Tyler Foster
Latest Articles by Tyler Foster
A widow can keep filing taxes jointly for two years, easing the hit of losing a spouse
A surviving spouse with a dependent child can keep filing at joint tax rates for two full years after the year of death, a status...
Thieves copy gift-card codes on store racks; buy from behind the counter and check the seal
Shoppers who pick a gift card off a retail display rack risk handing their money to thieves who already copied the card’s numbers and PIN...
A lump sum and a mortgage ‘recast’ lower your payment for good, without refinancing
Homeowners locked into mortgage rates above 5 percent are finding a way to permanently cut their monthly payments without refinancing, closing costs, or a new...
$792 is the record average U.S. summer electric bill this year, up 10.5%
American households will pay an average of $792 in electricity bills across the summer months of 2026, a 10.5 percent jump from the prior year...
Aetna is closing about 90 Medicare Advantage plans across 34 states for 2027
Seniors enrolled in certain Aetna Medicare Advantage plans across 34 states face the loss of their coverage for 2027, as the insurer moves to discontinue...
$941 billion will roll out of 401(k)s into IRAs this year, and much of it sits uninvested
Millions of Americans changing jobs or retiring this year will move retirement savings out of employer-sponsored 401(k) plans and into individual retirement accounts. The scale...
A federal program helps low-income families pay summer cooling bills, yet most never apply
Millions of low-income households across the United States qualify for federal help paying summer cooling bills, but most never receive it. The Low Income Home...
Georgia now makes stores take exact change and round in your favor if the penny disappears
Georgia shoppers paying with cash will now have every transaction total rounded to the nearest nickel, with the rounding tilted in their favor when pennies...
Locking your online Social Security account takes two minutes and blocks thieves from rerouting your check
Social Security beneficiaries who have not claimed their online accounts are leaving the door open for identity thieves to do it for them, redirect monthly...
California is holding $15 billion in unclaimed cash, the most any state owes its residents
Billions of dollars in forgotten bank accounts, uncashed checks, and dormant insurance payouts sit in California’s state treasury, and the pile keeps growing. The state...
A side-gig earner can open a solo 401(k) and shelter up to $70,000 a year from taxes
Freelancers, consultants, and gig workers with even modest self-employment income can open a solo 401(k) and defer a substantial share of their earnings before taxes....
Filed a tax extension? Your 2025 return is due October 15 as interest quietly adds up
Millions of taxpayers who requested extra time to complete their 2025 federal returns now face an October 15, 2026 filing deadline, but the IRS has...
After you die, Medicaid can bill your estate for nursing-home care, though your home may be shielded
Families who relied on Medicaid to cover a parent’s or spouse’s nursing-home stay often discover, only after the recipient dies, that the state can pursue...
A married couple can realize about $96,700 in long-term stock gains at a 0% tax rate
Married couples filing jointly can shield up to $96,700 in net long-term capital gains from federal tax for the 2025 tax year, a threshold set...
Wartime veterans and their widows can get over $1,500 a month for in-home care
Wartime veterans and their surviving spouses who need help with daily tasks such as bathing, dressing, or eating can receive monthly payments exceeding $1,500 from...
You can undo a Social Security claim within 12 months by repaying what you got
Retirees who filed for Social Security benefits too early have a narrow path to reverse that decision, but the price is steep: full repayment of...