The financial news that actually matters
First-time homebuyers grabbed their largest share of the housing market in at least a year during May, accounting for 35 percent of existing-home sales as available inventory climbed to 1.55 million units and the frantic bidding wars of recent years continued to fade. The data, released by the National Association of Realtors on June 9,…
Medicare beneficiaries admitted to a hospital in 2026 will pay a $1,736 deductible for each benefit period, and those who stay past 60 days will face daily coinsurance charges that escalate with no annual ceiling on total costs. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services set the new amounts through administrative instructions effective January 5,…
Married couples filing jointly who keep their taxable income below $98,900 in 2026 will owe zero federal tax on long-term capital gains. The IRS confirmed that threshold in its announcement of annual inflation adjustments for tax year 2026, incorporating changes enacted through Public Law 119-21, the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act. For households selling a…
Roughly 6 million tipped workers in the United States became eligible for a new federal income tax deduction when they filed 2025 returns this spring, and early IRS data shows they used it at a striking rate. By early March 2026, over 3.5 million returns had already claimed the “No Tax on Tips” deduction on…
Millions of Social Security beneficiaries who owe money to the federal government now face a sharper bite from their monthly checks. The Social Security Administration shifted its default withholding rate for Title II overpayments to 50 percent for notices issued after April 25, 2025, up from a lower baseline that had been in place for…
Seniors shopping for standalone Medicare prescription drug coverage in 2026 will pay less on average than they did a year earlier. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services projects the average monthly premium for a standalone Part D plan at $34.50, down $3.81 from the $38.31 average in 2025. That drop lands at a time…
Americans who spent decades raising children or managing a household without earning a paycheck can still receive Social Security retirement income, and the amount can reach half of a working spouse’s full benefit. Federal regulations set that ceiling at 50 percent of the worker’s Primary Insurance Amount, the monthly figure calculated at full retirement age….
Checking account holders who have been stung by overdraft charges now have a growing list of banks that have dropped those fees entirely. Ten major banks have moved to zero-dollar overdraft fees on their primary checking products, a shift driven by federal regulatory pressure and a broader crackdown on fees that quietly drain household budgets….
American households carrying credit-card balances or variable-rate loans are paying roughly the same interest they paid a year ago, even though the Federal Reserve’s benchmark rate has held steady near 3.75 percent since mid-2025. The prime lending rate, which anchors most consumer and small-business variable loans, has stayed flat at 7.75 percent. Credit-card rates remain…
Diners with food allergies who eat at large restaurant chains in California will soon get new protection. Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 68, making California the first state in the country to require allergen disclosure on restaurant menus. The law applies to chains with 20 or more locations and takes effect July 1, 2026, giving…