The financial news that actually matters
The average transaction price for a new vehicle in the United States climbed to $49,191 in February, setting an all-time record as buyers rushed to close deals ahead of steep tariffs on imported automobiles. The price spike, up 3.4% year over year according to Kelley Blue Book, lands just weeks before a 25% tariff on…
Monthly child care bills can exceed $5,000 in some parts of the U.S., pushing the annual cost of infant care well past what many families pay for a year of in-state college tuition. The gap between what parents spend on care for young children and what they earn has widened sharply, with recent reporting and…
The IRS raised Health Savings Account contribution limits for 2026 to $4,400 for individuals with self-only high-deductible health plan coverage and $8,750 for family coverage. The adjustment, published through Revenue Procedure 2025-19, also tightens the thresholds that define qualifying high-deductible plans, a shift that could reshape how millions of workers plan for medical expenses in…
Buy now, pay later has moved well beyond being a niche checkout option for online shoppers. What started as a way to split up a sneaker purchase or holiday gift is becoming a routine payment method for millions of Americans, including many who are already carrying balances elsewhere. That growth matters for more than retail….
American drivers are paying more than ever to keep their cars insured, with the average full-coverage premium now running about $2,638 a year nationwide. The increase is smaller than the sharp run-up seen a year earlier, but it still adds another expensive monthly bill for households already trying to absorb higher costs for housing, groceries,…
A broken furnace in winter. A sudden dental bill. A car repair that cannot wait until next payday. In many households, that kind of expense is not just inconvenient. It is destabilizing. New Federal Reserve survey data show why. Asked the largest emergency expense they could handle right now using only savings, a majority of…
Millions of federal student loan borrowers are now officially in default, marking a sharp and painful turn in the long aftermath of the pandemic payment pause. After years of suspended bills, shifting servicers, temporary protections, and administrative delays, the federal system is once again sorting borrowers into the statuses that carry real consequences. For a…
Americans are carrying roughly $1.56 trillion in auto loan debt, a reminder that the cost of getting behind the wheel remains one of the biggest pressures on household budgets. At the same time, the typical monthly payment for a new vehicle has climbed into the mid-$700 range, turning what used to be a manageable bill…
Arizona Public Service, the state’s largest electric utility, is asking regulators to approve a nearly 14% rate increase that would add hundreds of millions of dollars to the company’s annual base-rate revenue. The request has opened a high-stakes fight over what Arizona households and businesses should be asked to pay for power in one of…
Millions of Americans caught between raising children and helping aging parents are absorbing a financial hit that reaches far beyond a tight monthly budget. For many households, caregiving is no longer a temporary strain. It is reshaping how families spend, save, and think about the future. What begins as helping with groceries, medications, housing, or…