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 5 credit card moves that save the most money in 2026, ranked by dollar impact
If you are carrying $6,000 on a credit card at roughly 23% interest, as reported in the Federal Reserve’s G.19 consumer credit statistical release, you...
Freelancers and gig workers: the insurance gaps most people don’t realize they have until it’s too late
When a rideshare driver in Los Angeles gets rear-ended during a Saturday night shift, the first question after “Are you hurt?” is usually “Who’s paying...
Student loan garnishment still on hold — 5.5 million defaulted borrowers have a window to act before July
If you’re among the roughly 5.5 million Americans whose federal student loans are in default, the government holds the authority to capture up to 15%...
The “affordability economy” is flipping the housing map: Sun Belt prices collapsing, Rust Belt soaring
A three-bedroom ranch in Cleveland’s West Park neighborhood listed at $189,000 in January would have sat for weeks five years ago. In early 2026, houses...
Consumer confidence just hit its lowest point in 74 years — worse than the 2008 crash, worse than COVID
The last time American consumers felt anything close to this pessimistic, the country was in the grip of the worst financial crisis since the Great...
2027 Social Security COLA projections are split — will the “Trump Bump” from war inflation boost your check?
If you collect Social Security, the difference between a quiet year for inflation and a turbulent one could mean an extra $30 or an extra...
Ticketmaster found guilty of illegal monopoly — jury says fans were overcharged $1.72 per ticket
A federal jury has found that Live Nation Entertainment and its subsidiary Ticketmaster operated an illegal monopoly over live event ticketing at major concert venues...
Iran declares Strait of Hormuz open — oil plunges 10%, but don’t expect cheap gas anytime soon
On a single day in late April 2026, Iran’s foreign minister told the world the Strait of Hormuz was “completely open” for commercial shipping. Within...
IRS launches anonymous Tax Debt Help tool, no Social Security number required
The IRS wants you to explore your tax debt options before you hand over a single piece of personal information. A web-based feature called Tax...
Ticketmaster found to be an illegal monopoly — jury says fans were overcharged $1.72 per ticket
A Manhattan federal jury decided in May 2026 that Live Nation Entertainment and its subsidiary Ticketmaster ran an illegal monopoly over ticketing at large concert...
Charles Schwab launches spot Bitcoin and Ethereum trading at 75 bps, undercutting Fidelity
Charles Schwab, the largest discount brokerage in the U.S., is expanding into cryptocurrencies, starting with the two biggest. The company plans to offer its retail...
Credit card annual fees are soaring past $800 — why people keep paying
Last year, American Express raised the Platinum Card’s annual fee to $895, and the backlash was immediate. Social media lit up with cancellation threats. Personal...
Americans now owe over $1.3 trillion in credit card debt — average balance hits record $6,580
The average American credit card balance has reached $6,580, a record high according to TransUnion’s quarterly credit industry analysis, and total outstanding credit card debt...
Gold hits $4,819 per ounce — here’s what’s driving the safe-haven rally in 2026
On the afternoon of March 18, 2026, minutes after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell finished his post-meeting press conference, gold futures on COMEX blew past...
IRS now runs 129 AI use cases — up from 10 in 2022 — as workforce shrinks 27%
If your tax refund hits a snag this spring, good luck reaching a person at the IRS. The agency that opened the 2025 filing season...
Student loan wage garnishment delayed again — Education Dept pauses collections for repayment reform
For the second time in less than a year, the U.S. Department of Education has suspended involuntary collections on defaulted federal student loans, halting wage...