Erica Cisneros, of San Anselmo, California, helps her daughters, third-grader Emilia and fourth-grader Eden, with schoolwork at their home. Both of the schools that the girls attend are closed because of COVID-19. Ezra Shaw It’s no fun thinking about scary things that may or may not happen. However, what’s even less fun is not being
Personal Finance
cmannphoto | Getty Images Many Americans may soon get checks in their hands from the government. But Uncle Sam could also claw back some of that money. Information about how much those checks will be – and whether or not individuals will pay tax on them – will likely be hammered out in a deal
Princeton University’s campus was largely deserted as of March 18, 2020 as a growing number of colleges require students to leave for the remainder of the spring semester. Jessica Dickler | CNBC “Stay healthy, stay home,” reads a lit-up sign outside the gates of Princeton University. On campus, the majority of students are gone although
US Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos Saul Loeb | AFP | Getty Images U.S. Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos announced on Friday that student loan borrowers could put their monthly payments on pause for at least 60 days during the coronavirus outbreak. DeVos said this pause, coupled with the suspension of interest on student
Tara Moore | Getty Images A bill proposed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., calls for sending checks of $1,200 to $2,400 to most Americans as a result of the economic damage stemming from the coronavirus outbreak. Based on the language of the bill, most Social Security recipients should be covered. But whether that will
Sen. John Thune (R-SD) Aaron P. Bernstein | Reuters Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., has proposed giving taxpayers until July 15 to submit their 2019 income tax returns – 90 days from the original April 15 due date. The Tax Filing Relief for America Act, which Senators Steve Daines, R-Mont., and Angus King, I-Maine, are joining
If you have cash parked in a money market fund that invests in non-U.S. Treasury debt, the Federal Reserve says it’s got your back. Late Wednesday, the Fed announced a new program that will make loans to financial institutions that buy shares in “prime” money market mutual funds, whose investments include corporate bonds. It’s the
To prevent millions of Americans from running out of money amid the coronavirus, the government has announced plans to send out checks to them soon. When Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin made the announcement about the cash infusion on Tuesday, universal basic income proponents felt validated. Now, the group of those calling for such a policy,
boonchai wedmakawand Financial scammers will likely try to steal money offered to Americans suffering from the negative economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic — and the public should be on its guard, federal officials warned on Wednesday. The White House has proposed making direct payments to American households as the coronavirus continues to wreak havoc
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks while flanked by Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin (R) during a briefing about the coronavirus in the press briefing room at the White House on March 17, 2020 in Washington, DC. Drew Angerer | Getty Images Taxpayers will get a three-month reprieve to pay the income taxes they owe
AndreyPopov | Getty Images Some good news – in the form of money – may be coming to Americans soon. On Tuesday, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said that the Trump administration plans to move “immediately” to send money to Americans as the coronavirus cripples the economy. “Americans need cash now,” Mnuchin said, indicating checks could
Another wrinkle for the travel industry may emerge as the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, continues its rapid spread across the country: airline passengers who don’t have proper identification to fly domestically beginning in October. At least two states have now asked the federal government to delay the enforcement date for when travelers must comply with
During the coronavirus, federal student loans won’t rack up interest. subjug Amid the bad news piling up from COVID-19, one positive development emerged on Friday: Interest on federal student loans would be waived until further notice. That’s never happened before and is an acknowledgment by the government of how tightly this pandemic could squeeze Americans’ finances.
