Without financial aid, the price tag at some four-year colleges and universities — after factoring in tuition, fees, room and board, books, transportation, and other expenses — is now nearing $100,000 a year. But even though college is getting more expensive, students and their parents rarely pay the full amount. Aside from their income and savings, most families rely on … Read more
Stefanie Kiser Book: “Wanted: Toddler’s Personal Assistant”. Cover design by Jillian Rahn/Sourcebooks. Courtesy: Stefanie Kiser Stephanie Kiser came to New York City in 2014 as a new college graduate, hoping to become a screenwriter. Instead, she spent the next seven years as a nanny for wealthy families. Kiser’s new memoir, “Wanted: Toddler’s Personal Assistant: How … Read more
JGI/Jamie Grill | Blend Images | Getty Images How people would handle a surprise $400 expense The Federal Reserve has found 13% of all adults would have been unable to pay for an unexpected $400 expense in 2023. Yet, JPMorgan Chase Institute finds the share of individuals who are unable to cover such an expense … Read more
A Target store in Queens, New York. Lindsey Nicholson | UCG | Universal Images Group | Getty Images The back-to-school shopping season is in full swing, with the hefty bills to prove it. Nearly one-third — 31% — of back-to-school shoppers said that buying supplies for the new year will put them into debt, according to a … Read more
The Federal Reserve could start lowering interest rates as soon as next month, based on the latest inflation data. “We think that the time is approaching,” Fed Chair Jerome Powell said at a press conference after the last Federal Open Market Committee meeting in July. For Americans struggling to keep up with sky-high interest charges, a likely September rate cut may bring some … Read more
Kumikomini | Istock | Getty Images In 2004, Sabrina Finch returned to school to become a nurse. Her mother, Rebecca, was excited for Sabrina, then in her early 30s, to finally have a career. She’d watched for years as Sabrina struggled to get by working low-wage jobs, including in fast-food restaurants and factories. As a … Read more
By most accounts, the rollout of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid, better known as FAFSA, was disastrous from the start. Even now, some college students don’t know the status of their aid awards for the fall. “The Department’s poor planning has led to a stunning failure: Some college students might not have … Read more
Alistair Berg | Digitalvision | Getty Images Why the SAVE plan is on hold The SAVE plan has been a magnet for controversy ever since the Biden administration rolled out the program in the summer of 2023, describing it as “the most affordable student loan plan ever.” Indeed, the terms of the new income-driven repayment … Read more
Keki Mistry, Former VC & CEO, HDFC, says to the best of his knowledge from whatever little I have seen with some of the banks or even Poonawalla Fincorp or some of the other NBFCs that I know of, very good and systematic diligence is carried out before a loan is disbursed. Now, it is … Read more
Victor Dyomin | Moment | Getty Images Many wedding costs, such as meals, invitations and favors, are based on your headcount. The average cost of a wedding ceremony and reception in 2023 was $35,000, according to The Knot 2023 Real Weddings Study. The total cost is a $5,000 increase from 2022. “The No. 1 way to save money on … Read more
