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People retire early for any number of reasons, ranging from growing tired of the grind to building up enough wealth that they no longer need a paycheck to live comfortably. One reason that hasn’t gotten as much attention, however, has to do with mental and physical health, which has proven to be a major contributor to why some people leave the workforce early. By Vance Cariaga See: Social Security Changes That May Be Coming for 2023Find Out: 15 Worst States To Live on Just a Social Security Check...

It seems U.S. prices in 2022 can’t avoid comparisons to the 1980s. Overall inflation is running at its highest level since 1981, and the cost of buying a home has reached its highest point since 1989, according to a new report from the National Association of Realtors. By Vance Cariaga See Our List: 100 Most Influential Money ExpertsExplore: 7 Surprisingly Easy Ways To Reach Your Retirement Goals NAR’s housing-affordability index, released last week, fell to 98....

After escaping an attempted kidnapping by far-right perpetrators back in 2020, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, 51, is set to be sworn in for her second term as the governor of Michigan on Jan. 1. By Michelle Tompkins Explore: How Much Is Democrat House Leader Hakeem Jeffries Worth?Find: How Rich Are President Joe Biden and the Wealthiest US Politicians? In August 2020, a radical group was indicted for attempting to kidnap the governor and overthrow the government....

The Nov. 8 midterm elections will give Americans the chance to cast their popular vote and “half-time” opinion on the current government. It will also give voters a chance to play a role in deciding key local and national issues and the fate of 36 gubernatorial positions, 35 Senate seats and scores of House representatives, state legislative and executive incumbents and candidates. By David Nadelle See: States Whose Economies Are Failing vs....

The one certainty about Social Security is that drastic changes will have to be made within the next decade to prop up the troubled program. Less certain is what those changes might look like, though you can probably expect some form of tax increase and/or reduced benefits. By Vance Cariaga See: 10 Reasons You Should Claim Social Security EarlyFind: Fourth Stimulus Checks Are Coming From These States — Is Yours on the List?...

There are many benefits to keeping your funds in a bank account, but one of the main reasons many people keep their money at a bank rather than under the mattress is the added security this provides. However, some scammers have come up with clever ways to access your bank account information or to get you to send them money from your secure accounts. By Gabrielle Olya Here’s a look at some of the most common banking scams — plus, how you can avoid becoming a victim....

You like to travel in style, but you’re not into paying top-dollar for first-class plane tickets and luxury hotels. Thankfully, there’s plenty of credit cards that will foot the bill for you — in the form of points. By Jennifer Taylor See: How To Budget and Plan for a Vacation in 2021Read More: 13 Insider Secrets From Travel Agents That Will Save You Money Many credit cards come with perks that allow you to rack up points with every purchase....

When you make monthly payments toward a loan, you expect the balance you owe to go down. For many student loan borrowers, that isn’t the case. By Bridget Murray In 2021, almost two out of every three student loan borrowers who made voluntary payments during the COVID-19 payment pause ended up owing a larger balance than they originally did, according to a report from the National Consumer Law Center and the Center for Responsible Lending....

The U.S. Census Bureau released its most recent retail report on Dec. 15, following an advance estimate of U.S. retail and food services sales for the month of November. The report comes amid palpable public concern pertaining to economic recovery and rising inflation. By Georgina Tzanetos See: Fed Forecast: Bond Buying To End Early, as Increased Inflation Outlook Leads to Multiple Rate Hikes in 2022 Find: Small Business Index Hits Pandemic High Note as Staffing and Investing Prospects Increase, but Supply Chain Issues and Inflation Still Top Concerns...

If there is one universal truth about money, it’s that people think they have a lot more financial expertise than they really do. Otherwise, you’d have a lot more millionaires and a lot fewer people struggling to make ends meet. By Vance Cariaga Check Out: How Long $500K Will Last in Retirement in Each StateRetirement: Jaw-Dropping Stats About the State of Retirement in America Hiring a financial advisor is one way to build more expertise — and more wealth....

