Daniel Harper
Daniel is a finance writer covering personal finance topics including budgeting, credit, and beginner investing. He began his career contributing to his Substack, where he covered consumer finance trends and practical money topics for everyday readers. Since then, he has written for a range of personal finance blogs and fintech platforms, focusing on clear, straightforward content that helps readers make more informed financial decisions.
Latest Articles by Daniel Harper
The former head of Social Security says raising the payroll cap is the only real fix
Workers earning above $176,100 a year pay no Social Security tax on income beyond that threshold, and a former head of the agency told Congress...
The Iran war is still adding more than $360 million a day to America’s gas bill
American drivers are paying more than $360 million a day in extra gasoline costs tied to the Iran conflict, a figure derived from federal price...
0% interest for up to 21 months is what a balance-transfer card buys you to clear a balance without new charges piling on
Cardholders who open a balance-transfer card expecting a clean runway to pay off debt can walk into an expensive trap if they keep swiping for...
Medicare caps your out-of-pocket drug costs at $2,100 this year, and you can spread that bill across monthly payments
People enrolled in Medicare Part D will pay no more than $2,100 out of pocket for prescription drugs in 2026, up from the $2,000 cap...
A home-equity line lets you tap your house at rates well below most credit cards, but your home is the collateral
Homeowners carrying high-interest credit card balances face a straightforward but high-stakes trade-off: a home-equity line of credit, or HELOC, lets them borrow against their property...
Adults 60 and older on SNAP can deduct out-of-pocket medical costs to raise their food benefit, a break most never claim
Older adults receiving SNAP benefits can subtract unreimbursed medical expenses above $35 a month from the income used to calculate their food allotment, a federal...
You have 12 months to undo a Social Security claim — repay what you collected and reset for a bigger check later
Retirees who claimed Social Security benefits too early and now regret the decision have a narrow escape hatch: the agency allows a one-time withdrawal of...
Nearly every 401(k) got a lift Monday as stocks jumped on the Iran deal, pushing the Dow to a record 51,671
Millions of Americans with retirement savings tied to broad stock indexes saw their account balances climb on Monday, June 15, 2026, after Wall Street rallied...
Fidelity will pay data-breach victims up to $5,000, with claims due July 27
Fidelity Investments is preparing to pay eligible data-breach victims up to $5,000 each, with a claims deadline of July 27 fast approaching. The breach itself...
Only 1 in 4 homes sold above asking in May, down from a year ago as sellers lose their edge
A year ago, bidding wars were still common enough across the Mid-Atlantic that sellers could list high and expect buyers to meet them there. That...
Social Security can now withhold half your monthly check to claw back an overpayment — but a waiver with no deadline can erase it
Millions of Social Security recipients who owe money back to the federal government now face losing half their monthly benefit check to automatic withholding, a...
Naming a payable-on-death beneficiary on a bank account lets the money skip probate and reach your heirs in days
Families who lose a loved one often wait months, sometimes longer, for probate courts to release even basic bank-account funds. A payable-on-death designation, recorded directly...
The U.S. and Iran will sign a war-ending deal in Switzerland Friday — the reason oil, gas, and mortgage rates are all sliding
American drivers, homeowners, and energy traders are all watching the same calendar date: Friday, June 19, 2026, when U.S. and Iranian officials are expected to...
Fake unpaid-toll texts are now the fastest-growing government scam
Fake texts claiming drivers owe unpaid tolls have become the single fastest-growing category of government imposter fraud in the United States. Reports of government imposter...
After 65, a health savings account works like an IRA — withdraw for anything and just pay regular income tax
Americans who spent decades funneling money into a health savings account face a quiet but significant shift once they turn 65: the penalty for spending...
Banks are dangling $200 to $400 cash bonuses to open a new checking account, a quick win most people skip
Most Americans already have a bank account, yet dozens of banks are offering cash bonuses of $200 to $400 simply for opening a new checking...