Category: Credit and Debt

Stranded by Southwest and Stuck With Unexpected Costs

The airline’s customers incurred thousands in expenses as they scrambled to find alternate ways to get home.
Low-Down-Payment Mortgages: Your 2023 Guide

Facing high interest rates and home prices, some buyers have only a small down payment to offer. But they still have plenty of options.
The Downsides of Using ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’

Shoppers can quickly get approved for the services, but regulators are concerned that the loans lack important protections.
Hardship 401(k) Withdrawals, Explained

Most employers allow you to take funds out of your retirement account, but the withdrawals come with significant downsides. Our columnist discusses other options.
Defaults Loom as Poor Countries Face an Economic Storm

Debt-relief efforts are stalling as developing economies are being hit by higher interest rates, a strong dollar and slowing global growth.
Sam Bankman-Fried Interview: Read the Transcript

In a discussion with Andrew Ross Sorkin of The New York Times, Sam Bankman-Fried blamed “huge management failures” and sloppy accounting for the collapse of the FTX cryptocurrency exchange.
How to Manage Credit Card Debt When Holiday Shopping

Card balances have been rising rapidly. But there are ways to navigate the gift-giving season without taking on a lot of new debt.
A Holiday Season Divided by Inflation and Economic Struggles

Even if policymakers achieve a gentle economic slowdown, it won’t be smooth for everyone.
Are the Federal Reserve’s Rate Increases Working?

The Fed’s campaign to slow the economy is gradually taking hold, but officials have been particularly surprised by the job market’s resilience.
As the Fed Raises Rates, Worries Grow About Corporate Bonds

Executives, analysts and bond traders are all wondering if corporate finance is about to unravel as interest rates rise.
U.S. Mortgage Rates Soar Past 7%

The average rate on 30-year mortgages — the most popular kind among Americans — rose to the highest level since 2002, tracking the Federal Reserve’s aggressive campaign of rate increases.
European Central Bank Is Set to Raise Interest Rates Again

Policymakers on Thursday are expected to approve a hefty rate increase to corral prices that have risen “far too high.”