Americans ended 2025 more in debt than ever before. Credit card balances hit a fresh high in the fourth quarter, rising by $44 billion to $1.28 trillion, according to a new report on household debt by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York released Tuesday. That’s a 5.5% jump from a year earlier. The central bank’s monthly Survey of…
A trader works as the Dow Jones Industrial Average surpasses the 50,000 mark on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., Feb. 6, 2026. Brendan McDermid | Reuters There’s a disconnect between the stock market and consumer optimism — and some economists say affordability is a primary culprit….
Amid the flurry of promotions for Trump accounts, families now have another way to opt in to the investing accounts for kids and claim seed money of up to $1,000. Parents or guardians can now start the process to open a Trump Account by filing IRS Form 4547 electronically via TrumpAccounts.gov. They can also…
The U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau headquarters in Washington, Feb. 2, 2025. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images Federal student loan borrowers submitted a record number of complaints to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau from mid-2024 to mid-2025, a recent report from the bureau shows. But the government’s 21-page report, published in early January, omits…
Trevor Williams | Digitalvision | Getty Images By librarian Katy Punch’s reckoning, she became eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness in November 2024. At that point, she submitted an application to the U.S. Department of Education for a program that would allow her to make her last qualifying payments and wipe out her roughly $30,000…
For years, a growing number of students have been considering alternatives to a four-year degree. Now the trend toward a two-year program or even shorter-term credential — also dubbed “un-college” — is gaining steam. Ballooning college costs and the student loan debt that goes along with them are partly to blame. New borrowing limits for 2026 under…
Actor Austin Butler attends the 16th Governors Awards at the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, Nov. 16, 2025. Valerie Macon | AFP | Getty Images With an affordability crisis taking hold, financial stability is in fashion. Whether it’s wearing a quarter-zip sweater or the latest “401(k) mullet” hairstyle, young men, especially,…
Maskot | Maskot | Getty Images This tax season, some families could see a bigger tax break for their children due to changes from President Donald Trump‘s “big beautiful bill.” Enacted in July, Trump’s legislation permanently increased the maximum child tax credit to $2,200 per child for 2025, up from $2,000. That value will be…
Nikola Stojadinovic | E+ | Getty Images Some Americans ages 50 and over are exiting retirement and returning to work, according to a new AARP survey. Most surveyed individuals who are “unretiring” say they’re motivated to make money amid today’s high living costs, the nonprofit organization, which represents people ages 50 and older, found. In…
Ekaterina Goncharova | Moment | Getty Images Crypto prices have declined sharply in recent weeks — and some analysts warn of more pain ahead for investors. The price for bitcoin, the most popular cryptocurrency, sank below $66,000 on Thursday afternoon, touching its lowest level in more than a year. Analysts had been watching $70,000 as…