Personal finance

Former President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally in Wildwood Beach on May 11, 2024 in Wildwood, New Jersey.  Michael M. Santiago | Getty Images News | Getty Images Most Americans have paid lower income taxes since 2018 — and trillions in tax breaks will sunset next year without action from Congress. Enacted by

Greg Hinsdale | The Image Bank | Getty Images For registered investment advisors, advancements in artificial intelligence have brought to the surface lingering feelings of unease that many advisors have had since the robo-advising boom of the early 2010s. The AI explosion has dovetailed with Thomas Moore’s time as the director of Betterment for Advisors.

Grace Cary | Moment | Getty Images Inflation fell slightly in April as easing price pressures for groceries and other areas of consumer balance sheets were partially offset by higher gasoline prices and stubbornly high housing costs. The consumer price index, a key inflation gauge, rose 3.4% in April from a year ago, the U.S.

As the costs at some colleges near $100,000 a year, families need a savings strategy they can bank on. Financial experts and plan investors agree that 529 college savings plans are a smart choice for many. And, as of 2024, there are even more benefits, including higher contribution limits and the flexibility to roll unused

President Joe Biden delivers remarks on canceling student debt on February 21, 2024 in Culver City, California. Mario Tama | Getty Images News | Getty Images The U.S. Department of Education is giving borrowers more time to meet a key student loan forgiveness deadline. Those who request a so-called loan consolidation by June 30 —

Simonskafar | E+ | Getty Images Incentives are coming back to the auto market, but high interest rates are weakening those deals for car shoppers. “Pre-pandemic, people would see a 0% financing for 60 months and think, ‘no big deal,’ because it was available everywhere,” said Jessica Caldwell, an insights analyst at Edmunds, an auto

Lourdes Balduque | Moment | Getty Images High inflation eased slightly in April, which may provide some relief to consumers who have been contending with elevated prices.   For retirees and people approaching retirement, higher than normal inflation poses unique challenges. Most retirees have access to one of the few inflation-adjusted sources of income —

Keeping up with credit card debt is getting more difficult. Americans now owe $1.12 trillion on their credit cards, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported Tuesday. The average balance per consumer stands at $6,218, up 8.5% year over year, according to a separate quarterly credit industry insights report from TransUnion. “Consumers continue to use credit,

D3sign | Moment | Getty Images As the affordable options and relief measures for federal student loan borrowers pile up, consumer advocates advise caution before refinancing your debt. “How’s this for a warning? DON’T!” Betsy Mayotte, president of The Institute of Student Loan Advisors, wrote in an email to CNBC. Refinancing your federal student loans turns

Oscar Wong | Moment | Getty Images Inflation is higher than policymakers would like across the broad U.S. economy. Yet, there are many sectors seeing the opposite dynamic: deflation. Deflation means prices are declining for consumers. Conversely, inflation measures how quickly costs are rising for goods and services. Consumers have largely seen prices deflate for

Riska | E+ | Getty Images Many Americans are earning more on cash after interest rate hikes from the Federal Reserve — and that income can trigger a surprise at tax time. “So many people were shocked by their cash interest earned” and taxes owed, said Boston-based certified financial planner Catherine Valega, founder of Green

Prasit photo | Moment | Getty Images As employers compete to attract and retain talent, equity compensation — or an ownership stake in the company — has become a key workplace benefit. Some 72% of companies offer some form of equity compensation to certain employees, a 2023 survey from Morgan Stanley found. That’s up from

A general view of the atmosphere during The Art Institute of Atlanta commencement ceremony at Riverside EpiCenter on June 17, 2022 in Austell, Georgia.  Marcus Ingram | Getty Images The Biden administration on Wednesday announced that it would forgive more than $6.1 billion in student debt for 317,000 former students of The Art Institutes, the

Ascentxmedia | E+ | Getty Images Many people claim Social Security retirement benefits at the earliest possible claiming age of 62. But that decision prompts their monthly benefits to be reduced for the rest of their lives. Working with a financial advisor should help encourage prospective beneficiaries to understand the value of delaying their benefit

The Federal Reserve held rates steady Wednesday — again deciding not to cut — which means anyone who carries a balance on their credit card isn’t getting a break from sky-high interest charges. “It is becoming clearer and clearer that the Fed isn’t going to lower interest rates anytime soon,” said Matt Schulz, chief credit

The US Department of Education sign hangs over the entrance to the federal building housing the agency’s headquarters on February 9, 2024, in Washington, DC.  J. David Ake | Getty Images If your current federal student loan servicer is Mohela, or the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority, the U.S. Department of Education said it will

Internal Revenue Commissioner Danny Werfel speaks during his swearing in ceremony at the IRS in Washington, D.C., on April 4, 2023. Bonnie Cash | Getty Images News | Getty Images The IRS has released an update on its strategic operating plan, which outlines “major accomplishments” in taxpayer service, technology and enforcement since its infusion of

JGI/Jamie Grill If you’ve opted into your employer’s matching 401(k) Roth contributions this year, it could trigger a tax surprise without proper planning, experts say.  Enacted in 2022, Secure 2.0 ushered in sweeping changes for retirement savers, including the option for employers to offer 401(k) matches in Roth accounts. These accounts are after-tax, meaning employees

In this article BRK.A Follow your favorite stocksCREATE FREE ACCOUNT Warren Buffett, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, smiles as he plays bridge following the annual Berkshire Hathaway shareholders meeting in Omaha, Nebraska, on May 5, 2019. Nati Harnik | AP Warren Buffett is widely praised for his investment acumen. But one of the biggest

Teacher teaching her students in art class at school. Fg Trade | E+ | Getty Images The popular Public Service Loan Forgiveness program began a partial processing pause on May 1, which will likely run through July, the U.S. Department of Education recently said. The temporary suspension comes as the Biden administration overhauls the once-troubled