Companies are slashing parental leave benefits as their ‘purse strings have tightened.’ Here’s how to prepare

Hinterhaus Productions After boosting paid parental leave during the pandemic, many companies are now cutting or reducing the popular employee benefit.   In 2022, organizations with paid maternity leave dropped to 35% from 53% in 2020, according to the Society for Human Resource Management’s employee benefits survey. And fewer than one-third, 27%, now provide paid paternity…

What credit score you need to get an Apple Card — and save 3% on the new iPhone 14

In this article GS AAPL The Apple Card is getting a lot of attention lately. It doesn’t hurt that the credit card can score you a discount on the newest iPhone 14 and other devices purchased directly from Apple. Apple’s new iPhones are available to order starting Friday, and although there was no price hike…

Why young adults in minority communities tend to start out with lower credit scores

Damir Khabirov | iStock | Getty Images Young adults in majority Black and Hispanic communities tend to have lower average credit scores compared with those who reside in majority white communities, according to new research from the Urban Institute. The research found 25- to 29-year-olds in majority Black communities have a median credit score of…

You may owe taxes for federal student loan forgiveness if you live in one of these states

Marko Geber | DigitalVision | Getty Images If you’re one of the millions of Americans expecting student loan forgiveness, you won’t owe federal taxes. But that doesn’t mean you’re off the hook at the state level. Indiana is the latest to confirm forgiveness will trigger state income taxes, and some borrowers may owe county levies…

Inflation fears spur shoppers to get an early jump on the year-end holidays

Inflation is a Scrooge. Although the holiday season is still months away, consumers are already concerned about how they will afford this year’s gifts as prices continue to rise, several studies show. Roughly 40% of holiday shoppers said inflation is changing the way they shop, with most trying money-saving strategies, according to a new Bankrate.com…

Marketplace health plan enrollees may have a refund check on the way. Here’s how to claim your share of $603 million

Kateryna Onyshchuk | iStock | Getty Images If you get your health insurance through the public marketplace, you may want to keep an eye out for a check from your insurer. Insurance companies are distributing $1 billion in rebates to 8.2 million policyholders, beginning this month. Of those, the majority — an estimated $603 million…

More Americans tapping buy now, pay later services for groceries ‘shows the height of personal desperation,’ Harvard researcher says

As prices rise, Americans are increasingly finding new ways to make ends meet. But with some necessary purchases, such as groceries, there are fewer options that don’t involve taking on debt. That makes the option to pay later — through companies such as Klarna, Zip, Zilch, Affirm and Afterpay — look increasingly attractive.   More…

‘There’s a lot of people celebrating prematurely’: GOP could bring a legal challenge to block Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan

Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich suggested student loan borrowers shouldn’t bank on forgiveness yet, despite President Joe Biden’s announcement last month that he’d cancel up to $20,000 for many. “I think there’s a lot of people celebrating prematurely,” Brnovich said. “A lot of other people are very upset about this, not only because of legal…

‘It’s a slippery slope’: Most consumers underestimate monthly subscription costs by at least $100, study says

Getty Images The amount of money you drop on subscriptions may be more than you realize, recent research suggests. More than half of consumers (54%) underestimate how much they spend monthly on subscriptions by at least $100, according to a survey commissioned by market research firm C+R Research. For 24%, the difference was $200 or…

Social Security adds safety protocols to protect people facing long wait times in adverse conditions

A Social Security Administration office in Sebring, Florida. Jeff Greenberg | Universal Images Group | Getty Images Those who sought help from their local Social Security Administration office recently may have been met with a new challenge — long outside lines in the summer heat. That prompted congressional lawmakers to write to the federal agency…

Single workers, families, retirees: How much cash you need in an emergency fund at every career stage, according to advisors

Nirunya Juntoomma | Istock | Getty Images If you’re feeling unsteady amid stock market volatility, high inflation and rising interest rates, you may wonder how much cash you really need to have handy. But the right amount to have in your emergency fund depends on your family’s situation and needs, financial experts say.   Still, with…

Here’s how up to $20,000 in student loan forgiveness could affect your credit score and ability to borrow

Chaay_tee | Istock | Getty Images Student debt can make it harder for people to start a business or purchase a home — and one reason for that is that lenders take into account your existing financial obligations. Now that President Joe Biden has announced he plans to cancel up to $20,000 for millions of…