Personal Finance

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
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Justin Sullivan | Getty Images For many older folks, enrolling in Medicare leads to the conclusion that a supplemental plan — aka “Medigap” — is the best fit for their circumstances.  However, that decision generally isn’t the end of the process. Although Medigap policies are standardized in most places, regardless of which insurance company offers
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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
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If you’re in the market for a house and are considering an “interest-only” mortgage, proceed with caution. With tightened lending standards amid ongoing economic uncertainty — coupled with continually rising home prices and persistent low interest rates — some borrowers may gravitate to these so-called interest-only loans, experts say. These are loans where you only
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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
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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
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Lawmakers are giving cash-strapped entrepreneurs more time to apply for emergency funding. But the effort might be insufficient to keep business owners afloat. The Paycheck Protection Program, the forgivable loan program that was established through the federal CARES Act, was originally intended to cover eight weeks of payroll costs, plus mortgage interest, utilities and rent
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Pedestrians in Washington pass a “We Are Open” restaurant sign during the Covid-19 outbreak on May 12. Jonathan Ernst | Reuters When it comes to the next coronavirus stimulus package and providing more direct financial aid, the question on most Americans’ lips is, “Will they or won’t they?” One political analyst predicts it’s likely lawmakers
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ROBERTO SCHMIDT It’s impossible to think about racial injustice in the U.S. without looking at the distribution of dollars.  In many ways that Americans work to establish themselves financially — through the stock market,  net worth and homeownership — Black families trail White families. “To put it simply, we don’t have a level playing field,” said Evelyn Brodkin, an
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Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill. Ralf-Finn Hestoft | Corbis | Getty Image The bill, called the Student Recovery Eligibility for Low-Income Individuals to Exact Funds (RELIEF) Act of 2020, would make students receiving Pell Grants eligible to receive $1,200 stimulus checks. Federal Pell Grants are need-based funds given to low-income students to help them complete their
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Sam Seagraves Source: Sam Seagraves Almost all of the money Sam Seagraves used to make as an actor in Portland, Oregon, went toward her monthly student loan bill of $1,083.  Then the coronavirus pandemic hit. With many production companies postponing or cancelling operations, Seagraves hasn’t been hired for a role since March. The CARES Act granted
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