‘Know your worth’ — 33% of job seekers said they wouldn’t even go to a job interview without seeing the salary first

Workers are pushing for greater pay transparency, whether employers like it or not. Such conversations around income expectations used to be “the elephant in the room,” said Vicki Salemi, career expert at Monster.com. Now, 33% of job seekers said they would not even go to a job interview without first knowing the salary the employer…

Scammers are ‘on the move’ now that the student loan forgiveness application is live, warns FTC. Watch out for 5 red flags

Win-initiative/neleman | Stone | Getty Images The Biden administration officially launched the application for federal student loan forgiveness Monday — and scammers are already “on the move” to capture borrowers’ money and personal information, the Federal Trade Commission warned Tuesday. Tens of millions of Americans are eligible for debt cancellation. Borrowers may qualify for cancellation…

Here’s what you need to know about 2023 Medicare prescription drug plans during open enrollment

Mike Mergen | Bloomberg | Getty Images If you’re a Medicare beneficiary, now’s the time to evaluate your prescription drug coverage for 2023. In addition to checking during Medicare’s annual fall open enrollment whether you can get a more cost-effective plan, you should be aware of some legislative changes taking effect next year that may…

Sunflowers, war and drought: Why the price of margarine and butter spiked 32%

Jeff Greenberg | Universal Images Group | Getty Images Cue the collective gasp of chefs, bakers and foodies: Food prices are up considerably — but none more so than for butter and margarine. Prices for these ingredients and spreads jumped 32% in September versus a year ago, the most among all grocery categories, according to…

Here’s what to know if you applied for student loan forgiveness during the application beta period

Wpadington | Istock | Getty Images President Joe Biden on Monday announced the official launch of the student loan forgiveness application. The news comes just days after the U.S. Department of Education made available on Friday evening an early version of its student loan forgiveness application. During the application’s short so-called beta period, Americans with…

Student loan forgiveness application officially launches, putting relief in sight for 40 million Americans

Student loan borrowers gather near The White House to tell President Biden to cancel student debt on May 12, 2020 in Washington, DC. Paul Morigi | Getty Images The U.S. Department of Education has launched its official application for student loan forgiveness, meaning tens of millions of Americans can now request the financial relief. The…

In the new thriller ‘Emily the Criminal,’ director John Patton Ford takes on the student loan crisis

Emily the Criminal Courtesy: John Patton Ford In the new film “Emily the Criminal,” the title character, played by actress Aubrey Plaza, is almost always in a state of fear. There are moments where Emily’s dread lifts: after one of her successful heists, when she’s painting in her apartment to classical music or when she’s…

The ‘bummer’ of the $7,500 electric vehicle tax credit: Its full value may be hard to get

Tomekbudujedomek | Moment | Getty Images The historic climate legislation President Joe Biden signed in August offered a federal tax break — worth up to $7,500 — to households that buy new electric vehicles. But it may be tough for consumers to get the full value of the tax credit — at least initially. That’s…

‘Food at home’ prices are up 13% from last year: Here are 4 ways to save on groceries

A woman shops for chicken at a supermarket in Santa Monica, California, on September 13, 2022. Apu Gomes | AFP | Getty Images Despite the Federal Reserve’s efforts to get the cost of living under control, prices just keep climbing — and the uptick is especially brutal at the supermarket. The cost of food overall…

Education Department begins beta testing for student loan forgiveness application

Student loan borrowers gather near The White House to tell President Biden to cancel student debt on May 12, 2020. Paul Morigi | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images The U.S. Department of Education began beta testing the student debt forgiveness application Friday night. The application is available at StudentAid.gov. As of 8:45 p.m. ET Friday,…

Social Security record 8.7% cost-of-living adjustment for 2023 could put pressure on the program’s funds, some experts say

Wand_prapan | Istock | Getty Images Social Security’s average retiree benefit will go up by $146 per month in 2023, thanks to a record 8.7% cost-of-living adjustment prompted by high inflation. More than 70 million Social Security and Supplemental Security Income beneficiaries will benefit from those higher payments next year. “It’s the highest COLA in…

What we know so far about the student loan forgiveness application coming soon from the Education Department

Delmaine Donson | E+ | Getty Images The U.S. Department of Education has said that its student loan forgiveness application will go live in “early October.” Yet it’s nearly halfway through the month, and borrowers still can’t apply. Still, the White House has shared new information on what people can expect from the form. Here’s…