People exit the IRS building in Washington, Feb. 20, 2025. Kent Nishimura | Reuters House lawmakers this week could vote to approve a smaller IRS budget for the current fiscal year as Congress races to avoid another government shutdown. While the funding is higher than earlier proposals, the cuts may still create challenges for the…
Halfpoint Images | Moment | Getty Images As President Donald Trump embraces more policy focused on affordability, some lawmakers have pushed to expand tax credits for families. The Republican Study Committee this week released a framework for a second budget bill, known as “Reconciliation 2.0,” which outlines priorities like homeownership, health care, energy prices and…
Da-kuk | E+ | Getty Images As many Americans struggle to keep up with the rising cost of living — housing, groceries, electricity and other necessities — their financial stress is getting more attention in the workplace. In 2025, employer discomfort at their workers’ financial wellbeing reached a new high: 48% rated their concern at…
U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon attends a press briefing with White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt (not pictured) at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., November 20, 2025. Evelyn Hockstein | Reuters The Education Department announced on Friday that it will delay the implementation of wage garnishment and other involuntary collection efforts affecting defaulted…
Srdjanns74 | Istock | Getty Images Americans haven’t been this worried about falling behind on their debt since the start of the pandemic, new data from the New York Federal Reserve shows. The central bank’s monthly Survey of Consumer Expectations found that Americans’ perceived probability of missing a minimum debt payment in the coming months…
Tom Werner | Stone | Getty Images The list of states that have launched retirement programs for private-sector workers continues to grow. This year, Minnesota and Hawaii will become the 17th and 18th states to provide a way for workers without access to a 401(k) or other workplace plan to save for retirement through their…
Artistgndphotography | E+ | Getty Images The fourth-quarter estimated tax deadline for 2025 is Thursday — and you could face a penalty and interest for late or unpaid taxes if you miss the due date. Typically, you owe estimated payments for income without a tax withholding, such as earnings from self-employment, contract, freelance or gig economy…
Sutthichai Supapornpasupad | Moment | Getty Images As consumers contend with higher auto payments, new data from car website Edmunds suggests they may be falling into a cycle of negative equity — where their outstanding auto loan balances are higher than the value of their cars. In the fourth quarter of 2025, 29.3% of trade-ins…
Glorya Kaufman Hall at UCLA on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025 in Westwood, CA. Myung J. Chun | Los Angeles Times | Getty Images More than 800,000 federal student loan holders remain stuck in a backlog of applications for an affordable repayment plan or debt forgiveness, a new court filing shows. As of the end of…
For years, concerns over rising college costs and student loan debt have been driving some high schoolers away from a four-year degree in favor of shorter, less expensive alternatives. Now it’s clear that students are putting more emphasis on career training and post-college employment, as more opt for a two-year degree or even shorter-term credentials. The overall rate of…