Category: Personal Finances

Which Interest Rate Should You Care About?

The Fed’s short-term rates matter, but the main action now is in the 10-year Treasury market, which influences mortgages, credit cards and much more, our columnist says.
How to Back Up All Your Data and Important Documents

Readers worried after Mr. Musk and his team were given access to federal payment systems. Here’s how to back up all your data and documents.
36 Hours After Russell Vought Took Over Consumer Bureau, He Shut Its Operations

The agency had been one of Wall Street’s most feared regulators, with the power to issue rules on mortgages, credit cards, student loans and other areas affecting Americans’ financial lives.
Sharing Bank Accounts Can Deepen a Couple’s Relationship

Fewer couples are combining their bank accounts. But that trend may not promote partners’ overall financial health, experts say.
When It Comes to Investing, Is A.I. Worth the Hype?

After the arrival of a less costly A.I. model from China, U.S. markets and academics are wrestling with the ultimate economic value of the technology.
How to Pay Off Credit Card Debt

A new report finds that people are spending more on their cards and paying down less. Financial experts offer tips for reducing that debt, starting with looking at your spending habits.
Why Banks May Be Hoping You’re Not Paying Attention

They have no fiduciary duty in many cases and can profit from customers’ confusion. But where’s the line between unsavory and illegal?
You Can No Longer Buy Paper Inflation Bonds With Your Tax Refund

The Treasury Department has also eliminated the option of buying as much as $5,000 in extra inflation bonds, beyond the $10,000 annual limit.
The Fed Is Sitting on the Sidelines, but for How Long?

The relative calm in the markets may not survive upheaval in the A.I. sector and a deluge of disruptive Trump policies, our columnist says.
How Fed Rates Influence Mortgages, Credit Cards, Savings and More

Here’s how the central bank’s interest rate stance influences car loans, credit cards, mortgages, savings and student loans.
Federal Spending Freeze Does Not Apply to Student Loans and Pell Grants

Students and parents panicked after news of the order, but the Education Department said the guidance would not stop the flow of money to students and schools.
How Improv Comedians Make a Living Teaching Corporate Workshops

For some improv comedians, Fortune 1000 companies can help make the funny business more lucrative.