Personal finance

Kim Churches Courtesy of American Association of University Women It’s a statistic that prompts a double-take: Women owe two-thirds of the country’s $1.7 trillion outstanding student loan balance. On average, women borrow more than $31,000 to finance their education. Black women take out more than $41,000. Men, meanwhile, borrow around $29,000. But those differences are

Rattanakun Thongbun / EyeEm/Getty Images Some of your behavioral tendencies might be causing harm to your financial wellbeing, research suggests. Regardless of factors such as age, income and education, there’s a connection between certain biases and financial health, according to a Morningstar study about behavioral finance released on Tuesday. The research shows that high levels

In this article BCH.CB= Dado Ruvic | Reuters Bitcoin‘s trademark rollercoaster ride is back — and doesn’t look to be letting up anytime soon. On Monday, bitcoin rebounded and traded up roughly 14% near the 38,000 level after slumping to less than $32,000 on Sunday. The choppy movement comes just days after bitcoin plunged 30%,

Martin Barraud | Getty Images If you’re retired and worried about how inflation could hit your wallet, there may be strategies you can employ to minimize the impact. One option could be to invest in Treasury inflation-protected securities, or TIPS. Like typical Treasury bonds, they are issued and backed by the U.S. government — which

fstop123 | E+ | Getty Images It’s a sure bet that no one — regardless of age — enjoys handing over any of their income to the IRS. In retirement, though, doing so can feel like even more of a sting. Assuming you’ve left work earnings entirely behind you, any amount owed to Uncle Sam

In this article FIS Although the pandemic isn’t over, many retirement savings accounts are back to pre-Covid highs. Retirement account balances, which took a sharp nosedive almost exactly one year ago when the coronavirus outbreak caused economic shockwaves, have now bounced back entirely, according to the latest data from Fidelity Investments, the nation’s largest provider

A small child wearing a mask sits on her fathers shoulders outside of the Lenox Health Greenwich Village hospital during the nightly ‘Clap Because We Care’ cheer for medical staff and essential workers on May 29, 2020 in New York City. Alexi Rosenfeld Homeless families, or those that are between permanent addresses, can still get

Demonstrators participate in a protest asking senators to support the continuation of unemployment benefits on July 16, 2020 in Miami Springs, Florida. Joe Raedle | Getty Images As Covid-19 restrictions loosen for businesses large and small, jobs are coming back. For people who are still out of work and collecting unemployment benefits, that could make

Hero Images | Hero Images | Getty Images Fidelity Investments announced Tuesday a new investing account for teens ages 13 to 17. The new fee-free account allows kids to buy and sell U.S. stocks, most exchange-traded funds and Fidelity mutual funds. “Starting with children at a young age is a great thing,” said certified financial planner

PeopleImages | E+ | Getty Images Prices are picking up faster than usual, and the threat more investors are talking about is inflation. Inflation presents challenges for investors in a number of ways, experts say. Most simply, as the cost of living goes up, your returns don’t go as far. That’s a particularly vexing problem

kate_sept2004 There’s nothing easy about divorce, and President Joe Biden‘s latest proposal may deliver a tax surprise to couples calling it quits.  Biden wants higher taxes on the wealthiest 1% to help fund education, paid leave, childcare and other social programs, impacting those earning over $400,000. The proposal calls for raising the highest income tax

Olga Kaya | iStock | Getty Images There are now more than 360 programs across the country providing money to renters who’ve fallen behind because of the coronavirus pandemic. The funds total more than $45 billion and have been allocated by Congress in the last two major stimulus packages in the hopes of clearing up

FG Trade | iStock | Getty Images Do you enjoy watching your nest egg grow? Depending on the type of account, the U.S. government probably does, too. That’s because if it’s a 401(k) plan or individual retirement account holding pre-tax contributions, the IRS expects to get a cut at some point.  “All too often, investors

In this article BBY TFC BLK MoMo Productions | Stone | Getty Images Many Americans do not have the cash on hand to cover an unexpected emergency expense, a reality that has become more apparent during the Covid-19 pandemic. That has led to a growing call for companies to step in and adopt programs to

Anna Moneymaker | Getty Images News | Getty Images President Joe Biden wants to raise taxes on wealthy households to fund part of his infrastructure agenda. But some of those tax hikes are poised to happen even if Biden’s legislative push isn’t successful. That’s due to the way in which lawmakers structured the 2017 Tax

In this article FIS Getty Images Fidelity investments is expanding its no-fee investing accounts to a new group: teens. With parental permission and guidance, of course. The investing firm Tuesday announced the Fidelity Youth Account, a brokerage account specifically designed to help kids ages 13 to 17 invest, save and spend. The accounts are available

Fertnig | E+ | Getty Images Heidi Hansen was making $72,000 a year as a purchasing and warehouse manager in Emmetsburg, Iowa, until she was laid off last month. Her weekly state unemployment benefit of under $500 in Iowa wouldn’t be enough to cover her monthly bills, including her $830 mortgage, car insurance and utilities.

Samuel Corum/Bloomberg via Getty Images The IRS will start issuing tax refunds on unemployment benefits this week. But some people may see a smaller refund — or none at all. The lesser amounts will apply to those who have past-due debts, like federal and state taxes, child support, student loans and unemployment benefits that were

Getty Images The May 17 extended tax filing deadline has arrived. Those who still aren’t ready may feel panicked, yet experts say there are options for people who aren’t prepared to file or pay. More from Personal Finance:2020 tax returns are due to the IRS on May 17. Here are some last-minute filing tipsAlmost 2

Hispanolistic Depending on where you live, cash or other financial aid from your state could be coming your way. As the U.S. economy continues recovering from the pandemic, some states are using (or plan to use) extra money in their budgets to either send out stimulus-type payments, provide tax cuts or otherwise give relief to