2021 as investors fled from President Joe Biden’s proposed tax increases, with a record $96.8 billion of net money pouring into U.S. muni mutual and exchange-traded funds, according to
People walk through the North American Bitcoin Conference held at the James L Knight Center on January 18, 2022 in Miami, Florida. Joe Raedle | Getty Images Bitcoin has had a difficult start to 2022. The top cryptocurrency fell below the $33,000 mark on Monday to its lowest point since July, before regaining some losses