Federal prosecutors say elder-fraud losses keep climbing, and a credit freeze is the free step that blocks new-account theft
Federal authorities keep warning that the money older Americans lose to fraud is climbing, and one of the few defenses against a large slice of it costs nothing. A credit freeze locks down a person’s credit file so that a thief who has stolen a name, birth date, and Social Security number still cannot open […]
Read MoreFederal prosecutors say elder-fraud losses keep climbing, and a credit freeze is the free step that blocks new-account theft
Federal authorities keep warning that the money older Americans lose to fraud is climbing, and one of the few defenses against a large slice of it costs nothing. A credit freeze locks down a person’s credit file so that a thief who has stolen a name, birth date, and Social Security number still cannot open […]
Read MorePersonal Finance
Smart Spending
People who got two or more unwanted robocalls or texts can claim up to $160 from a settlement by September 14
Up to $160 apiece is available to people who fielded unwanted marketing calls or texts pushing Farmers Insurance policies, part…
Personal Finance
Smart Spending
People who got two or more unwanted robocalls or texts can claim up to $160 from a settlement by September 14
Up to $160 apiece is available to people who fielded unwanted marketing calls or texts pushing Farmers Insurance policies, part…
Markets & Investing
Banking & Credit Cards
Fraud & Scams
Federal prosecutors say elder-fraud losses keep climbing, and a credit freeze is the free step that blocks new-account theft
Federal authorities keep warning that the money older Americans lose to fraud is climbing, and one of the few defenses against a large slice of...
Fraud & Scams
Seniors reporting six-figure losses to government and business impostors lost about $445 million in a single year
The size of the checks older Americans are losing to scammers has grown far faster than the number of victims, and the clearest measure sits...
Fraud & Scams
A Pennsylvania man was indicted for draining over $1 million from one elderly victim
A York County, Pennsylvania man now faces federal fraud charges after prosecutors said he talked a woman in her late 80s and her family out...
Fraud & Scams
Federal prosecutors charged 19 people in a $4 million scheme that billed Medicare and Medicaid for home care never given
Federal prosecutors unveiled charges on August 4, 2026 against 19 defendants accused of billing Medicare and Medicaid for home care that was never delivered, a...
Fraud & Scams
Another data-breach settlement pays a no-proof $80, or up to $5,500 for losses, before September 5
A data-breach settlement involving the health-benefits administrator Lucent Health Solutions is paying eligible people a flat $80 with no paperwork, or reimbursing documented losses of...
Fraud & Scams
A China-based ring stole $2.2 million from 28 older victims across 17 states using fake Apple Pay alerts
Federal prosecutors say a fraud operation run partly out of China drained about $2.2 million from at least 28 older Americans, using a fake warning...
Real Estate
Buying & Selling
Homeowners can exclude up to $250,000 of home-sale profit, or $500,000 for couples
A homeowner who sells a primary residence can generally shield up to $250,000 of profit from federal capital-gains tax, and…
Retirement & Taxes
A donor-advised fund lets you claim a big charitable deduction now and give the money to charities later
About 205,000 workers have been laid off in 2026, and a severance check can be rolled into an IRA to defer taxes
Borrowing from a 401(k) skips taxes and penalties, but leaving your job can make the whole loan due fast
Retiring before 59½? Equal periodic payments under IRS rule 72(t) let you tap an IRA without the 10% penalty
A widow or widower can still file a joint tax return for the year their spouse dies, often at a lower rate
A new federal retirement account, TrumpIRA.gov, will offer eligible savers a government match worth up to $1,000 a year
Next year’s Social Security raise is now tracking near 3.6%, and many retirees say it still won’t cover their bills