Category: Finance

Marco Vdm | E+ | Getty Images Many employees have a health savings account, which offers tax incentives to save for medical expenses. However, most are still missing out on long-term HSA benefits, experts say. Two-thirds of companies offer investment options for HSA contributions, up 60% from one year ago, according to a survey released […]

A new 2.5% cost-of-living adjustment In 2025, retirement benefits will increase by about $50 per month, on average, according to the Social Security Administration. That’s due to the 2.5% annual cost-of-living adjustment. Notably, the benefit boost for 2025 will be the lowest since 2021. As the pace of inflation has subsided, the cost-of-living adjustment has […]

Boogich | E+ | Getty Images Lenders often encourage federal student loan borrowers to enroll in automatic payments. It can seem like a good idea to do so: Borrowers don’t need to worry about missing a payment and often get a slightly lower interest rate in exchange. However, the decision can backfire in a lending […]

D3sign | Moment | Getty Images Roth IRA income phaseouts for 2025 To contribute up to the limit in a Roth IRA, your modified adjusted gross income, or MAGI, must be below a certain threshold, which did change for 2025: The income phaseout range for taxpayers making contributions to a Roth IRA increased to between […]

milan2099 | E+ | Getty Images Older Americans have significant equity As current and prospective retirees consider how to handle their assets, their homes are one area where they may have a lot of equity tied up, prompting the question, “Should I pay off my mortgage?” Homeowners ages 65 and over had a median home […]

Mrs | Moment | Getty Images Rebecca Finch couldn’t think of a better gift for her 86th birthday. She received a notice in early September from Navient that the lender would forgive the private student loan on which she was a co-signer. “We’ve waived the remaining balance on your private student loan in the amount […]

Solstock | E+ | Getty Images Halloween trick-or-treaters and jack-o-lanterns can be downright scary — for your homeowners insurance policy. There is a 14% jump in homeowners insurance claims on Halloween compared to other days of the year, according to Travelers Insurance. Theft on premises claims jump 46%. Trips or falls, thefts, fire and pet-related accidents […]

The US Department of Treasury in Washington, DC, on February 22, 2024.  Mandel Ngan | AFP | Getty Images The U.S. Department of the Treasury has announced new Series I bond rates.  Linked to inflation, newly purchased I bonds will pay 3.11% annual interest from November 1 through April 2025, which is down from the […]

The “phased rollout” of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid is on track for the upcoming academic year, the U.S. Department of Education says. So far, the 2025-26 FAFSA has been available to limited groups of students in a series of beta tests that began on Oct. 1. It will become available to all students […]

At the national level, the middle class is typically defined as households that earn between two-thirds and double the household median income. Based on 2023 figures, that means those with an annual income between $53,740 and $161,220. Compared to its peak, inflation in the U.S. has eased substantially. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, […]