US President Joe Biden speaks about student loan debt relief at Madison Area Technical College in Madison, Wisconsin, April 8, 2024. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds | AFP | Getty Images In his final days in office, President Joe Biden announced that his administration would forgive student debt for more than 150,000 borrowers. That relief includes nearly 85,000 […]
What to know at tax time
Rhetoric & Writing Studies Major, Adamary Garcia studies inside of the Perry-Castaneda Library at the University of Texas at Austin on February 22, 2024 in Austin, Texas. Brandon Bell | Getty Images If your federal student loans were forgiven in 2024, you may be wondering if there are any tax implications. Many borrowers have benefited […]
Bitcoin soared in 2024. How much — if any — should you own?
A bitcoin ATM in Miami. Joe Raedle | Getty Images News | Getty Images Bitcoin prices soared in 2024. But you may want to tread with caution before euphoria leads you on a hasty buying spree. Bitcoin and other crypto should generally account for just a sliver of investor portfolios — generally no more than […]
How much you can save by not drinking for a month
Ryanjlane | E+ | Getty Images The start of a new year is the most popular time to make a resolution or two. For many, those include giving up alcohol for the first 31 days. This year, 22% of adults are participating in Dry January, five percentage points higher than in previous years, according to a […]
California wildfire relief: Where to give
Firefighters work as a brush fire burns in Pacific Palisades, California on Jan. 7, 2025. David Swanson | AFP | Getty Images Massive wildfires are devastating the Los Angeles area of Southern California. As of Thursday morning, at least five people were killed, more than 100,000 residents have been ordered to evacuate and nearly 2,000 […]
Nearly half of credit card users are carrying debt, report finds
Many Americans are starting 2025 a little worse off than before, at least when it comes to credit card debt. Almost half of cardholders — 48% — now carry debt from month to month, according to a new report by Bankrate. That’s up from 44% at the start of 2024. Of those carrying balances, 53% […]
CFPB finalizes rule to remove $49 billion in medical debt from credit reports
sturti | E+ | Getty Images The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on Tuesday announced it has finalized a rule to remove about $49 billion in medical debt from credit reports, a change that will affect an estimated 15 million Americans. Individuals who have medical debt on their credit reports may see their credit scores increase […]
Biden signs Social Security bill to increase benefits for millions of public workers
President Joe Biden on Sunday signed the Social Security Fairness Act, bipartisan legislation that clears the way for teachers, firefighters, policeman and other public sector workers who also receive pension income to receive increases in their Social Security benefits. The benefit boost comes as the new law repeals two provisions — the Windfall Elimination Provision, […]
Here’s how to maximize your 401(k) plan for 2025 with higher limits
Lordhenrivoton | E+ | Getty Images If you’re eager to save more for retirement, you could be overlooking ways to maximize your 401(k) plan, including key changes for 2025. Some 40% of Americans are behind on retirement planning and savings, according to a CNBC poll conducted by SurveyMonkey, which polled 6,657 U.S. adults in August. […]
Here are the changes to expect
Djelics | E+ | Getty Images Retirees can expect to see some big changes in 2025 when it comes to their Social Security and Medicare benefits. President Joe Biden is expected to sign a bill that will increase Social Security benefits for certain pensioners. Additionally, the annual Social Security cost-of-living adjustment goes into effect for […]