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.
Tens of thousands of gig workers who cleaned homes and assembled furniture through the Handy app are about to receive checks from the federal government. The Federal Trade Commission is mailing more than $2.7 million to 62,893 people who worked through Handy Technologies between January 2019 and November 2024, resolving allegations that the platform deceived…
Billions of dollars in forgotten bank accounts, uncashed checks, and dormant insurance payouts sit in state treasuries across the country, and the people they belong to have never come looking. California alone is safeguarding unclaimed property valued at more than $15 billion, according to the State Controller’s Office. The state designated February as Unclaimed Property…
Americans who buy a Series EE savings bond today receive a federal promise that their investment will be worth twice its purchase price after 20 years. The U.S. Department of the Treasury backs that pledge with a one-time adjustment at the 20-year mark if the bond’s accrued interest falls short. Since May 2005, EE bonds…
Millions of Americans who once saw old hospital bills dragging down their credit scores got relief when the three major credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, stopped reporting paid medical collections and any unpaid medical debt under $500. The final phase of these removals took effect on April 11, 2023, after the Consumer Financial Protection…
Retirees who depend on Social Security checks to cover basic expenses are watching the gap between their benefit increase and the cost of filling a gas tank widen to its largest margin in years. The gasoline index climbed 26.7% over the 12 months ending in June 2026, while the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment for 2026…
Vehicle owners across the United States who paid out of pocket to fix a defect later covered by a safety recall have a legal right to get that money back. Federal law, specifically 49 U.S.C. Section 30120, requires manufacturers to provide recall remedies at no charge and to reimburse owners who already covered the cost…
Households enrolled in high-deductible health plans can set aside up to $8,750 in a health savings account for family coverage starting January 1, 2026, a $150 increase over the prior year. The self-only limit rises to $4,400. No other savings vehicle in the U.S. tax code offers the same three-layer tax break: deductible contributions, tax-free…
Workers who set aside pretax dollars in a health flexible spending account face a hard deadline: spend the money on eligible expenses before the plan year closes or lose it. For plan years beginning in 2026, the IRS has capped salary-reduction contributions at $3,400, raising the ceiling and, with it, the amount that could vanish…
Thousands of Arizona car buyers who were charged for extras they never agreed to are receiving refund checks this year. The Federal Trade Commission mailed 5,790 checks totaling more than $2.3 million to people harmed by hidden fees at Coulter Motor Company dealerships, the agency confirmed as the payments went out. The refunds close one…
Older travelers who booked flights or hotels through the Hopper app over the past few years may be owed money. Federal regulators have reached a $35 million settlement with the popular travel-booking company over the way it added certain fees and described certain services, and that money is set aside to be returned to the…