The financial news that actually matters
A general consumer finance category covering everyday money decisions, budgeting, saving, debt management, credit behavior, and personal financial improvement strategies.
Millions of Amazon Prime subscribers have until July 27 to claim refunds of up to $51 each from a $1.5 billion fund the Federal Trade Commission forced Amazon to create. The fund is part of a $2.5 billion settlement the FTC reached with Amazon over allegations that the company used deceptive enrollment tactics and made…
Married couples can direct up to $20,000 a year into Series I savings bonds, double the amount available to a single buyer, simply because the U.S. Treasury enforces its $10,000 annual cap per Social Security number rather than per household. That arithmetic gives two-adult households a measurable edge in protecting cash from inflation, especially during…
Savers hunting for a low-risk return just got a fresh number to work with. The U.S. Bureau of the Fiscal Service set the Series I savings bond composite rate at 4.26% for bonds issued from May 1 through October 31, 2026. That rate locks in a 0.90% fixed component alongside an inflation adjustment tied to…
Fake investment and cryptocurrency platforms drained $3.52 billion from Americans over 60 last year, according to the FBI, leaving the average victim with a loss of roughly $38,500. The figures, drawn from the bureau’s Internet Crime Complaint Center data for 2024, place older adults at the top of every major fraud-loss category. With retirement savings…
Indiana residents have reclaimed $56 million in unclaimed property so far this year, yet the state still holds close to $1 billion in dormant assets waiting for their rightful owners. Attorney General Todd Rokita, who leads the Unclaimed Property Division, set a record in a prior cycle by returning more than $69 million to Hoosiers,…
American credit-card holders carrying a balance are now paying a record 22.15% annual percentage rate, according to Federal Reserve data, at the same time that late payments on card loans have reached levels not seen in 15 years. The collision of peak borrowing costs and deteriorating repayment performance raises a pointed question: whether the pricing…
People who used Google Assistant on phones, tablets, smart speakers, or other devices could collect up to $56 each from a $68 million settlement fund, and they do not need to provide documentation to file a claim. The deadline to submit is August 27. The payout resolves allegations that Google recorded users without proper consent,…
Delta Air Lines passengers are pushing back against what they describe as a booking and cancellation system designed to steer them toward expiring flight credits instead of cash refunds. The accusation centers on the way Delta presents refund options after a qualifying cancellation or schedule change, with travelers reporting that the path to a monetary…
Roughly 93,000 people who saved for retirement through the U.S. Bank 401(k) plan will split a $250,000 settlement without filing a single claim. The agreement resolves allegations that the plan charged excessive recordkeeping fees, and it covers participants from plan-year 2017 onward. The payout per person is small, but the case adds to a growing…
People whose health data was exposed in a Serviceaide breach can now claim a flat $50 payment without submitting any proof of harm, with the filing window open until September 1. The offer follows the kind of incident that triggers mandatory federal reporting: under HIPAA rules, any breach affecting 500 or more individuals must be…