Latest Personal finance News
The Federal Reserve is finally lowering rates. Here's what consumers should know
NEW YORK (AP) — The Federal Reserve has cut its benchmark interest rate from its 23-year high, with consequences for debt, savings, auto loans, mortgages and other forms of borrowing by consumers and businesses. On Wednesday, the Fed announced that it reduced its key rate by an...
Editorial Roundup: United States
Excerpts from recent editorials in the United States and abroad: ___ Sept. 14 The Washington Post on the effects of legalized gambling The new National Football League season will see plenty of records set on the field — and it’s...
Oracle settles suit over tracking your data. How to file a claim
NEW YORK (AP) — Tech behemoth Oracle has agreed to settle a class action lawsuit for $115 million over allegations that it tracked consumer activity both on and offline. The suit alleges Oracle captured, compiled, and sold individuals’ data to third parties without their...
US consumer sentiment ticks higher for second month but remains subdued
WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans' outlook on the economy improved for the second straight month in September, bolstered by lower prices for long-lasting goods such as cars and furniture and the prospect of interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve. The University of Michigan's consumer...
US consumer watchdog moves to permanently ban Navient from federal student loan servicing
NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. Consumer Finance Protection Bureau has filed a proposed order to permanently ban Navient from directly servicing federal student loans, which the agency says will put an end “years of abuse." Under terms of the Thursday order, which Navient agreed to...
Freshly squeezed: Savers already feeling the pain ahead of likely start to Fed rate cuts
NEW YORK (AP) — This week the Federal Reserve is likely to cut its main interest rate for the first time in more than four years. It's a momentous move, but savers have been feeling the squeeze for months. Financial markets and banks try to get ahead of such moves by the Fed, and...
US consumer watchdog finds that school lunch fees are taking a toll on parents
NEW YORK (AP) — Single mother Rebecca Wood, 45, was already dealing with high medical bills in 2020 when she noticed she was being charged a $2.49 “program fee” each time she loaded money onto her daughter’s school lunch account. As more schools turn to cashless payment...
Hedge fund investor buys UK political magazine The Spectator for $131 million
LONDON (AP) — A hedge fund investor has bought The Spectator, one of the world's oldest political magazines, for 100 million pounds ($131 million) after a months-long search for a new owner for the British publication, those involved in the sale said Tuesday. Millionaire Paul...
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck may not have had a prenuptial agreement, but you should consider one
NEW YORK (AP) — Longtime celebrity watchers may not have been shocked when Jennifer Lopez filed for divorce from Ben Affleck, but what was surprising was that Lopez's divorce petition did not include any mention of a prenuptial agreement. A prenup is a legal document for...
How to prepare for the Fed's forthcoming interest rate cuts
NEW YORK (AP) — The Federal Reserve is poised to cut its benchmark interest rate next month from its 23-year high, with consequences for consumers when it comes to debt, savings, auto loans and mortgages. Right now, most experts envision three quarter-point Fed cuts — in September, November and...
