The financial news that actually matters
Homebuyers entering the spring 2026 market are finding more options on the shelf and more sellers willing to negotiate on price. Active listings of homes for sale have now risen for a 30th consecutive month, extending the longest streak of inventory growth since the post-pandemic freeze began to thaw. At the same time, a growing…
Medicare beneficiaries already paying $202.90 a month for Part B coverage in 2026 face another increase next year. The standard monthly premium is projected to hit $218.60 in 2027, a jump of roughly $15.70, according to intermediate estimates published in the 2025 Medicare Trustees Report. The annual Part B deductible is also expected to rise,…
Federal student loan borrowers enrolled in the SAVE repayment plan face a hard deadline that is now less than three weeks away. Starting July 1, 2026, loan servicers will begin sending notices that instruct these borrowers to leave the plan and choose a different, legally authorized repayment option. Anyone who receives a notice will have…
Medicare beneficiaries with modified adjusted gross income above $111,000 for single filers or $222,000 for joint filers in tax year 2025 will pay higher Part B premiums in 2027 through the income-related monthly adjustment amount, known as IRMAA. The surcharge follows a fixed two-year lookback rule written into federal law, meaning financial decisions made this…
Businesses in firearms, cryptocurrency, adult entertainment, and other politically sensitive sectors have long reported losing bank accounts without clear explanation. Federal regulators just shut down the mechanism that made those closures possible. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) adopted a final rule that bars examiners…
Fans hoping to attend 2026 World Cup group-stage matches are finding a buyer’s market on FIFA’s official resale platform, where more than half of those early-round games have seen listed ticket prices drop 20 percent or more from their original sale levels. Some resale seats have appeared near $157, a sharp contrast to the tournament’s…
Borrowers hoping for relief on mortgages, auto loans, or corporate credit lines will have to wait well beyond 2026. The Federal Reserve held its policy rate steady at 3-1/2 to 3-3/4 percent after its April 28-29 meeting, and the language in the official statement offered no signal that a cut is coming this calendar year….
Tech workers absorbed the sharpest single-month blow since mid-2024 as employers eliminated 38,242 positions across the sector in May 2026. Artificial intelligence was cited as the driving force behind nearly 40 percent of all U.S. layoffs announced during the month, according to company disclosures and workforce tracking data. Cisco Systems and Block are among the…
Retirees collecting Social Security could see their monthly checks grow by roughly $81 starting in January 2027, based on early cost-of-living adjustment projections that have climbed into the 3.9% to 4.2% range. The increase would represent a sharp jump from the 2.8% COLA that took effect for benefits payable in January 2026. Surging gasoline prices…
Couples with a single income stream can double their retirement savings for 2026, even when one spouse earns nothing. The IRS set the individual retirement account contribution cap at $7,500 for 2026, or $8,600 for people age 50 and older, and a non-working spouse qualifies to contribute the full amount as long as the couple…