Source: Money Under 30 For younger consumers, convenience rules, and Amazon shares part of the blame for making millennials less sensitive to prices. “We order almost everything via Amazon Prime, with full knowledge that we could get the items cheaper with a bit more effort, but it’s just so easy to order it and expect

There’s a magic number that can complicate your open enrollment process: $120,000. If you earned that much or more in 2018 from a business, the IRS considers you a “highly compensated employee,” or HCE, of that company. (In 2019, the threshold will rise to $125,000.) That HCE designation also automatically applies if you owned more

Given that Medicare can seem like a confusing web of options, it’s no wonder that many consumers rely on licensed professionals for help. If you’re among those who turn to an agent or broker, it’s worthwhile making sure the person has evaluated all of your 2019 options during Medicare’s open enrollment period, which ends Dec.

If you’re investing your HSA balance, consider how your provider will charge you. Dollar-based fees are kinder to large balances. “Whether it’s $5,000 or $50,000, with a large account balance, you’ll pay more in fees with a fixed expense ratio,” said Acheson. You should also think about the investments available to you. Plans with index

The U.S. Department of Education continues to seek repayment on more than $1 billion in federal student loans from tens of thousands of severely disabled veterans who have been deemed unable to work and are eligible for student loan forgiveness. The news comes out of a Freedom of Information Act request filed by Veterans Education

A few years ago, Lewis went the DIY route and installed hurricane shutters on his South Florida home. It was only later — when a contractor refused to give him an estimate on updating to energy-efficient windows — that he realized he’d missed a crucial step. “I didn’t realize [that] in my town, I have

Smith Collection | Gado | Getty Images Sign at Whole Foods market grocery store in San Ramon, California announcing promotion in which Amazon Prime credit card holders receive a 5% discount when shopping at the store, February 27, 2018. And it’s working. Credit card originations from consumers ages 18 to 34 rose 10 percent from

Ninety percent of workers should have higher take-home pay as a result of the tax cuts, said John Kartch, vice president of communications at Americans for Tax Reform, a conservative advocacy group. He pointed to a list of companies providing new benefits and bonuses in response to the tax cuts. “I’ve spent a lot of

The potential 16-digit credit card combinations provide far more account numbers than could ever be used, according to Cris Poor, a mathematics professor at Fordham University. Poor says the 16-digit card numbers have 10 quadrillion possibilities. By comparison, the world population is a mere 6 billion. “So each person in the world could have more

Justin Sullivan | Getty Images Firefighters try to save a building as the Camp Fire moves through the area on November 8, 2018 in Paradise, California.  Residents affected by the three fires scorching parts of California have yet another ordeal to contend with: beginning the homeowners’ insurance claims process. Two of the blazes — the

If your health is good, that’s great. If you assume it will never go downhill, that might not be so wise. Remember, original Medicare (Parts A and B) doesn’t cover everything. While everyone’s situation is different, it’s important to at least consider the unknown. For example, while you might take no medicine now, there’s a

Brian Berdan, vice president of product management at a telecommunications firm, admits to this disconnect. In the many hiring decisions he’s made, a thank-you note was never a consideration. “I was more about their competence than their etiquette,” he said. In fact, Berdan counsels his own kids who are entering the job market to thank

ROBYN BECK | AFP | Getty Images TJ Smith fixes an ‘I Voted’ sticker on his shirt after basting his ballot at polling station during early voting for the mid-term elections in the Lakeview Terrace neighborhood of Los Angeles, California on November 4, 2018. When it came to tax measures on the ballot, midterm election

Throughout this year, the IRS has repeatedly reminded taxpayers to check their withholding at work — or in their pensions if they’re retired — to account for changes to the tax law. Nevertheless, the Government Accountability Office estimates that about 2 in 10 taxpayers will owe the IRS in 2019. That’s equal to about 30

