Oil prices spiked after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran over the weekend, threatening an almost immediate jump in gasoline prices as well, experts say. Already, U.S. crude prices gained 6% as of Monday morning. A prolonged U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran could disrupt crude oil supplies and push prices even higher. Iran is the fourth-largest oil producer in…
Frame Studio | Moment | Getty Images With the Middle East war rattling global markets, gold is once again drawing attention as a potential safe-haven investment. The precious metal is generally viewed as a diversifier and store of value in turbulent times. However, it’s important to know what you’re investing in, and why, before jumping…
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…
Andreypopov | Istock | Getty Images The average tax refund is 10.2% higher so far this season, compared to about the same period in 2025, according to the latest IRS filing data. The year-over-year percentage change is down from the 14.2% increase reported last week. As of Feb. 20, the average refund amount for individual filers was…
A sign marks the entrance to the U.S. Department of Education headquarters building on June 20, 2025, in Washington, DC. J. David Ake | Getty Images News | Getty Images A federal judge on Friday dismissed the Trump administration’s request to eliminate a student loan repayment plan that lowered monthly bills for millions of borrowers….
State Farm on Thursday announced a historic $5 billion dividend for its car insurance members, the largest in the mutual insurance company’s 103-year history. “This dividend is possible due to State Farm Mutual’s financial strength and a stronger than expected underwriting performance, which has been reported industry wide,” the company said in a statement. Customers…
U.S. President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address on Feb. 24, 2026, in Washington, D.C. Kenny Holston-Pool/Getty Images President Donald Trump said in his State of the Union speech Tuesday night that his administration’s policies were “rapidly ending” high prices for certain foods, including proteins in the U.S. diet, like beef, chicken…
In his State of the Union address, President Donald Trump described soon-to-launch Trump accounts as “tax-free investment accounts for every American child.” “This is something that’s so special, has taken off and gone through the roof,” Trump said in the annual speech before Congress. The accounts, created under Trump’s “big beautiful bill,” function largely like a traditional…
Xavier Lorenzo | Moment | Getty Images A smaller share of actively managed mutual funds and exchange-traded funds outperformed their index-based counterparts in 2025 than in the prior year, according to new research. Even so, both kinds of investments can have a place in your portfolio, financial advisors say. “I don’t treat passive and active…
Alberto Case | Getty Images Many student loan borrowers who get their debt forgiven in 2026 can expect a hefty tax bill next year. That’s because a law that shielded the relief from taxation at the federal level — part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 — expired in December. Most impacted borrowers will be those who have…
