Inflation edged higher in September amid a jump in gasoline prices and other essentials such as electricity, while President Donald Trump’s tariffs put pressure on prices for physical goods such as clothing and furniture, economists said. The consumer price index, a key inflation barometer, rose 3% in September from a year earlier, the Bureau of Labor Statistics…
The Dome of the U.S. Capitol Building is visible in reflection on October 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. Andrew Harnik | Getty Images News | Getty Images As the government shutdown stretches on, it’s not easy for borrowers to gauge what’s happening with their student loan debt. The U.S. Department of Education has been sending…
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 —…
Workers walk through the crypt of the US Capitol in Washington, DC, US, on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. Valerie Plesch | Bloomberg | Getty Images With a union lawsuit against the Trump administration on hold during the government shutdown, borrowers’ wait times for student loan forgiveness may get even longer. The American Federation of Teachers’…
The Good Brigade | Digitalvision | Getty Images In recent weeks, some federal student loan borrowers have received welcome news: The U.S. Department of Education will soon cancel their remaining debt. “You are now eligible to have some or all of your federal student loan(s) discharged because you have reached the necessary number of payments…
Commuters cross the street near the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) headquarters on October 1, 2025 in Washington, DC. Al Drago | Getty Images News | Getty Images Government shutdowns have historically been an precarious time for federal workers, both for those required to remain on the job without pay and those furloughed. This shutdown comes…
US President Donald Trump signs executive orders relating to higher education institutions, alongside US Secretary of Education Linda McMahon (R), in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on April 23, 2025. Saul Loeb | Afp | Getty Images The Trump administration has resumed forgiving student debt for some borrowers enrolled in…
Strauss/curtis | The Image Bank | Getty Images Early in the fourth quarter is an ideal time to tackle some financial planning tasks that set you up for success for the rest of the year — and into 2026. “It’s absolutely a great time to do that,” said Dan Moisand, a certified financial planner and…
The U.S. Capitol is seen on the second day of the federal government shutdown on October 2, 2025, in Washington D.C. Mehmet Eser | Anadolu | Getty Images The shutdown of the federal government is likely to worsen the delays student loan borrowers are already facing in accessing programs required by Congress and mandated in…
The United States Capitol building is seen in Washington D.C., United States on October 4 , 2023. Yasin Ozturk | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images Congress has until midnight on Tuesday to pass a funding bill and avoid a shutdown of the federal government. If lawmakers can’t agree, hundreds of thousands of federal employees could…
