The so-called K-shaped economy is becoming more pronounced, new data shows. In the aftermath of the Covid pandemic, the K has been used to illustrate Americans’ diverging economic experiences: Higher-income households are increasingly better off, while lower-income households are falling further behind. A new report by credit reporting bureau TransUnion found that while credit conditions have improved…
Skaman306 | Moment | Getty Images Even as many consumers feel stretched to cover rising daily costs, more low- and moderate-income individuals have turned to investing, according to a new report. Since 2020, the number of low- and moderate-income investors has increased by 2.7 times, or 167%, according to new research from the BlackRock Foundation, the private…
Carl Smith | Fstop | Getty Images Social Security benefits are typically adjusted every year to keep up with rising prices. Social Security beneficiaries saw record-high COLAs in 2022 and 2023, when the annual increases climbed to 5.9% and 8.7%, respectively. Yet as the pace of inflation subsided, the size of the annual COLA increase…
President Donald Trump has picked Kevin Warsh to succeed Jerome Powell as chair of the Federal Reserve. In keeping with the president’s push for lower interest rates, Warsh is expected to be more supportive of cutting the Fed’s key benchmark rate later this year. “I have known Kevin for a long period of time, and have no doubt…
By some measures, Generation Z is the hardest hit by the affordability crisis. Even though young adults are more likely to have a college degree and work full time compared with their parents at this age, that combo also comes larger student loan balances, which have proved to be a significant obstacle for those starting out. At…
Milorad Kravic | E+ | Getty Images For many consumers, buying a car increasingly comes with a hefty monthly bill. The share of new-car buyers who pay $1,000 or more per month for their auto loans rose to a record 20.3% of all new vehicle purchases financed in the fourth quarter of 2025, according to…
Miodrag Ignjatovic | E+ | Getty Images After Beth Pinsker’s father died, she had her mother set up a new estate plan that included a power of attorney, a legal document that gives permission for someone to make financial decisions on your behalf if you become incapacitated. Yet it wasn’t until years later, when her…
Catherine Delahaye | Digitalvision | Getty Images The first 10 drugs subject to new Medicare price negotiations will go into effect on Jan. 1, prompting substantial out-of-pocket savings for certain older Americans who rely on those medications. Enrollees in Medicare Part D prescription drug plans may see their out-of-pocket costs for the negotiated drugs fall…
When I think back on my childhood, my happiest memories aren’t tied to things I owned. They’re about the freedom of growing up in a small Ohio town where everyone knew your name and kids ran in packs. The neighborhood park was our meeting place. A few bikes tossed in a friend’s front yard signaled…
Bob Newhart and Will Ferrell star in “Elf.” Warner Bros. In the 2003 movie “Elf,” the lead character Buddy discovers he is human, though he has spent his life raised by elves. He travels to New York City to find his real family, including his father who shares an Upper West Side apartment with his…
