As Biden administration leans toward $10,000 in student loan forgiveness, advocates push back

Student loan borrowers gather near The White House to tell President Biden to cancel student debt – all of it with no means-testing on May 12, 2020 in Washington, DC.  Paul Morigi | Getty Images Advocates expressed anger and disappointment on Friday in response to news that the Biden administration is leaning toward forgiving $10,000…

Choosing between pre-tax and Roth 401(k) plans can be much trickier than you think

Prathanchorruangsak | Istock | Getty Images Whether you’re a current employee or changing jobs, you may need to choose between pre-tax and Roth 401(k) contributions, and it may be trickier than you expect. Here’s the difference: Pre-tax 401(k) deposits reduce your adjusted gross income, and the money grows tax-deferred, meaning you’ll pay levies on withdrawals….

Employer fertility benefits have a dramatic and startling expansion amid the Great Resignation, experts say

Jake and Deborah Anderson-Bialis, pictured with their children, started fertility education site FertilityIQ after spending about $70,000 to have their children. Melissa Schmidt, FertilityIQ’ As employers try to entice new workers and keep the ones they have, more are turning to fertility benefits. In fact, the trend has been moving upward for the past couple…

Memorial Day weekend car shopping is looking ‘pretty bleak.’ Here’s what to expect

Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images One of the best car-shopping weekends pre-pandemic is more of a dud these days. Amid the auto industry’s manufacturing challenges due to persisting supply-chain issues, Memorial Day sales are generally minimal to nonexistent this year. “It’s looking pretty bleak, to be straightforward about it,” said Ivan Drury, senior manager…

A market bottom is an elusive target. These are the moves Merrill advises clients make now

In this article BAC Ilkercelik | Istock | Getty Images The market volatility that’s gripped the markets for weeks has prompted some investors to ask, “Is this the bottom?” But waiting for the market low may prove elusive. “There’s no ‘the’ bottom,” said Chris Hyzy, chief investment officer at Merrill and Bank of America Private…

Director of government financial watchdog Rohit Chopra looks for signs of stress as consumers increase debt to deal with inflation

Rohit Chopra leads the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the federal agency whose mission is to protect consumers from “abusive and deceptive financial practices.” As the director of the CFPB, he is keeping a close eye on trouble spots that could potentially cause another financial crisis. With inflation significantly impacting household budgets for millions of Americans,…

The ‘un-retirement’ trend could help increase the available pool of workers amid this hot job market, analyses find

Thomas Barwick | Digitalvision | Getty Images Retirees have rejoined the labor force at a steady clip in recent months, attracted by a hot job market and reduced Covid health risks. This “un-retirement” trend could help increase the available pool of workers and ease the hiring challenges businesses have reported. As of April, 3.3% of…

Why it’s hard for the Biden administration to figure out how much student debt to forgive

President Joe Biden attends an Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity launch event at Izumi Garden Gallery in Tokyo on May 23, 2022. Jonathan Ernst | Reuters President Joe Biden has said that he’ll soon be making an announcement about student loan forgiveness. In the meantime, the White House is trying to figure out what shape…

40% of parents have an adult child living with them, survey finds. Here’s how they can still prioritize their financial goals

Iryna Imago | Istock | Getty Images Many adult children are “boomeranging” and moving back in with their parents amid high rents and home prices, a new survey from financial services company Thrivent finds. About 40% of parents reported they currently have an adult child living with them. Meanwhile, 25% of parents said an adult…

Struggling to pay your bills in retirement? These resources can help

Fotostorm | E+ | Getty Images Rising inflation has exacerbated an existing problem for millions of older Americans: They don’t have enough to live comfortably in retirement. Without enough savings, and the average Social Security check coming in at just over $1,500 a month, many retirees struggle to make ends meet. The good news is…

Here’s the best way to use a health savings account, which offers a triple-tax advantage

The Good Brigade | Digitalvision | Getty Images Health savings accounts can be a powerful way to build wealth and prepare for medical costs in old age — if they’re used the right way. HSAs carry a three-pronged tax benefit. Contributions and investment growth are tax-free, as are withdrawals if used for qualified health expenses….

Borrowers are on edge as Biden decides how to act on student loan forgiveness

President Joe Biden boards Air Force One on May 22, 2022. Saul Loeb | AFP | Getty Images At the pump, in the supermarket, with his landlord — all of Ryan Tucholski’s bills are going up lately. But there’s one expense he hopes will soon go down or maybe even disappear: his monthly student loan…