The financial news that actually matters
Workers in professional services, manufacturing, and information technology are watching their industries shed jobs at a faster clip, but one sector keeps hiring through the turbulence. Health care accounted for the bulk of net employment gains as total nonfarm payrolls rose by 130,000 in January 2026, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That split…
Americans born in 1943 or later who postpone their Social Security retirement claim from full retirement age to 70 stand to collect a monthly benefit roughly 32 percent larger than the amount they would have received at full retirement age. That gain comes from delayed retirement credits that add 8 percent per year, or two-thirds…
Workers collecting Social Security before they reach full retirement age will be able to earn up to $24,480 in 2026 without losing any benefits, a $960 increase over the 2025 threshold. For every $2 earned above that line, the Social Security Administration withholds $1 from monthly checks. A separate, higher limit of $65,160 applies to…
Retirees holding traditional IRAs and workplace retirement plans face a hard December 31 deadline each year to withdraw their required minimum distributions, and the penalty for missing it is steep: a 25% excise tax on the amount that should have been taken out. The age threshold for these mandatory withdrawals now stands at 73, a…
Parents of children born after Jan. 1, 2025, face a new administrative step before their newborn can receive a $1,000 government deposit into a Trump Account. The IRS requires families to file Form 4547 or complete the election through a dedicated online portal, and without that affirmative action, no money moves. The process depends on…
Widows and widowers who already collect Social Security on their own work record can switch to a higher payment based on a late spouse’s earnings, yet a federal audit released in spring 2026 found that many survivors are not told about this option in time. The Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General reviewed…
Millions of federal student loan borrowers who fell into default during the pandemic-era pause now face a revived collection apparatus that can reach directly into their paychecks, tax refunds, and certain federal benefits. The U.S. Department of Education announced it would restart collections on defaulted loans effective May 5, 2025, and stated that required notices…
Homeowners who bought property in a major metro area decades ago and watched their equity climb past half a million dollars now face a tax threshold that has not moved in nearly three decades. Married couples filing jointly can still exclude up to $500,000 of capital gain when they sell a principal residence, while single…
Fake job offers arriving by text message are draining bank accounts and exposing Social Security numbers on a scale that federal agencies now treat as a top consumer threat. The Federal Trade Commission, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, and the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General have all issued separate warnings about…
Starting in 2026, workers age 50 and older can contribute up to $8,000 in catch-up deferrals to a 401(k), 403(b), governmental 457, or Thrift Savings Plan on top of the new $24,500 base elective deferral limit. That catch-up figure is a $500 jump from the $7,500 allowed in 2025, and it creates a combined ceiling…