Sanja Radin | E+ | Getty Images It seems that love is in the air, and so is the spending as more people are apparently getting into the Valentine’s Day spirit this year. Americans shopping for their significant others are expected to spend $14.6 billion this year, according to the latest annual survey by the […]
What shutting down Education Department may mean for students
The Trump administration has already begun carrying out its plans to close parts or all of the Department of Education, which is responsible for underwriting student loans, disbursing college aid and ensuring equal access to education. President Donald Trump campaigned on a pledge to “find and remove the radicals who have infiltrated the federal Department of Education,” and suggested […]
1 in 3 Americans have ‘layoff anxiety’ — here’s how to combat it
In many ways, workers are still reeling from the pandemic. After a tumultuous few years, worrying about what will come next is causing more employees to suffer from so-called layoff anxiety. According to Clarify Capital’s 2025 survey of 1,000 Americans, 1 in 3 adults have layoff anxiety. It’s especially impacting younger workers: among Generation Z, […]
‘Keep your hands off our Social Security,’ lawmakers warn amid DOGE budget cuts
Richard Stephen | Istock | Getty Images The advisory group known as the Department of Government Efficiency, led by billionaire Elon Musk, has moved quickly to curb government spending at federal agencies including the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. At a rally Monday outside the Social Security Administration’s Maryland […]
Student loan borrowers could see bills balloon under GOP proposal
US President Donald Trump speaks during the National Prayer Breakfast at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on February 6, 2025. Mandel Ngan | Afp | Getty Images As House Republicans look for ways to slash spending to fund President Donald Trump’s tax cuts, they’ve floated proposals that could raise federal student loan bills for […]
The 2025 renter’s market won’t last economists say
Maskot | Maskot | Getty Images Renters should reap the benefits of a lower-cost rental market while they can. It might not last, experts say. As of December, the median asking rent price in the U.S. was $1,695, down 0.5% — or $8 — from November, according to a report by Realtor.com. The latest rent price […]
Looming $2.7 billion Pell Grant shortfall poses threat to college aid
Hero Images | Hero Images | Getty Images College advocates breathed a sigh of relief when the U.S. Department of Education said the Trump Administration’s “federal funding freeze” would not affect federal Pell Grants and student loans. Nearly 75% of all undergraduates receive some type of financial aid, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. About 40% […]
How U.S. has used tariffs through history—and why Trump is different
Shipping containers are seen at the Port of Montreal in Montreal, Canada, on Feb. 3, 2025. Andrej Ivanov | Afp | Getty Images President Donald Trump imposed broad tariffs on China that took effect Tuesday, while his tariff threats hang over other major trading partners: Canada, the European Union and Mexico. That may lead some […]
Recommerce, secondhand shopping may cushion the blow
Oleh_slobodeniuk | E+ | Getty Images With tariffs ramping up, the prices on some everyday items will rise as well. That is weighing heavily on American consumers. A recent consumer survey found that 86% of Americans expect price hikes from higher tariffs; and many already have a strategy to cushion the blow. Faced with higher […]
How Musk’s access to Treasury system may impact Social Security
The US Capitol building in Washington, DC, on November 24, 2024. Daniel Slim | Afp | Getty Images News that Department of Government Efficiency led by Elon Musk now has access to a government payment system that is responsible for $6 trillion in annual federal payments — including Social Security and Medicare benefits — has […]