Medical advances are supposed to mean we all live longer. In the U.S., however, the outlook isn’t so clear. For the first time in 50 years, life expectancy dropped for the second year in a row. Between 1980 and 2014, most of the country saw a boost in life expectancy, according to Amy R. Kessler,

When you hear the market has suffered a big drop, your first instinct is probably to check your investment account balances. But that is actually the opposite of what you should do, according to Dan Ariely, chief behavioral economist at Qapital, a provider of a personal finance mobile app, and professor of behavioral economics at

About one-third of workers say that they have received a raise in the past year. And if you live in certain areas of the country, your chances of being one of them are greater. That is according to Prudential’s latest American Workers Survey, which was conducted online in November. The report found that 32 percent

Trying to pull yourself out of student debt? You could spend less, earn more – or move to Newburgh Heights, Ohio. The 2,000-person town, less than 10 miles from Cleveland, is offering to help college graduates pay off their student debt. For struggling borrowers, don’t expect a quick fix. Here’s how it works: You need

To all those who make the big decision to retire abroad, Cynthia and Edd Staton say, “Congratulations!” In 2009, a look at their battered retirement accounts made the Statons think hard about what their retirement might look like. They could stay in the U.S. where they’d lived all their lives, or they could find a

Most people are feeling pretty good about their finances these days. There is, however, room for improvement. About one-third of all Americans intend to make a financial resolution for the year ahead, according to a new report by Fidelity Investments. “There’s a connection between overall financial wellness and happiness,” said Ken Hevert, senior vice president

“There was no way I could have gone to a university after high school,” said Emily Buckner, 20. “My parents were laid off during the recession and it set us back a lot,” she said. “When I finished high school, there was nothing.” Instead, Buckner took advantage of the Tennessee Promise — an offer of

The Trump administration announced on Thursday that it will automatically cancel $150 million in student debt. Some 15,000 former students, whose schools closed while they were in attendance, will now have their debt erased. The department estimates that the forgiven loans will add up to around $150 million. “For them, it’s going to be a

If you want to park your money in a safe place amid current market volatility, there’s one thing you absolutely need to do. Check what kind of protection the financial institution holding your money has. This bubbled up as an issue this week on the news that Robinhood, an online stock trading app, announced that

How you handle your 401(k) savings depends a lot on how much you earn. And if you’re middle income — earning between $40,000 and $85,000 — you’re more likely to take a loan from your 401(k) or other workplace retirement plan, according to new research from J.P. Morgan Asset Management. Individuals who fall in that

As stock market returns taper, you may want to consider an alternative home for some of your money. Yields on certain certificates of deposits and savings accounts are on the ascent, a trend that is likely to pick up if the Federal Reserve acts as expected and raises rates next week. “Everyone should start comparing

We’re not all accountants. We don’t all hire one each year at tax time, either. But with the IRS updating tax brackets for 2019, along with other changes that are part and parcel of the new Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, it’s important for all taxpayers to get handle on America’s new tax reality. This

Here’s a worthwhile resolution for the new year: Ask your boss for a raise. More than 60 percent of workers said they did not get an increase in their pay in 2018, nor did they seek a better paying job, according to a poll from Bankrate.com. The personal finance website polled 1,000 individuals by phone

Many American workers plan to rely on Social Security benefits as a steady source of income in retirement. Yet if you are not on top of things, you are at risk for not using the right claiming strategy. And if that happens, you could leave thousands of dollars on the table over your lifetime. If

Looking for a break after the stress of the holidays? Turns out, January has some of the best travel deals of the year. The cheapest months to travel often fall after “traditional” vacation periods end, according to a new analysis of flight price data from travel deal site Hipmunk. In other words: When kids head

House shoppers hurrying to find dream homes before interest rates go higher often turn to online mortgage calculators offered by personal finance and real estate sites to get a feel for just how dreamy a home they can afford. When they do, they risk getting bad information, experts say. “Most online mortgage calculators fall short

Under the Affordable Care Act, you can change your health care plan once a year during open enrollment. That period is about to end, and if you don’t have health insurance, you’ll want to get it. Not because of the tax hit – the mandate to buy insurance was ended under the Tax Cuts and

Sooner or later, retirement starts whispering your name. Even if it’s a mix of work and leisure, most of us expect a little loosening up on the pressures of working. And starting in your 40s and 50s, it’s natural to start planning and wondering what retirement will look like. Not everyone has the money to

You wouldn’t trust your toddler with a pile of cash, right? Well, this estate-planning technique may allow you to safely pass your IRA on to future generations — if you do it right. When it comes to naming a beneficiary of your retirement account, the first person to come to mind is likely your spouse.

The new tax law has put a whole new spin on year-end tax planning, though it hasn’t eliminated the need to do it altogether. “The tricks we had in our back pocket have been taken away in the name of simplification,” said Nathan Smith, a director in the national tax office of CBIZ MHM in