Personal finance

Delmaine Donson | E+ | Getty Images Federal refunds are on the way to more than 2.8 million people who paid taxes on unemployment benefits that no longer apply due to changes made by the American Rescue Plan Act. The law, passed by Congress in March, excludes the first $10,200 of unemployment benefits from household

zimmytws | iStock | Getty Images President Joe Biden’s 2022 budget could give the Social Security Administration a $1.3 billion — or 9.7% — boost in funding. In total, the president is calling for $14.2 billion for the agency for fiscal year 2022. The proposed increase comes as the Social Security Administration expects to pay

Uwe Krejci | DigitalVision | Getty Images The IRS on Monday announced it has started sending letters to more than 36 million American families who may be eligible for the expanded child tax credit and monthly payments set to begin in July. The maximum enhanced credit, which was established by the American Rescue Plan in

When the market was crashing in March 2020, financial advisor Ivory Johnson, founder of Delancey Wealth Management, decided it was time to introduce cryptocurrencies to his clients. “I did it because I saw how active the Federal Reserve was and how much they were diluting the dollar,” which would be incredibly inflationary, Johnson said. A

The Money Plot by Frederick Kaufman Source: Other Press What is money? Why do we need it? These are some of the big questions writer Frederick Kaufman explores in his book “The Money Plot: A History of Currency’s Power to Enchant, Control, and Manipulate,” which was published in the thick of the pandemic. Kaufman, a

Chef Matt Bolus Source: Kelli LaMatia Like many restaurant owners, Matt Bolus, executive chef of The 404 Kitchen in Nashville, had to get creative when the city shut down due to Covid-19 mandates last spring. He kept some of his core staff busy by cooking meals for the local food bank, private dinners and other

Newark, New Jersey. Sean Pavone | iStock | Getty Images Since September, most renters across the country have been protected from eviction, thanks to an unprecedented moratorium on the proceedings ordered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Now that ban will expire in less than a month, and millions of Americans could find

teekid | E+ | Getty Images After Janell Ivy lost her job at a daycare center because of the pandemic, she fell behind on her $890 rent. The single mother feared that she and her four children, all under the age of 7, would be evicted from their apartment in Houston. She packed up her

Many Americans are suddenly house rich. On paper, anyway. Soaring home prices have resulted in a record amount of home equity on hand. By the end of last year, roughly 46 million homeowners held a total $7.3 trillion in equity to tap, the largest amount ever recorded, according to Black Knight, a mortgage technology and

Siraj Ahmad | iStock | Getty Images More than 10 million Americans, or 14% of U.S. renters, say they aren’t caught up with their housing payments, meaning many could be at risk when the national moratorium on evictions expires in under a month. That finding comes from data collected by the Census Bureau between May

Lee Jimenez, a teacher at Indian Hill Elementary School in Cincinnati, Ohio, discusses credit cards and methods of payments with his 3rd grade class using online financial education curriculum SmartPath. SMARTPATH There’s been an extra push to get personal finance education into high schools across the country this year, following the coronavirus pandemic. So far

MoMo Productions | DigitalVision | Getty Images More than two dozen states are opting out of federal unemployment programs early, meaning nearly 4 million Americans will see their benefits reduced or cut entirely. But monthly payments of the child tax credit, slated to start July 15, may offer a financial lifeline to parents who lose

Overdraft fees are at all-time highs amid the pandemic. Ivan-balvan | iStock | Getty Images Banking customers just caught a break. Ally Bank announced Wednesday it is eliminating overdraft fees on all accounts. “Nationwide, more than 80% of overdraft fees are paid by consumers living paycheck to paycheck or with consistently low balances — precisely

In this article GME AMC BB-CA Mario Tama | Getty Images AMC Entertainment‘s stock continued its wild ride on Wednesday, with the price per share rising more than 100% and prompting a halt to its trading several times. AMC is one of several so-called meme stocks that have seen a surge in interest from individual

In this article SPCX Morsa Images | E+ | Getty Images Early in 2021, SPACs, or special purpose acquisition companies, raised record amounts of money to take private firms public. The frenzy, and recent slump of SPAC shares, could lead to riskier deals in the coming months and years, meaning those looking to invest in

martin-dm | E+ | Getty Images As the world opens following Covid restrictions, people are also reopening their wallets. For many, it’s exciting to be getting back to some sense of normal. It could also wreak havoc on personal finances, especially if people aren’t careful. “It’s critically important to revisit your budget and how you

Getty Images The dramatic rise of cryptocurrency has led to some spouses hiding those digital assets during divorce settlements, and tracking down the funds isn’t easy, experts say. More than 20 million Americans may own cryptocurrency, industry groups say, and digital currency market values grew to a record $2 trillion in April. These spikes may

What will it take to convince people to get vaccinated against Covid? From free doughnuts to million-dollar payouts, public and private groups are trying it all. Back in March, Krispy Kreme was one of the first businesses to roll out a nationwide Covid vaccine incentive, offering a free glazed doughnut to any adult with a vaccination

Getty Images Covid-19 vaccinations are on the rise. Mask mandates are being stripped away. Businesses are reopening. What should you do to get on track with your money during the economic recovery? The U.S. economy is showing signs of life as the country reopens and returns to a new normal following the coronavirus pandemic. Weekly

No-Mad | iStock | Getty Images More than 11 million Americans are behind on their rent and many could be pushed from their homes when the national eviction ban expires in June. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s eviction moratorium, which has been in effect since September, will lift on June 30. Although the