Personal finance

In this article AMZN Amazon driver Shawndu Stackhouse delivers packages in Northeast Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, April 6, 2021. Tom Williams | CQ-Roll Call, Inc. | Getty Images It’s typically one of the biggest sales of the year. And in 2021, Amazon Prime Day could be even bigger. The annual two-day shopping event is set

Peter Cade | Getty Images Many people know about their 401(k) perks, but their plan may have a hidden feature that allows for even more savings. When someone maxes out their 401(k) — $19,500 in annual contributions for those under 50 in 2021 — some plans may permit them to stash more money into their

For long-term investors, daily headlines are distractions. Westend61 / Josep Rovirosa | Getty Images It’s no secret that Social Security is underfunded, and many Americans are struggling to scrape by on their monthly benefit checks. Now, congressional leaders have raised a key question on reforming the program. “Should we vote now or should we kick

Anchiy | E+ | Getty Images The age when older Americans must start making withdrawals from retirement accounts could change yet again. Under a provision in proposed retirement legislation pending in Congress, required minimum distributions, or RMDs, would start at age 75 by 2032, up from age 72 — which only took effect last year

A car drives north to escape the Bond Fire as it crosses Santiago Canyon Road near Southern California’s Silverado Canyon on Dec. 3, 2020. Leonard Ortiz | Getty Images Climate change is a growing concern for many retirees. As extreme weather threatens communities across the country, some investors are shifting their retirement portfolios.  “This is

New York schoolchildren study at home during the coronavirus lockdown on April 6, 2020. Peter Titmuss | Education Images | Getty Images Parents without bank accounts, take note: The IRS will not send any of the upcoming enhanced child tax credit payments via debit cards, according to a Treasury spokesperson. The payments, which are set

Zoom In IconArrows pointing outwards Rising consumer costs have helped push the latest estimate for next year’s Social Security cost-of-living adjustment to 5.3%. Whether that will actually be the bump retirees see to their monthly checks in 2022 depends a lot on the economy, including whether the Federal Reserve decides to raise interest rates. The

In this article DFS Fifty-six percent of travelers told Discover they’ll use contactless payment methods more often while on trips this year. martin-dm | E+ | Getty Images Most news about travel may have focused on health and safety since the pandemic hit over a year ago. However, cost and booking flexibility are now even

Zoom In IconArrows pointing outwards For months, renter Sabrina Floyd waited with to hear if she and her family were approved for help from the Clark County rental assistance program in Las Vegas. She’d often ask her caseworker for updates, and would get the same reply: “Thank you for your continued patience during these hard

maybefalse | E+ | Getty Images You probably can come up with many things you’d rather do than spend time planning for your own death. However, there’s part of creating an estate plan that experts say deserves thoughtful consideration: choosing the individuals who will carry out the wishes in your will and who will make

shapecharge | E+ | Getty Images For workers who lose track of their 401(k) savings accounts, help may be on the way. Proposed retirement legislation that’s pending in Congress would create an online “lost and found” database to help locate those accounts, among a variety of other provisions. While lawmakers are in the early stages

Personal finance expert Suze Orman likes bitcoin. Not as a currency, but as a long-term investment, the best-selling author told CNBC’s “Power Lunch” Monday. Back in April, she said she told listeners of her podcast, Women & Money (And Everyone Smart Enough To Listen), “Any money that you can afford to lose, then I don’t

Sue Barr | Image Source | Getty Images Come July 15, millions of American families will start receiving payments through the enhanced child tax credit that may amount to hundreds of dollars each month through the end of 2021. Yet some families eligible for the payments may decide that rather than receive the money now,

Miami Beach, Florida Artur Debat | Moment | Getty Images Interest in travel is picking up as the pandemic winds down, and cooped-up Americans are itching to hit the road again, two recent surveys have found. Travelers are thinking about booking trips to warm and sunny domestic climes — be they Sun Belt cities or

In this article IRSA3-AR Samuel Corum/Bloomberg via Getty Images Jeff Lavigne plans to use a tax refund this year for long-delayed medical help. Yet his refund, almost $2,700, has been in limbo since mid-March, when Lavigne filed his tax return, records show. The IRS flagged the return for potential identity theft — as it did

nortonrsx | iStock | Getty Images Not all debt is the same. So how should you decide which to repay first? Amid the coronavirus pandemic last year and ensuing economic recession, debt grew for many Americans. In 2020, consumer debt ballooned to a new high of $14.88 trillion, a 6% increase from the previous year,

The beach at Wildwood, New Jersey, on the Jersey Shore on May 27, 2021. Spencer Platt | Getty Images Certified public accountants have a message for New Jersey-based clients: It’s time to move to a lower-cost state. That’s according to a recent survey from the New Jersey Society of CPAs, which found that 70% of

Icicles hang off the State Highway 195 sign on Feb. 18, 2021 in Killeen, Texas. Joe Raedle | Getty Images The threat of climate change is shifting some older Americans’ retirement plans. Extreme weather such as hurricanes, flooding, freezing temperatures and wildfires has prompted some to rethink where they will spend their golden years. “Clients

Erik Isakson | Tetra images | Getty Images Americans want their summer vacations. After a year of being pent up during the pandemic, 80% said they are ready to travel, according to a recent survey by tourism market research firm Destination Analysts. However, with that demand comes higher prices. Airline tickets are up 7% for

Women would be among the biggest winners of student loan forgivness. Ines Fraile | iStock | Getty Images Certain critics of student loan forgiveness have argued that the policy would largely benefit the relatively well-off, pointing out that college degrees lead to higher earnings. However, new research finds that the biggest benefits of cancelling student