Personal finance

XiFotos | E+ | Getty Images Millions of Americans are quitting and finding new jobs as the pandemic-fueled “Great Resignation” continues.   Many are probably leaving retirement plans with thousands of dollars behind. More than 25 million people who switched jobs between 2004 and 2014 left one or more employer-sponsored retirement accounts at their former

Marko Geber | DigitalVision | Getty Images As investors flock to municipal bonds, also known as muni bonds, the tax-free interest may trigger a costly surprise for higher-income retirees. There’s been record demand for U.S. municipal bond funds in 2021, with an estimated $85.36 billion in net inflows through September, according to Refinitiv Lipper data.

LeoPatrizi | E+ | Getty Images Rising inflation has Americans worried about purchasing power and their retirement plans. Yet there are some opportunities to make and save money in this environment, as well as protect your investments. “Now is a great time to review your portfolio to make sure your investment allocation is set up

Ty Wright | Bloomberg | Getty Images If you’re nearing the end of your car lease, don’t assume another one is your best option this time around. While many consumers go from lease to lease — which puts them in a new vehicle every few years — the pandemic has upended the auto industry. This

Most people are used to living with debt. Retiring in the red is another story. Maintaining enough cash on hand to cover recurring bills with interest is harder on a fixed income and adds another obstacle to the challenge of living comfortably. And yet, 46% of all Americans expect to retire in debt, according to

Ben Hasty | MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle | Getty Images Thinking of quitting your job soon? It may help you find a better gig. Many Americans are leaving their current employers in hopes of finding better jobs. In September, a record 4.4 million Americans quit their jobs, eclipsing the previous high set in August. At the

RyanJLane Fewer than 1 in 5 women — 15% — worked for employers that provided emergency paid leave during the Covid-19 pandemic, according to research from Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies. In contrast, 22% of male workers had access to this benefit, which includes sick time and family and medical leave. The results are based

skynesher | E+ | Getty Images A lawyer may be your first call when you decide you want a divorce, but a financial advisor should be your second. In many cases, a divorce has more impact on a person’s current and future financial well-being than any other event in their lives. Sound financial planning may

Corn muffin mix is stocked and on display for Thanksgiving dinner items at a Pete’s Fresh Market Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021, in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. John J. Kim | Chicago Tribune | Tribune News Service | Getty Images There’s going to be an extra guest at Thanksgiving dinner this year, making it more expensive than

FatCamera | E+ | Getty Images If you’re using Medicare and haven’t yet reviewed your prescription drug coverage for next year, now’s the time to do it. Because plans make changes every year that take effect Jan. 1, evaluating your options during Medicare’s fall open enrollment could save you from financial strife. While you aren’t

Laura Howden / 500px | 500px | Getty Images The travel industry might get a much-wished-for gift this holiday season, if the latest predictions about year-end travel turn out to be true. Pandemic-weary Americans seem to be ready to take trips for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s and other winter celebrations, several studies have found. AAA

Across the nation, Americans are experiencing sticker shock — just in time for holiday shopping. Consumer prices are surging, with October seeing a 6.2% jump from last year, the most since December 1990, according to the Labor Department. People are paying more for furniture and cars, as well as in the grocery store. Meats, poultry

Antoine Walker, former professional NBA player Shareif Ziyadat | Getty Images In 2008, at the end of his 13-year basketball career, Antoine Walker had amassed $108 million. Two years later, he had nothing. “I came into the league at 19 years old,” he said. “I came from humble beginnings, so I was not used to

If Black Friday — the biggest shopping day of the year — is no longer the day after Thanksgiving, is it still considered Black Friday? This year, instead of one-day doorbuster deals, the discounts are rolling out well before Thanksgiving week, spurred by a number of challenges, including supply chain setbacks and a labor crunch. These

Morsa Images | DigitalVision | Getty Images The standard premium for Medicare’s outpatient care coverage will jump by 14.5% for 2022, far outpacing an earlier estimate of 6.7%, according to the government. The standard premium for Part B, which covers outpatient care and durable equipment, will be $170.10 next year, up $21.60 from $148.50 this

A customer selects goods at a supermarket in New York, the United States, Aug. 11, 2021. Wang Ying | Xinhua News Agency | Getty Images As inflation surges, the IRS has boosted federal income tax brackets for 2022, standard deductions, 401(k) contribution limits and more. But other provisions remain unchanged, leading to higher tax bills

ronnachaipark | iStock | Getty Images You’re not imagining the growing pinch to your budget from the cost of your workplace health insurance. Over the last decade, family premiums for employer-sponsored coverage have jumped 47%, according to a report from the Kaiser Family Foundation. That rate outpaces both wage growth (31%) and inflation (23%) over

An Everest College location in Woodbridge, Virginia. SIPA | AP Cerena Jones served in the U.S. Air Force from 2000 to 2005, and not long after used her G.I. Bill to attend Everest College in Dallas. Getting her associate’s degree in business administration, she hoped, would be the beginning of a long career. She soon

d3sign | Moment | Getty Images American consumers are already suffering sticker shock from prices on grocery store shelves and at the gas pump. Now, data for October shows inflation was even higher last month than some experts had projected. The Consumer Price Index, which measures the average change in prices over time, climbed 6.2%

Phynart Studio | E+ | Getty Images For military veterans, turning 65 can come with a health-care decision: Whether to sign up for Medicare. Those who use Tricare and plan to enroll in Tricare for Life — an insurance program administered by the Defense Department — generally have no choice: The latter is only available