The financial news that actually matters
California shoppers throw away an estimated 2.5 billion meals worth of unspoiled food each year, driven in large part by a patchwork of confusing date stamps on packages. Starting with products manufactured on or after July 1, 2026, a new state law called AB 660 will restrict which phrases can appear on food labels, replacing…
American grocery shoppers hunting for the lowest prices are finding their best deals at warehouse clubs, according to Consumer Reports’ latest ranking of the cheapest U.S. grocery chains. The evaluation placed bulk-format retailers like Costco and Sam’s Club at the top, ahead of traditional supermarkets, at a time when food costs remain a persistent pressure…
Millions of lower-earning workers who put money into a retirement account or an ABLE savings account can reduce their federal tax bill by up to $1,000 per person, or $2,000 for joint filers, through a tax break called the Saver’s Credit. The credit applies to contributions made to IRAs, 401(k) plans, and similar employer-sponsored accounts,…
As health costs climb, one account type offers a rare triple break from the tax code: the health savings account. Under Internal Revenue Code section 223, HSAs combine deductible contributions, tax-free growth and tax-free withdrawals for qualified care, a structure that federal agencies describe as “triple-tax advantaged.” With 2026 contribution limits already set, the stakes…
American families ended 2025 carrying more debt than at any point on record. Total U.S. household debt reached $18.8 trillion in the fourth quarter, a figure drawn from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Consumer Credit Panel built on Equifax data. The milestone reflects steady expansion across mortgages, auto loans, and credit cards, and…
Families with qualifying children stand to receive a larger Child Tax Credit when they file for tax year 2026, with the maximum credit set at $2,200 per child after Congress permanently raised the figure through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The refundable portion, known as the Additional Child Tax Credit, reaches up to $1,700…
Amazon is shutting down nearly all of its Amazon Go convenience stores and Amazon Fresh grocery locations, ending one of the company’s most visible experiments in physical retail. The closures, confirmed in late January 2026, affect a format that once promised to redefine how consumers shop for groceries and grab-and-go meals. The retreat raises pointed…
Investors with taxable income below roughly $49,000 can legally owe nothing to the federal government on profits from stocks, real estate, or other assets held longer than a year. That zero-rate bracket, written directly into the Internal Revenue Code, is now set to shift for tax year 2026 after the IRS published inflation adjustments tied…
More than 600 workers at an Amazon distribution warehouse in South Dade face job losses after the company confirmed plans to close the facility, triggering an enforcement fight with Miami-Dade County over a 2020 land deal that required Amazon to create and maintain hundreds of permanent positions. County Commissioner Danielle Cohen Higgins has publicly challenged…
Florida homeowners are paying an average of $7,136 a year for property insurance, a figure that runs nearly three times the national rate. That cost pressure is squeezing household budgets across the state at the same time that mortgage rates and broader inflation leave less room for error. The gap between what Floridians pay and…