The Money Plot by Frederick Kaufman Source: Other Press What is money? Why do we need it? These are some of the big questions writer Frederick Kaufman explores in his book “The Money Plot: A History of Currency’s Power to Enchant, Control, and Manipulate,” which was published in the thick of the pandemic. Kaufman, a
Personal finance
Chef Matt Bolus Source: Kelli LaMatia Like many restaurant owners, Matt Bolus, executive chef of The 404 Kitchen in Nashville, had to get creative when the city shut down due to Covid-19 mandates last spring. He kept some of his core staff busy by cooking meals for the local food bank, private dinners and other
Thomas Trutschel | Photothek | Getty Images Inflation is here and higher interest rates may follow — much to the delight of savers who’ve endured rock-bottom returns on cash and other safe investments since the Great Recession. But inflation is a double-edged sword. Higher prices that consumers pay for goods and services may completely gobble
Geber86 | E+ | Getty Images After Janell Ivy lost her job at a daycare center because of the pandemic, she fell behind on her $890 rent. The single mother feared that she and her four children, all under the age of 7, would be evicted from their apartment in Houston. She packed up her
Lee Jimenez, a teacher at Indian Hill Elementary School in Cincinnati, Ohio, discusses credit cards and methods of payments with his 3rd grade class using online financial education curriculum SmartPath. SMARTPATH There’s been an extra push to get personal finance education into high schools across the country this year, following the coronavirus pandemic. So far
MoMo Productions | DigitalVision | Getty Images More than two dozen states are opting out of federal unemployment programs early, meaning nearly 4 million Americans will see their benefits reduced or cut entirely. But monthly payments of the child tax credit, slated to start July 15, may offer a financial lifeline to parents who lose
Marcos Elihu Castillo Ramirez | iStock | Getty Images Medicare may not be top of mind if you’re nearing the eligibility age of 65 and already have health insurance through your employer. However, it probably deserves some attention. While not everyone must sign up, many are required to enroll unless they want to face life-lasting
In this article SPCX Morsa Images | E+ | Getty Images Early in 2021, SPACs, or special purpose acquisition companies, raised record amounts of money to take private firms public. The frenzy, and recent slump of SPAC shares, could lead to riskier deals in the coming months and years, meaning those looking to invest in
In this article GME AMC BB-CA Mario Tama | Getty Images AMC Entertainment‘s stock continued its wild ride on Wednesday, with the price per share rising more than 100% and prompting a halt to its trading several times. AMC is one of several so-called meme stocks that have seen a surge in interest from individual
In this article AMZN It’s typically one of the most anticipated sales of the year. In 2021, pent-up consumer demand and a surge in new online shoppers could make Amazon Prime Day even bigger. This year’s Amazon Prime Day will include discounts on more than 2 million items for Prime members — about twice as
What will it take to convince people to get vaccinated against Covid? From free doughnuts to million-dollar payouts, public and private groups are trying it all. Back in March, Krispy Kreme was one of the first businesses to roll out a nationwide Covid vaccine incentive, offering a free glazed doughnut to any adult with a vaccination
martin-dm | E+ | Getty Images As the world opens following Covid restrictions, people are also reopening their wallets. For many, it’s exciting to be getting back to some sense of normal. It could also wreak havoc on personal finances, especially if people aren’t careful. “It’s critically important to revisit your budget and how you
Getty Images The dramatic rise of cryptocurrency has led to some spouses hiding those digital assets during divorce settlements, and tracking down the funds isn’t easy, experts say. More than 20 million Americans may own cryptocurrency, industry groups say, and digital currency market values grew to a record $2 trillion in April. These spikes may
Getty Images Covid-19 vaccinations are on the rise. Mask mandates are being stripped away. Businesses are reopening. What should you do to get on track with your money during the economic recovery? The U.S. economy is showing signs of life as the country reopens and returns to a new normal following the coronavirus pandemic. Weekly
Hispanolistic | E+ | Getty Images When Jordan Wexler’s niece recently lost her first tooth, he sent her $15 along with a video of himself dancing while dressed up as a Tooth Fairy. The money was not the typical cash kids traditionally receive under their pillows. Instead, Wexler put the money toward an investment on
R.Tsubin | Moment | Getty Images The Biden administration wants to get tougher on tax cheats — and cryptocurrency is an area of interest. Virtual currencies like bitcoin and ethereum, which are collectively valued around $2 trillion, offer investors a way to shield income from tax authorities. In that way, the crypto economy contributes to
Social media personalities Dixie D’Amelio and Noah Beck at Disney California Adventure Park at the Disneyland Resort on May 2, 2021 in Anaheim, California. Handout | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images The Covid pandemic made the past 14 months a literal roller coaster of a ride for both theme parks and their fans. Parks
Even though they’ve been around for decades, 529 college savings plans are still often misunderstood. The investment vehicles are a tax-advantaged way to save for college or other schooling. Earnings are free from federal tax and the funds aren’t taxed when taken out to pay for qualified expenses. Yet only 36% of Americans can correctly
U.S. President Joe Biden. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images President Joe Biden has a problem with broad student loan forgiveness. In a recent interview with New York Times columnist David Brooks, Biden said: “The idea that you go to Penn and you’re paying a total of 70,000 bucks a year and the public should
Daniel Acker | Bloomberg | Getty Images Car shoppers hoping to cash in on Memorial Day weekend sales events may want to rein in their expectations. On top of reduced inventory due to a shortage of microchips — key parts needed for today’s autos to operate — and unrelenting consumer demand pushing prices higher, there