Personal finance

XiFotos | E+ | Getty Images After the Social Security Administration announced a record-high cost-of-living adjustment for 2022, many beneficiaries are asking, “How much bigger will my monthly checks be?” People who receive Social Security or Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, benefits will get a 5.9% boost to their payments next year. That is that

In this article TREE Why pay now when you can pay later? Whether it’s holiday gifts or groceries, it’s easier than ever to postpone payments on purchases. “Buy now, pay later,” or BNPL, lets shoppers break their purchases into equal installment payments, often interest-free, which can make even the biggest-ticket items seem affordable and the

Getty Images The enhanced child tax credit has sent monthly checks to millions of American families since July. Now, it’s one of the programs on the chopping block as Democrats slim down President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better agenda. Lawmakers are proposing to extend the benefit for only one year. Previously, the Biden Administration proposed

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., speaks outside of the U.S. Capitol on Oct. 20, 2021. Mandel Ngan | AFP | Getty Images As Democrats wrestle over their spending package, key lawmakers are still fighting to change the $10,000 cap on the federal deduction for state and local taxes. The measure, known as SALT, is a

Experts are sounding the alarm about inflation, and that has Americans worried about their retirement. Billionaire hedge fund manager Paul Tudor Jones told CNBC Wednesday that inflation poses a major threat to the U.S. economy and markets. His comments echo those of others who have also recently voiced concern. Earlier this month, Jeremy Siegel, finance

In this article AMZN Karl Tapales | Moment | Getty Images Con artists pretending to be Amazon employees scammed Americans out of $27 million from July 2020 through June 2021, the Federal Trade Commission said Wednesday. These fraudsters were part of a “business impersonator” scam. Criminals pose as someone the consumer trusts — in this

Bitcoin on display. Chesnot | Getty Images Investors who are bullish on cryptocurrencies are betting more on the digital assets than stocks. In September, crypto investors put an average of $263 into accounts dedicated to coins, more than the average $250 they put in traditional brokerages during the month, according to a recent survey from

In this article COIN Coinbase signage in New York’s Times Square during the company’s initial public offering on the Nasdaq on April 14, 2021. Robert Nickelsberg | Getty Images Investing consistently in cryptocurrency just got a lot easier. In September, Coinbase announced that its users will soon be able to set up direct deposit with

Justin Sullivan | Getty Images You may want to get used to higher prices at the pump, at least for now. As of Monday, the average cost of a gallon of gas was $3.30, up 7.5 cents from a month ago and $1.08 higher than a year ago, according to fuel savings app GasBuddy. By

VALERIE MACON | AFP | Getty Images When the Covid-19 pandemic prompted a dramatic drop in wages, that also sparked concerns that one particular cohort would see lower Social Security benefits as a result. Those concerns, however, have abated, according to new data from the Social Security Administration. The reason comes down to the national

Shoppers at a New York supermarket on Aug. 11, 2021. Wang Ying | Xinhua News Agency | Getty Images One looming question for the U.S. economy is how long inflation is here to stay. Based on recent government data, there is good reason for asking. The Consumer Price Index, which measures the average change over

Bitcoin on display. Chesnot | Getty Images The first U.S. bitcoin futures exchange-traded fund will launch on Tuesday, a milestone for the cryptocurrency industry, and others may soon follow. The long-awaited ProShares ETF will offer exposure to bitcoin futures contracts — agreements to buy or sell the asset later for an agreed-upon price — rather

fizkes | iStock | Getty Images For Medicare beneficiaries who want to join an Advantage Plan, now is the time to do it. Just be sure you know what the plan covers and what your potential costs will be — and how long you have to change your mind. During the annual fall open enrollment

AJ_Watt | E+ | Getty Images There are a lot of “firsts” for new parents — and measures to shore up household finances are among them. Expenses for a new baby are often higher than parents expect, according to financial advisors. The average middle-income married couple spends $12,350 to $13,900 a year to raise a

In this article MORN BraunS | E+ | Getty Images Many Hispanic Americans aren’t saving enough — or at all — for retirement. More than two-third of Hispanic households aren’t putting aside anything through workplace savings vehicles such as 401(k) plans, a Morningstar report found. Private retirement plans like individual retirement accounts aren’t filling the

Don Bayley | Vetta | Getty Images This week’s announcement of the highest Social Security cost-of-living adjustment since 1982 was welcome news for retirees. It will help alleviate the financial pinch many are feeling. Beneficiaries in 2022 will receive a 5.9% boost to their checks. That’s up from a 1.3% benefit increase for 2021. Even

VALERIE MACON | AFP | Getty Images People who collect Social Security are about to see bigger checks. The cost-of-living adjustment in 2022 will be 5.9%, the Social Security Administration said Wednesday. The bump, which will help beneficiaries keep up with rising costs due to inflation, is the largest increase in about 40 years. The

Geber86 | E+ | Getty Images It happens to the best of us — after setting a budget, somehow spending goes off the rails. “It’s so easy to do,” said certified financial planner Diahann Lassus, managing principal at Peapack Private Wealth Management, based in New Providence, New Jersey. The coronavirus pandemic, economic recession and subsequent recovery

designer491 | iStock | Getty Images Retirement savers could start seeing annuities in their 401(k) plans. While allowing them in workplace retirement savings plans is not new, the 2019 Secure Act aimed to eliminate companies’ fear of legal liability if the annuity provider were to fail or otherwise not meet its obligations. Now, insurance companies,

In this article COIN Grandbrothers | iStock Editorial | Getty Images Kenny Schachter, an art dealer, columnist for Artnet and self-proclaimed nonfungible tokens evangelist, believes that the digital works could eclipse the traditional art market within five years. This month cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase and the auction house Sotheby’s, which has been around since 1744, both