A recent study from bill pay service doxo showed that cell phone bills increased by 6.4% compared to last year. This is in line with the overall jump in inflation. The numbers were released before major carriers like AT&T and Verizon announced rate hikes for some customers, so bills could be even higher now. By Dawn Allcot Discover: 6 Signs You Can’t Afford To Retire More: Here’s How Much Cash You Need Stashed if a National Emergency Happens...

The problem of mounting student loan debt in the United States largely centers on younger people who are struggling to pay off loans along with their other bills. But seniors on fixed incomes also face many of the same challenges. By Vance Cariaga See: Navient Student Loan Settlement Leaves Many With a Bill To Pay Find: 4 of the Best Student Loan Refinance Companies Baby boomers have the highest average student loan payments, highest average loan balances and highest average interest rates of all the generations, Bloomberg reported last year, citing September data from Fidelity Investments....

If you receive SNAP benefits, you should receive a plastic card with a magnetic strip to access your SNAP EBT account at authorized food retail outlets. Your state will either mail your EBT card or your state caseworker may hand it to you in person. Your state will also handle replacements if your EBT card is damaged, lost or stolen. By Josephine Nesbit SNAP Benefits: How Long Do They Last?More: If Your Credit Score Is Under 740, Make These 4 Moves Now...

Americans who have reached full retirement age but are not yet age 70 can contact the Social Security Administration and request a delay in retirement benefit payments — something that will result in a higher payment. By Vance Cariaga See: Social Security — Will My Spouse Get More Money If I Wait To Claim Benefits?Find: Live Richer Podcast: F.I.R.E Movement Expert Lakisha Simmons on Retiring Early Suspending your benefit payments until later can earn you delayed retirement credits for each month your benefits are suspended, the SSA said on its website....

The enhanced child tax credit of 2021 is a one-time benefit payout to parents that is part of the federal government’s relief funding delivered in response to COVID-19. The child tax credit is available every year to parents, but is typically only available to parents who pay taxes. By Georgina Tzanetos See: Get More Stimulus Money Using IRS Letter 6475 Find: Stimulus Update: IRS Announces All Third-Round Economic Impact Payments Have Been Sent...

The federal student loan payment moratorium that went into effect in 2020 was designed to give borrowers financial relief during the COVID-19 pandemic, and put them in a better position to resume payments when the moratorium ended. By Vance Cariaga But two years on, many borrowers still aren’t financially prepared to begin making payments again, and a sizeable portion don’t even know that President Biden recently extended the payment pause, according to a new survey from fintech company Payitoff....

Holiday shoppers who want to get their Target fix for Cyber Monday have plenty of gift choices. The retailer has listed dozens of online deals ahead of this year’s Cyber Monday, which falls on Nov. 28. You’ll find a wide selection of toys, home goods, electronics, furniture and outdoor items. By Vance Cariaga See: Walmart or Target? Here’s Where Most People Will Be Holiday ShoppingExplore: If Your Credit Score Is Under 740, Make These 4 Moves Now...

Terra 2.0 (LUNA) is the newest iteration of cryptocurrency on the Terra blockchain. In May 2022, the Terra blockchain experienced a hard fork prompted by founder Do Kwon and voted on by the community. This created the new Terra 2.0, with a new cryptocurrency, dubbed LUNA or LUNA2, while the original blockchain and coin took on the moniker LUNA Classic or LUNC. Both blockchains still exist and operate separately, which can cause confusion for new investors....

Weekly jobless claims resumed their downward trend reaching their lowest level in two months. For the week ending Feb. 26, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 215,000, a decrease of 18,000 from the previous week’s revised level, according to the Labor Department. By Yaёl Bizouati-Kennedy See: February ADP National Employment Report Shows 475,000 New Private Sector Jobs Find: Common Mistakes To Avoid When Filing For Unemployment The previous low was the week ending Jan....

Despite inflation and an uncertain economic landscape, most teens are feeling optimistic about their financial prospects in the new year. By Yaёl Bizouati-Kennedy Take a Look Back: 2022 Year in Review The Future of Finances: Gen Z & How They Relate to Money The 2023 New Year’s Financial Resolutions study, from Fidelity Investments, found that 70% of teens have positive feelings toward their finances, compared to just 58% of adults. Of these, 23% say their relationship to money is healthy, while 21% say it’s relaxed....