A surviving spouse inherits the larger of two Social Security checks, not both
When one spouse dies, a couple that had been receiving two Social Security checks does not keep both. The survivor moves to the larger of the two benefits going forward, and the smaller one simply stops. That single rule can cut a household’s Social Security income by a third or more overnight, and because so […]
Read MoreA surviving spouse inherits the larger of two Social Security checks, not both
When one spouse dies, a couple that had been receiving two Social Security checks does not keep both. The survivor moves to the larger of the two benefits going forward, and the smaller one simply stops. That single rule can cut a household’s Social Security income by a third or more overnight, and because so […]
Read MorePersonal Finance
Smart Spending
Hospitals must post their prices online so patients can compare before care
Every hospital in the country is now required to publish what it charges, a rule meant to let patients see…
Personal Finance
Smart Spending
Hospitals must post their prices online so patients can compare before care
Every hospital in the country is now required to publish what it charges, a rule meant to let patients see…
Markets & Investing
Banking & Credit Cards
Fraud & Scams
A courier scam talks seniors into handing cash or gold bars to a fake investigator
The knock at the door is the last step in a scam that can cost a retiree a lifetime of savings. A supposed federal agent,...
Fraud & Scams
Thieves are “washing” checks stolen from mailboxes, so pay bills online or at the counter
A stolen check rarely stays the amount it was written for. Mail thieves lift envelopes from home mailboxes and the blue collection boxes on the...
Fraud & Scams
A flat $80 with no proof is on the table for people caught in the Lucent Health data breach
About 37,000 people notified in the Lucent Health Solutions data breach can now claim a flat $80 with no documentation required, part of a $1.95...
Fraud & Scams
A \”brushing\” scam sends an unordered package to use your stolen personal data
An unordered package arriving on a doorstep can look like a harmless mistake or an unexpected gift, but investigators treat it as a warning light....
Fraud & Scams
Banks may refuse to refund a Zelle payment you were tricked into sending yourself
A payment sent through Zelle can be nearly impossible to claw back, and federal rules draw a sharp line that surprises many people who assume...
Credit Cards & Rewards
Credit-card interest now averages above 20%, so carrying a balance costs more than ever
The average interest rate on credit card accounts that carry a balance climbed to 22.15% in the second quarter of 2026, one of the highest...
Real Estate
Mortgages & Rates
Disabled veterans pay no funding fee on a VA home loan and can buy with nothing down
On a typical first VA loan with nothing down, the government’s funding fee runs 2.15 percent of the amount borrowed…
Retirement & Taxes
Medicare’s 2027 out-of-pocket drug cap holds near $2,400, after which covered prescriptions cost nothing
