Personal finance

Skynesher | E+ | Getty Images Consumers looking to buy a new car may need to clear more room in their budgets for it. For new vehicles, the average auto loan is for 70.4 months (less than two months shy of six years) and monthly payments have climbed past $700 for the first time ever,

A decision from the White House on federal student loan forgiveness could be just days away. Yet current high school students will still struggle with how to pay for college without taking on too much debt. With tuition on the rise, most families rely on a combination of resources to make it work. Income and

Source: Getty Images Investors have been pouring money into high-yield bonds, which typically pay more interest for taking on greater risk. But these investments are also known as “junk bonds,” and financial experts urge caution before piling in. After a rocky start to 2022, U.S. high-yield bond funds received an estimated $6.8 billion in net

seksan Mongkhonkhamsao Personal bankruptcy filings have fallen dramatically since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, but with interest rates rising and government relief waning, filing numbers will likely pick up through this year, say experts. “I’ve had more calls in the last few weeks than the previous six months,” said Charles Juntikka, a New York-based

WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 27: Student loan debt holders take part in a demonstration outside of the white house staff entrance to demand that President Biden cancel student loan debt. Jemal Countess | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images A number of big changes are coming for borrowers pursuing public service loan forgiveness. That program,

Getty Images The Inflation Reduction Act, passed by House Democrats on Friday and headed to President Joe Biden’s desk for his signature, is the most ambitious climate spending package in U.S. history — and households that take steps to improve their energy efficiency stand to reap financial benefits. The package would pump $369 billion into

Families, parents and caregivers call on Congress to include paid family and medical leave in the Build Back Better legislative package during an all-day Nov. 2, 2021 vigil in Washington, D.C. Paul Morigi | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images Missing a week of work due to illness, child care or other obligations during Covid-19

Despite some indications of an economic slowdown, the job market remains remarkably stable, and many workers have reaped the benefits. In fact, a record number of employees quit their jobs, found new positions and renegotiated along the way. But not everyone who joined the so-called Great Reshuffle is better off. More than a quarter —

Andrew Biggs, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute American Enterprise Institute When Andrew Biggs, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, was nominated by President Joe Biden to be a member of the Social Security Advisory Board in May, it came at an important inflection point for the program. A report subsequently released by

Rep. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., speaks during a news conference announcing the State and Local Taxes (SALT) Caucus outside the U.S. Capitol on April 15, 2021. Sarah Silbiger | Bloomberg | Getty Images After fighting to repeal the $10,000 limit on the federal deduction for state and local taxes, known as SALT, a group of House

Fluxfactory | E+ | Getty Images Travelers saw prices fall for big-ticket pieces of their vacation budgets in July, offering at least a temporary reprieve after soaring costs earlier this year. Airfares fell nearly 8% from June to July, while prices for rental cars and lodging like hotels declined 9.5% and about 3%, respectively, according

FluxFactory New government data points to signs that red-hot inflation is starting to cool. But Social Security beneficiaries may still be in for a record high cost-of-living adjustment in 2023. The Senior Citizens League, a nonpartisan senior group, now estimates Social Security benefits may increase 9.6%, based on Consumer Price Index data released on Wednesday.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., discusses the Inflation Reduction Act on Aug. 7, 2022 in Washington, D.C. Kent Nishimura | Los Angeles Times | Getty Images Senate Democrats curtailed a tax break for certain pass-through businesses as part of the Inflation Reduction Act passed Sunday. A pass-through or flow-through business is one that reports

The Biden administration has promised to make a decision on student loan forgiveness within weeks, or even days. And yet, college affordability will remain an issue for years to come, experts say. Increasingly, high school students are rethinking the value of a four-year degree. Many now say it’s just not worth the sky-high cost. “More

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., and Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.V., on Capitol Hill on Sept. 30, 2021. Jabin Botsford | The Washington Post | Getty Images Senate Democrats passed a historic package of climate, healthcare and tax provisions on Sunday. But one proposed tweak to the tax code — a modification of so-called carried interest rules

Long-term unemployment tumbled below its pre-pandemic level in July, the U.S. Department of Labor said Friday, as an unexpectedly strong showing of job gains buoyed workers broadly across the economy. Long-term joblessness is a period lasting at least six months. Those without work that long are exposed to more financial risks, since they’ve generally exhausted

Getty Images President Joe Biden has promised to make his decision on student loan forgiveness “by the end of August.” That means tens of millions of Americans could learn the future of their debt within days or weeks. Here are 5 things borrowers can do while you wait for more news, to be prepared for

Firefighters pull up to a burning house during the Kincade fire in Healdsburg, California, on Oct. 27, 2019. Josh Edelson | Afp | Getty Images As climate change threatens the U.S. with more natural disasters, it’s becoming increasingly costly for Americans to insure their homes ⁠— and it’s only expected to get worse, according to

In this article TRU There’s no doubt Americans are falling deeper in debt. As prices jump across the board, consumers are increasingly relying on credit cards to make ends meet. The number of people with credit cards and personal loans hit record highs in the second quarter of 2022, according to TransUnion’s latest credit industry

Kelvin Murray | Getty Images A combination of record high prices and a record number of job openings has been encouraging more retirees to go back to work. The trend, called “unretirement,” rebounded this spring to pre-pandemic levels. About two-thirds, or 68%, of retirees would consider returning to work, according to a recent CNBC All-America