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…
Ascentxmedia | E+ | Getty Images About 75 million Americans will see a 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment to their Social Security and Supplemental Security Income benefits in 2026. The increase is expected to add $56 per month on average to Social Security retirement benefits, according to the Social Security Administration. But other changes — particularly a…
The Disability Awareness Council in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, assists individuals with disabilities in the community, offering aid ranging from transportation to housing advocacy. But for now, many services are on hold. “Because of the shutdown and cuts, core disability services that people rely on every week are either paused, reduced or running with unpaid…
Jasondoiy | E+ | Getty Images The Social Security cost-of-living adjustment will be 2.8% in 2026, the Social Security Administration said on Friday. Social Security retirement benefits will increase by about $56 per month on average starting in January, according to the agency. The COLA provides an annual adjustment to both Social Security and Supplemental…
Americans may feel somewhat removed from the Federal Reserve, but the central bank’s moves have a ripple effect on many types of consumer products, most notably the credit cards in their wallet. Nearly half of American households have credit card debt and pay more than 20% in interest, on average, on their revolving balances —…
Jon Morgan, co-founder of business consulting firm, Venture Smarter, was mentoring a Gen Z entrepreneur when he noticed something strange about her life and the one she portrayed online. His 23-year-old mentee had spent 1½ years crafting a luxury travel persona — one that suggested she was living a $500,000-a-year lifestyle, he said. In reality,…
Credit card balances are ticking higher in 2025, according to a new quarterly report on household debt from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Balances rose by $27 billion in the second quarter to a collective $1.21 trillion — in line with last year’s all-time high. The total is up 2.3% from the previous quarter. At…
