Personal finance

For some, 2020 will be the year that retirement becomes a reality. For others, it will be a financial improbability. Retirement readiness nationwide is shaky overall. Only 23% of men and just 12% of women are “very confident” in their ability to fully retire with a comfortable lifestyle, according to recent research from the Transamerica

There’s one form of discrimination that the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act didn’t fix: economic. Until recently, people who were eligible for federal assistance programs such as Medicaid and SSI still faced an uneven playing ground. Using these programs meant you could not have assets over $2,000, a paltry amount when you consider life’s various

Hero Images | Hero Images | Getty Images Whether it’s a lemonade stand, mowing lawns or even — these days — developing a new app, there are plenty of ways kids can become entrepreneurs. They don’t even necessarily have to be a big success. Just developing an entrepreneurial mindset can help them form necessary life

I had just turned 21 and was celebrating my first legal drink when my friend pointed out that this was my last big birthday for a long time. I remember feeling a little sad. Now I’d add: Not long enough. Five years later, we find ourselves drinking to — if not celebrating — another turning

Technology firms dominate your online activity, so why not your wallet, too? Most recently, Google has announced it will offer checking accounts as part of a project code-named Cache, notching the boldest move yet by tech into consumer banking. In fact, the company is just the latest Silicon Valley leader to make a bid to

Alys Tomilson | Getty Images College students apparently have more to worry about these days than their grades and where to head for the weekend’s best party. A new form of financial fraud is exploiting college kids who own cars and are looking to make some extra cash, according to the Federal Trade Commission. Scammers

skynesher | E+ | Getty Images For millions of Americans, unexpected bills can be summed up in two words: medical debt. Surprise health-care costs have affected about 137.1 million adults in the past year, according to recent research. And many Americans are turning to credit cards to help manage those debt burdens, according to CompareCards.com.

Woman contemplating while sitting next to a jar full of dollar bills. Getty | JGI/Jamie Grill The vast majority of employers think workers are struggling to manage their personal finances. And while bosses are doing more to help alleviate their financial struggles, companies are still falling short. Nearly 8 in 10 employers offering a workplace

Medicare beneficiaries would see expanded benefits, including dental and vision coverage, if the Senate passes a bill that cleared the House on Thursday. The measure, H.R. 3 — which funds the changes by giving the government the right to negotiate lower prices with drugmakers — would provide dental, vision and hearing coverage through original Medicare.

A sign of Saudi Aramco’s initial public offering (IPO) is seen during a news conference by the state oil company at the Plaza Conference Center in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia November 3, 2019. Hamad I Mohammed | Reuters Saudi Aramco set new records as the world’s biggest initial public offering. And, chances are, you’re shut out

MoMo Productions | DigitalVision | Getty Images More than 2 million Americans could soon have access to mandatory paid parental leave. Senior congressional members have reached a bipartisan deal that would provide federal workers with 12 weeks of guaranteed paid time off for parents following the birth, adoption or fostering of a child. The proposed

The Mega Millions jackpot has climbed higher yet again. With no one hitting all six numbers on Tuesday, the top prize is an estimated $340 million for Friday night’s drawing. And while the odds are stacked against hitting the jackpot — your chance is 1 in about 302 million — at some point, someone will

The Federal Reserve‘s decision Wednesday to keep interest rates steady put the cap on a tumultuous year for consumers. After raising the federal funds rate nine times in three years, with the last hike just one year ago as financial markets were melting down, concerns about a slowing economy and a looming U.S.-China trade war

PeskyMonkey | iStock | Getty Images The bull market in U.S. stocks rolls on. From the trade war between the U.S. and China and the slowdown in global economic growth, to Britain’s messy exit from the European Union and the potential impeachment of President Trump, nothing has dampened the enthusiasm for stocks. The American economy

Alistair Berg | DigitalVision | Getty Images It’s officially crunch time for older savers who must take mandated withdrawals from their retirement accounts. Individuals who turned 70½ this year — and those who are older — are responsible for taking required minimum distributions from their individual retirement accounts and from each of their 401(k) plans.

New York, New York E+ | Getty Images There are three weeks left in the year, and House Democrats are taking a last shot at ending the $10,000 limit on state and local tax deductions. Rep. Thomas Suozzi, D-N.Y, along with Reps. Bill Pascrell, D-N.J., and Mike Thompson, D-Calif., proposed the “Restoring Tax Fairness for

Jamie Grill | Getty Images Why is it so difficult for people to do the right thing when it comes to money? We know what we should do — save for the future, track our spending and avoid credit card debt, for example. But for many of us there is a gap between what we

Lauren Schaefer, 31, was managing events for the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism when she quit to start her own wedding coordination company. Source: Lauren Schaefer When Lauren Schaefer started planning weddings, she never imagined it would become a full-time job. The 31-year-old worked in the events management industry for 10 years before she

Jim McGuire | Getty Images A new proposal in Congress aims to resurrect an old tradition: mailing Social Security statements to your home. Since 2011, the Social Security Administration has cut back on the number of paper statements it puts in the mail in order to save money. A new bill, called the Know Your

The final few weeks of the year aren’t just for last-minute shopping and holiday parties. It’s also a crucial time for tax savings. While the 2017 tax overhaul did put a whole new spin on year-end planning, it did not eliminate the need to do it altogether. In fact, from making an 11th-hour charitable donation