President Joe Biden‘s student loan forgiveness plan will soon cancel debt for millions of Americans — and the relief is tax-free on federal returns. However, experts say the cancellation may sti...
Tag: Personal loans
Shoppers spend over $300 a month on impulse purchases, despite recession fears
Pandemic shopping changes boosted impulse buys To be sure, the pandemic has changed the way people spend money. “Consumers abandoned ingrained shopping habits, hurtling ecommerce into hyperdriv...
How to save on groceries amid food price inflation
To feel the effects of inflation, just go to the supermarket. Although inflation, overall, began to ease last month along with gas prices, food costs climbed 1.1% in July, bringing the year-over-year ...
Is the economy in a recession? Top economists weigh in
‘We should have an objective definition’ Officially, the NBER defines a recession as “a significant decline in economic activity that is spread across the economy and lasts more than...
How to save on back-to-school supplies amid inflation
For parents already stretching budgets to pay for groceries and gasoline, stocking up on school supplies will be a little harder this year. “Back-to-school shopping is stressful even in the best...
Household debt tops $16 trillion as inflation surges and rates rise
A “For Sale” sign outside a house in Albany, California, US, on Tuesday, May 31, 2022. Homebuyers are facing a worsening affordability situation with mortgage rates hovering around the hig...
1 in 5 Americans dodging credit card statements as interest spikes
domoyega | E+ | Getty Images As credit card debt swells and interest rates spike, many spenders are fearful about high balances. Nearly 1 in 5 Americans are afraid to check their credit card statement...
How to avoid the ‘siren song’ of a credit card sign-up bonus
Virojt Changyencham | Moment | Getty Images Nearly half of consumers holding a credit card with travel perks opened the card to chase the rewards — and a big share of them blew their budgets in the pu...
Why deal experts say you might want to skip it
Prime Day prices may not be Amazon’s best-ever offer Just because something is discounted on Prime Day doesn’t mean it’s the best deal you’ll see anywhere, or even all year. Na...
Debt collectors’ ‘pay-to-pay’ fees ‘often illegal’: watchdog agency
Anchiy | E+ | Getty Images Certain “junk” fees often levied by debt collectors are illegal under federal law, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said Wednesday. Debt collectors charg...
Here’s what the Fed’s highest rate hike in 28 years means for you
What the federal funds rate means to you The federal funds rate, which is set by the central bank, is the interest rate at which banks borrow and lend to one another overnight. Although that’s n...
Buy now, pay later loans make it tough to get a handle on your credit
Payment history often not reported BNPL companies generally don’t report to the credit-scoring companies when consumers use these loans. That makes it a challenge for a lender to know how many l...
Gas prices just hit a new record high. Here are a few ways to save
As the summer driving season nears, gasoline prices show no signs of slowing down. The national average for unleaded gas hit a new high of $4.59 per gallon Thursday, according to AAA. For the first ti...
Buy now, pay later is not a boom, it’s a bubble, Harvard fellow says
Most people love the convenience of buy now, pay later. Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, installment payments have exploded in popularity along with a general surge in online shopping. Ini...
Klarna to report buy now, pay later data to UK credit bureaus
Buy now, pay later giant Klarna says it will start reporting data on customers’ usage of its products to credit bureaus in the U.K., gearing up for incoming regulations aimed at reining in the s...
How to teach your kids to have a healthy relationship with money
Many parents intend to teach their children to have a healthy relationship with money but end up falling short — even though a majority say personal finance lessons are best taught at home. Some 83% o...
Why a good credit score matters and how to improve your number
You are looking to make a purchase, such as a new cellphone or a car, but you need some time to be able to pay the full amount. Or you might be taking out a new credit card, with no single purchase in...
74% of people don’t think they will ever achieve high-net-worth status
cdwheatley | E+ | Getty Images People have wide-ranging views of what it means to be “high net worth,” according to a survey from digital wealth manager Personal Capital. Yet most people —...
Demand drops for used cars but high prices aren’t budging
David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images Used-car prices appear to be stuck in high gear, despite slowing consumer demand. Last month, sales of used cars less than 10 years old were down 27% compa...
Governors say financial education should extend beyond school years
Student Olivia Raymond participates in a personal finance course in her middle school class in West Orange, New Jersey, in February 2020. CNBC Pursuing financial literacy is something that should cont...
Consumers squeezed by inflation plan to cut back if prices keep surging
Edwin Lopez sorts the money in the cash register at Frankie’s Pizza on January 12, 2022 in Miami, Florida. Joe Raedle | Getty Images As inflation continues to weigh on American households, peo...
Biden’s plan to lower gas prices could take weeks. How to pay less now
Filling up at the pump comes with a hefty dose of sticker shock. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and global supply concerns have sent gas prices to record highs — hitting $6 in some parts of the co...
Most medical debt to come off credit reports. What to do if it doesn’t
Maskot | Maskot | Getty Images If you have medical debt weighing down your credit score, it may be wiped off your credit report in a few months. Yet before you cheer the good news, first make sure you...
Gas prices are heading to an all-time record. Here’s how to protect yourself
With gasoline prices at a 14-year high, it’s hard to imagine paying even more at the pump. Yet prices are only heading higher. On Sunday, the national average for a gallon of gas hit $4.009, the...
The pros and cons of installment payments
You can use buy now, pay later for just about everything these days. Since the start of the pandemic, installment payments have exploded in popularity along with a general surge in online shopping. In...
Homeowners hold record equity. What to know if you want to borrow
New homes under construction by CastleRock Communities in Kyle, Texas, in November 2021. Matthew Busch | Bloomberg | Getty Images Record increases in home prices are also pushing up the amount of equi...
Need a business loan? Inflation leads Main Street into more debt
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – APRIL 28: Deanna Sison takes a break from preparing preordered lunches to check the status of her federal small business loan application at Little Skillet restaurant in San ...