If you expect to welcome a new baby to the family in 2019, cast a critical eye to your health benefits this fall. It’s open enrollment season, a time when many Americans sign up for a health plan for the coming year, including those through an employer or on government exchanges. Plenty make those decisions

While the fraudulent offers can differ in the particulars, they are similar in that the goal is to get your personal information — i.e., your bank account number, Social Security number — and your money. For instance, you might be told you need to pay a one-time fee to apply, or that you need to

Have you always dreamed of whiling away your retirement years on an island somewhere but think it’s an economically unfeasible pipe dream? Think again, advise the editors at InternationalLiving.com, who have compiled a list of 11 “great value, picturesque islands across the globe” that are not only renowned for a welcoming atmosphere but also boast

While top medical professionals may be in for a windfall once they’ve established their careers, the path there is paved with additional schooling and expenses. “Medical school debt is a factor in how much you can save for retirement and how long it will take you to get to that point,” said Gabrielle Olya, senior

With a majority-blue House, proposals to repeal the popular public service loan forgiveness program will likely go nowhere, Kantrowitz said. That program allows certain public servants to have their student debt cancelled after 10 years. “Democrats are strong proponents [of the program],” Kantrowitz said. On that note, Democrats are likely to demand explanations from the

While the average interest rate on a savings account is still only 0.2 percent, some top-yielding savings accounts are now as high as 2.25 percent, up from 1.1 percent in 2015, according to Bankrate. (You can earn even more with certificates of deposit.) With a savings rate, or annual percentage yield, of 0.2 percent, a

Thomas M. Barwick | Getty Images Retiring baby boomers will more than double Medicare and Medicaid costs by 2020, according to industry data. Many baby boomers are headed for an uncertain retirement. These generation members hold less wealth, are deeper in debt and will face higher expenses than retirees a decade older than them, according

If you’re shopping for a 529 plan, do your homework first. Here’s where to start. Search nationwide. More than 30 states offer tax incentives to residents who contribute to their college savings plans. There is no requirement that you choose your home state’s plan, however. You may find a better deal elsewhere. Know the fees.

The study analyzed the credit scores of more than 5,000 consumers who took out a mortgage in 2015 and 2016. On average, scores took an average 160 days to hit their lowest point after the purchase of a house and another 161 days to return to their previous levels (nearly 11 months total). Credit-reporting firms

The first is an actual insurance plan, which comes with deductibles and premiums that can run from $300 to $1,000 a year per pet, according to Hollis. The other is more of a discount program that will give the pet owner access to lower cost medical care at a select network of providers. This program

About 10 miles from Cancun, Isla Mujeres is a world away from the hustle and bustle of its more tourism-developed neighbor. Instead of cars, many use golf carts for transportation. Most of the year, the island has a warm tropical climate in the low to mid 80s F. The nearby reef offers scuba, fishing, swimming,

A market dip may be fine for younger investors, but here’s what to keep in mind if you’re within five years of retirement. Crowell counsels older investors to have in place a plan that details where income will come from, once they’ve received that final paycheck. “Map out at least 20 to 30 years,” he

A decade ago, 1 in 4 savers had a portfolio that was dramatically under or over exposed to equities, according to Fidelity — putting them at greater risk of coming up short. That includes 16 percent whose entire account was in stocks and 10 percent who had none. “Today, it’s only about 10 percent who

Open enrollment, the annual period where you can sign up for plans that fall under the Affordable Care Act — also popularly called Obamacare — has started. In 2016, about 16 percent of Americans bought private individual health plans, which includes Affordable Care Act offerings sold on government exchanges, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Once you reach age 65, you’re eligible for Medicare. So if you retire at or past that age, the government program generally is there for you. However, it doesn’t cover everything; for example, dental, vision and long-term care (e.g., help with daily living, such as bathing and dressing) are not included. The amount you pay

Americans often think financial planning is as difficult as training for a marathon. And many are hoping that new innovations in technology can help take the pain out investing their money. The good news is that managing money will likely look a lot different in the future, thanks to technology. That’s according to a new