In a rare move, the Federal Reserve announced an emergency rate cut of 50 basis points in response to the growing threat from the coronavirus outbreak. It’s the first time the Fed has cut rates by half a percentage point since late 2008. “The fundamentals of the U.S. economy remain strong,” Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said
Many international students are not able to come to the U.S. and that could cause a significant disruption in our college system. For years, there has been a major influx of students studying in this country, particularly from China. In fact, one-third of all the international students in the U.S. come from China — more
DenisTangneyJr Students at Georgetown College in Kentucky received a one-two punch of bad news this week. Amid the coronavirus, classes would be moved online until at least April and most students would need to vacate their dorms. Oh, and they shouldn’t expect a refund. “[T]he college is not in a financial position to offer any rebates
Hero Images | Getty Images This week’s market activity probably wasn’t the shot of confidence you were hoping for if you’re retired or planning to retire soon. And your first instinct is probably to protect your retirement income. Yet experts caution that the worst way to do that is to take dramatic actions with your
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin speaks with reporters outside White House in Washington, DC, on March 13, 2020. Jim Watson | AFP | Getty Images Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Friday that the Trump administration would consider suspending people’s student loan payments as part of a larger strategy to mitigate the economic consequences of the coronavirus. “I can
If the new coronavirus interferes with your already-planned trip, don’t count on your travel insurance to provide much help. Unless you have “cancel for any reason” coverage, you might be out of luck. While some insurers have loosened their restrictions, fear of contracting the new coronavirus, or COVID-19, is not covered under a standard policy,
Woman skydivers at sunset. Rick Neves Plummeting markets are making Roth IRAs more attractive, although not everyone can put money into these retirement accounts. Workers can save after-tax dollars in these individual retirement accounts, have them grow tax-free and then tap them free of taxes in retirement. Two events make Roths an even better deal
Countries around the world are scrambling to rein in the coronavirus and understand its ultimate medical and economic impacts. One prominent business school is using the turmoil as a learning opportunity. The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania will soon begin offering a new course about the coronavirus — the disease that’s infected nearly 128,000
US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin arrives to testify during a House Ways and Means Committee hearing about the Fiscal Year 2021 budget request on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, March 3, 2020. Saul Loeb | AFP | Getty Images If coronavirus is keeping you from filing your tax return in a timely fashion, it just
A tour operator, wearing a protective mask, gestures as he leads a tour near the US Capitol in Washington, DC on March 9, 2020. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds | AFP | Getty Images High-deductible health insurance plans may cover the cost of coronavirus testing and treatment — without individuals having to meet their deductibles, the IRS said
Preparing taxes can be a headache. For many taxpayers, it doesn’t have to come with a cost, too. Between public and private options, both online and in person, there are a number of options for free preparation and filing. For about 70% of the nation’s taxpayers — those with adjusted gross income of $69,000 or
Ngampol Thongsai / EyeEm Americans’ health may not be the only thing at stake as the coronavirus continues its unrelenting spread in the U.S. The virus could also prove financially crippling for many individuals. “There are all kinds of pathways for people to be financially affected by this,” said John Graves, an associate professor of
GSO Images When the stock market goes haywire, gold often becomes the “gold” standard in the eyes of everyday investors. True to form, gold is coming off its best week since 2016, as fears around the global spread of the coronavirus led to a sharp selloff in the stock market and nudged investors to retreat to what they perceived
Jim McGuire | Getty Images As the market hits the skids, experts are warning that you shouldn’t make rash moves with your portfolio. And that includes one retirement income source you might turn to for safety: your Social Security benefits. A recent survey from SimplyWise, a retirement income technology provider, found that 1 in 4
Tetra Images Like millions of American women, I’ve experienced widowhood. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2019, there were almost 15 million widows and widowers in the country. About 77% of these individuals, or 11.4 million, were women. (Some widowed people later remarry, so the total number of individuals experiencing widowhood is actually
The recent stock market meltdown may have dented Americans’ retirement savings, but there’s a silver lining: The downturn made one common retirement strategy less costly for investors. The strategy, known as a Roth IRA conversion, involves changing a traditional, pre-tax retirement account — such as a 401(k) plan or a qualified individual retirement account — to an
Think twice before celebrating that large refund check from Uncle Sam. The IRS had doled out 45.5 million refunds as of Feb. 28, with the average refund check totaling $3,064. That amount is just $4 less than last year’s average refund. Filers have reasons to celebrate their small windfall. Most have ambitious plans for their