A simplified Free Application for Federal Student Aid is finally online after a significant delay. However, as part of a “soft launch,” the new FAFSA form has only been periodically available. It’s likely few, if any, of the millions of students applying to college for the 2024-25 academic year have been able to successfully submit an application, … Read more
The millennial and Gen Z generations are placing financial goals at the top of their lists of 2024 resolutions, a recent American Express survey finds. The poll, which surveyed more than 1,800 people born between 1981 and 2012, found that 57% of respondents named personal finance goals as their top personal aim for next year, … Read more
Rear view of woman sitting on top of mountain against cloudy sky during sunrise. Simonkr | E+ | Getty Images It was a very good year for the stock market. The benchmark S&P 500 ended the year with a 24.2% gain, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose more than a 13% this year and and the Nasdaq … Read more
1. Student debt relief Many early career workers face a conundrum when it comes to tackling financial goals: pay down student debt or invest toward retirement? Starting next year, you may be able to do both at once. Secure 2.0 allows companies to “match” employees’ student loan payments with contributions to their workplace retirement accounts. … Read more
Student debt rose to $1.6 trillion Student loan borrowers spent the first half of the year hoping to see their balances reduced, if not erased, by the end of the summer. Many spent the second half of the year scrambling to figure out how they were going to resume making payments. By the end of … Read more
Tokyo, Japan. Matteo Colombo | DigitalVision | Getty Images When it comes to travel abroad, popular destinations like London, Paris and Rome always seem to top the wish list for Americans. But many travelers are looking beyond those mainstay cities for trips in 2024. Interest in major Asian hubs, off-the-beaten-path locales in Europe and other … Read more
This year, 40% of Americans said they do not make financial resolutions for the new year and 68% said they do not have written financial plans at any point in the year, according to research from BMO Financial Group. However, setting a budget goes a long way in managing your personal finances. “Many people spend … Read more
Xavier Lorenzo | Moment | Getty Images If you’re looking for a new job, get ready for more competition in the new year. “We see many more job seekers come and use our site in mid- to late-January,” said Scott Dobroski, career trends expert at Indeed. “It aligns to that new year, new you mentality,” … Read more
Tom Werner | Digitalvision | Getty Images If you left behind a small 401(k) plan account at a former job, odds are your former employer has moved those funds out of the plan. That move may hurt your retirement savings over the long term, experts say. Current law allows employers to “force out” 401(k) accounts … Read more
Young woman counting money. Jose Luis Pelaez Inc As the calendar turns to a new year, many Americans are vowing to change their money habits. To that point, 48% of investors recently surveyed by Allianz Life Insurance Company say they are more likely to make and keep a financial resolution in 2024 to either save … Read more
