Personal finance

Carlos McArthur, a resident of Syracuse, New York, lost his job with a medical transportation company in March. He lived in his car for more than two months while waiting for his unemployment benefits to arrive. Carlos McArthur is one of millions of Americans who lost a job during the coronavirus pandemic.   But his plight

Crisserbug | Getty Images With more Americans under financial pressure due to the coronavirus, paying for college is a growing problem. Nearly 70% of families are worried about how they will cover the cost and more than half now say their higher education plans have changed due to Covid-19. By necessity, some students will attend a community college close to

Demonstrators gather in front of the Texas State Capital during a protest in Austin, Texas, on Tuesday, June 30, 2020. Sergio Flores/Bloomberg via Getty Images More states may take similar steps as outbreaks expand, mostly across the American South and West. The United States reported a daily record of 63,247 new cases of Covid-19 on

Morsa Images If your income has taken a hit during the coronavirus pandemic, you may be trying to figure out ways to bring in some cash. One option is to tap  your 401(k) plan or individual retirement account under the new rules enacted in the federal coronavirus stimulus package, or CARES Act. Experts often say  taking money

Michelle Wang Source: Michelle Wang On July 1, Michelle Wang moved from San Diego to Atlanta to begin her doctorate program in physics at Emory University. Less than a week after she settled into her new apartment, she heard the news: International students will have to leave the U.S. if all their classes are taught online.

Employee Linda Tarkenton holds a blank U.S. Treasury check before it’s run through a printer at the U.S. Treasury printing facility in Philadelphia. Getty Images Another batch of one-time stimulus checks could be coming. But this time, far fewer Americans could get paid. President Donald Trump has made it clear that he wants to include

Customers are socially distanced on rides like the Wonder Woman: Lasso of Truth at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey. Kenneth Kiesnoski/CNBC From backyard cookouts to days at the beach, people across the country have had to postpone or alter many beloved summer rituals this year amid the ongoing pandemic. One of the

Jad Kamal lost his job and health insurance in March. Source: Jad Kamal In mid-March, Jad Kamal was laid off from his job as a sommelier at Lupa, an Italian restaurant in Manhattan. That meant another loss: his health insurance.  What followed were headaches. “Sorting out Medicaid and unemployment was work,” Kamal, 36, said. “I didn’t

The exterior of New York Hardcore Tattoos on the first day of re-opening as New York City officially begins ‘Phase Three,’ of opening on July 06, 2020. Spencer Platt/Getty Images Many states are pushing jobless residents to get back to work — and are using their unemployment benefits as leverage. State officials are re-imposing rules requiring

Delmaine Donson If you need extra income, you might check out some freelance work. Unemployment levels are high, and the extra $600 in weekly federal jobless benefits is set to run out the end of July. But the good news is that finding some extra work may be easier. Companies often to turn to freelancers as a more

People line up outside of the Social Security Administration office in San Francisco. Getty Images Prospective retirees often face one big question: How long can my funds last? Now, a mainstay for retirement — Social Security — is facing the very same question. Social Security relies on the money in its trust funds, from which it

Paul Hennessy | NurPhoto | Getty Images For Medicare beneficiaries who are eyeing a move to another state, be sure to consider what your coverage would look like once you get there. Whether you already were planning to relocate or the coronavirus pandemic has sparked the idea, it’s important to know the various Medicare rules

krisanapong detraphiphat Americans have lost more than $77 million in fraud related to Covid-19, according to the Federal Trade Commission. But that tally is likely a severe undercount amid an “unprecedented” scope of scams connected to the coronavirus, according to John Breyault, vice president of public policy, telecommunications and fraud at the National Consumers League,

Unemployed Kentucky residents enter the Kentucky Career Center for help with their unemployment claims on June 19, 2020 in Frankfort, Kentucky. John Sommers II/Getty Images Certain groups of workers, like the self-employed and those in the gig economy, are pulling in an increasing share of jobless benefits relative to others. Around 12.9 million Americans are

Monica Murphy One of the small-business loan relief programs included in the historic stimulus package Congress passed in March contains a provision that many gig workers and freelancers might have overlooked. They’re eligible for a $1,000 grant that doesn’t need to be repaid. Here’s how it works: Amid the coronavirus pandemic, small-business owners who have

When Diane Pearson’s sons both attended Robert Morris University, buying a condo for them in the suburb of Pittsburgh made financial sense. Pearson, who is a certified financial planner, took out a home equity line of credit to purchase the property with cash in 2013.  Three years later, the family sold it at a $5,000

Tim Robberts Saving for retirement can be hard. Planning how to spend that nest egg — while ensuring the money doesn’t run out — is harder. But there’s good news: Americans can build a simple, low-cost retirement plan using just Social Security and savings, according to experts. From an academic standpoint, the “optimal” retirement strategy combines two

Military veterans, like many Americans, are struggling to find work as the coronavirus pandemic stretches on. While vets’ June unemployment rate is lower than the overall number, at 8.6% compared to 11.1% for the general population, it is still at more than double the number reported in March, the Military Times said. The Labor Department survey

kate_sept2004 Pandemic first-aid kit You need seven things, according to Jeff Weinstein, a paramedic and medical operations supervisor for Global Rescue, which provides medical and crisis response service to travelers.  It’s likely you already have three: masks, hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes. Carry isopropyl alcohol wipes and use them to wipe down your phone. Major smartphone

NYUestimates it will cost students more than $78,000 to attend the school in 2020-2021. That includes tuition, fees, textbooks and room and board. But that’s not the price you will pay in 18 years. CNBC ran the numbers, and we can tell you how much money you would need to save to send your child