T/personal-finance

  1. America Has Never Been Wealthier. Here’s Why It Doesn’t Feel That Way. Business, Yesterday

    A surge in U.S. wealth has been driven by stock and home values. But the gains are concentrated at the top, leaving others in a sour economic mood.

  2. They Were Deactivated From Delivering. Their Finances Were Devastated. Business, March 29

    Millions of Americans earn money finding gig work through platforms like Uber, Lyft or DoorDash. Many see their financial lives upended when their account is suddenly blocked for unclear reasons.

  3. Calm Your Investing Life: Own a Bit of Everything Sunday Business, March 28

    People with bond and international stock funds have held their own, despite a shaky U.S. stock market and the uncertainty and turmoil flowing from the White House.

  4. Haven’t Filed Your Taxes Yet? Here Are Some Last-Minute Tips. Business, March 28

    Despite the turmoil at the I.R.S., tax returns are still due on April 15. And, yes, there are still options for lowering last year’s taxable income.

  5. Your Retirement Portfolio Is Like Kindling. Trump Just Lit a Match. Op Ed, March 24

    Trump’s tariff threats are hammering the stock market and could mean trouble for our already vulnerable retirement portfolios.

  6. Obamacare Enrollees Could See Big Changes in 2026 Business, March 21

    A proposed rule would restrict “eligibility, enrollment and affordability” in plans under the Affordable Care Act, health policy analysts say.

  7. The Big Secret About Medicaid: It’s a Middle-Class Benefit Sunday Business, March 21

    If you have a parent short on savings, a disabled adult child or a minor with special needs, Medicaid may be your backstop. Plenty of people are unaware.

  8. A Personal Finance Reporter Ponders His Own Climate Change Risk Climate, March 20

    A Times reporter co-wrote a guide to buying a home in an era of record heat, floods and billion-dollar disasters.

  9. What the Fed’s Rate Policy Means for Your Finances Business, March 19

    Here’s how the central bank’s interest rate stance influences car loans, credit cards, mortgages, savings and student loans.

  10. How to Shop for a Home That Won’t Be Upended by Climate Change Interactive, March 19

    Deciding where to live has always been a high-stakes financial decision, but a changing climate makes it even more critical. This guide will get you started.

  11. Ride Out the Market Turmoil? Not These Investors. Business, March 16

    Some people are shifting their investment strategies as the stock market sours on President Trump, despite advice to maintain their savings and wait out the angst.

  12. Buying a Car? Trump’s Tariffs Could Make It More Expensive. Business, March 14

    New car prices could increase $4,000 or more, according to one estimate. And used cars could also rise in price. “It’s a crazy situation for consumers,” an expert said.

  13. 19 Ways Congressional Tax Action (or Inaction) Could Hit Your Wallet Sunday Business, March 8

    Brackets may change. The standard deduction could fall. And President Trump will probably not remove taxes on Social Security income.

  14. Why You Should Sign Up for the I.R.S.’s Identity Theft Prevention Tool Business, March 8

    With employees from the so-called Department of Government Efficiency poking around in agency systems, faith in data security isn’t what it once was. The tool, an identity protection PIN, can help.

  15. Scammers Stole Their Savings, and Then the Tax Bill Arrived Sunday Business, March 8

    The victims pulled money out of their retirement accounts. The withdrawals had inflated their taxable income, even though the funds quickly disappeared.

  16. Buying a Home? Without the Consumer Bureau, You Need to Be Your Own Watchdog. Business, March 7

    The C.F.P.B. had kept a close eye on mortgage lenders. But with the bureau hobbled, consumers should take several steps, starting with shopping for the best mortgage rates.

  17. Concert Ticket Prices Are Soaring, and Busting Gen Z’s Budgets Business, March 5

    How can 20-somethings afford the high cost of seeing their favorite artists’ live shows? Some save; some go into debt.

  18. The Fed Is Stuck Fighting the Last War Sunday Business, December 13

    Mired in a battle to contain surging prices, the central bank also needs to be nimble enough for the economic downturns to come, our columnist says.

  19. Thousands Are Eligible for Tax Refunds From 2020 Business, April 19

    The I.R.S. estimates that 940,000 people who didn’t file their returns for that year are due back money. The deadline for filing to get it is May 17.

  20. Trump or Biden? The Stock Market Doesn’t Care. Sunday Business, April 12

    Prediction markets say former President Donald J. Trump has a good chance of winning. So far, the stock market is fine with that.

  21. More States Now Require Financial Literacy Classes in High Schools Business, December 1

    The surge in offerings is a response to the pandemic, which revealed glaring income inequality, as well as inflation and the resumption of student loan payments, an expert said.

  22. Look at the Stocks Leading the Market Now Sunday Business, July 7

    Devastated at the height of the pandemic, cruise lines have become top performers.

  23. Student Loan Pause Is Ending, With Consequences for Economy Business, June 21

    Three years of relief from payments on $1.6 trillion in student debt allowed for other borrowing and spending — and will shift into reverse.

  24. It’s Not Just the Debt Ceiling Sunday Business, May 26

    A host of issues face the markets, beyond the prospect of a possible default on U.S. debt. Hedge your bets and ride it out, our columnist says.

  25. Forgot to File Your 2019 Taxes? You Still Can if You Want Your Refund. Business, April 28

    The forms were originally due in the early days of the pandemic. The I.R.S. estimates that 1.5 million people are owed money, but they must file by July 17.

  26. Funeral Homes Don’t Have to List Prices Online. That May Change. Business, April 14

    The rule on price disclosure was written before widespread use of the internet. Regulators are considering an update.

  27. Britain Wants Its Early Retirees Back, but Their Days Are ‘Never Boring’ Business, March 14

    The country’s work force is smaller than it was before the pandemic, sapping economic potential. The government is going to try luring more people off the sidelines.

  28. I Spent Two Years Revenge Spending. It Was Hard to Stop. Sunday Business, March 2

    The pandemic gave consumers an excuse to spend more to make up for lost time. Those who went overboard are trying to reverse course.

  29. At German Christmas Markets, Smiles Shine Bright but Budgets Are Tight Foreign, December 23

    In Nuremberg, the stalls are open without Covid restrictions, and big crowds are returning to sip mulled wine and socialize. But amid economic uncertainty, visitors are spending less.

  30. Their Budgets Flush, Many States Are Sending Checks to Residents Business, November 18

    Up to 20 are using some of their budget surpluses to help taxpayers deal with high inflation. But some economists worry that the payments could fuel inflation.

  31. Deadlines for Using Up Flexible Spending Accounts Return Business, September 16

    Relaxed rules during the pandemic let workers carry over more of the pretax money, which must be spent on health costs or forfeited, but they’re expiring.

  32. I.R.S. to Refund Late-Filing Penalties for 2019 and 2020 Returns Business, September 9

    But to be eligible for the relief, taxpayers have to file the returns by Sept. 30. The agency says the average refund will be $750.

  33. This Is Going to Hurt Sunday Business, June 17

    Inflation is expected to remain high later this year even as the economy slows and layoffs rise. Already, signs of financial stress are surfacing.