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The Money Overview

Personal Finance

Day-to-day money decisions for individuals and households. Practical guidance on budgeting, saving, spending, credit, debt management, and financial planning.

Latest in Personal Finance

Credit & Debt

A balance-transfer card can freeze interest on your debt for 12 to 21 months while you pay down the principal

Cardholders paying 20 percent or more in annual interest on revolving balances can move that debt to a new account and pay zero interest for...

Smart Spending

Federal regulators recalled 2,500 Arctic Zone coolers sold at Costco after a latch magnet that can choke a child was found loose

About 2,500 Arctic Zone Titan Pro coolers sold at Costco stores nationwide have been pulled from shelves after federal safety officials determined that a magnet...

Insurance & Protection

California homeowners face the steepest home-insurance jump in the country this year at 16%

California homeowners are bracing for the sharpest premium increases in the nation this year, with projected costs climbing roughly 15.8 percent to an average of...

Smart Spending

Tyson and Cargill agreed to pay $87.5 million over beef price-fixing, and shoppers who bought steak or roasts between 2014 and 2019 can claim a cut by June 30

Consumers who purchased beef at grocery stores or restaurants between 2015 and 2019 now have a narrow window to collect money from an $87.5 million...

Insurance & Protection

A fifth straight year of insurance hikes is pushing Florida homeowners’ premiums near $8,500 a year

Florida homeowners face a fifth consecutive year of rising property insurance costs, with average annual premiums now approaching $8,500. The increases, tracked through mandatory insurer...

Budgeting & Saving

A new workplace emergency-savings account lets workers set aside up to $2,600 a year with four penalty-free withdrawals

Workers enrolled in employer-sponsored retirement plans can now direct up to $2,600 a year into a side account built for unexpected expenses, and pull money...

Credit & Debt

Credit card balances slipped to $1.252 trillion last quarter, yet 61% of borrowers have been in debt over a year

Millions of Americans saw a small reprieve in their revolving debt load last quarter, with total credit card balances edging down to $1.252 trillion. That...

Smart Spending

Joyin recalled 254,000 pool dive sticks that can impale children in shallow water

Joyin has recalled approximately 254,000 Sloosh Dive Sticks after the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission determined the hard-plastic pool toys can impale children who retrieve...

Credit & Debt

You can pull all three credit reports free weekly at AnnualCreditReport.com

Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion now let any consumer pull a free credit report from each bureau once a week, every week, through AnnualCreditReport.com. The three...

Credit & Debt

A single late payment can sit on your credit report for seven years, though a creditor will sometimes remove it if you ask

Borrowers who miss even one payment deadline face a penalty that can follow them for the better part of a decade. Under the Fair Credit...

Credit & Debt

Keeping each card under 30% of its limit is one of the fastest ways to raise a credit score

Credit card holders who carry balances above a certain threshold on any single card can watch their credit scores drop within a single billing cycle,...

Smart Spending

Federal regulators recalled about 5,770 adult bed rails sold on Amazon, warning users can get trapped and suffocate

About 5,770 adult portable bed rails sold through Amazon have been pulled from the market by federal safety regulators, who warned that the products can...

Insurance & Protection

Searching for health insurance online can lead you to a scammer, the FTC warns

The Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit in April 2026 to shut down a health care scheme that allegedly impersonated government agencies and major insurance...

Insurance & Protection

After 65, a health savings account covers anything with no penalty

Americans who hold health savings accounts and turn 65 face a quiet but significant shift in how they can spend those funds. Federal tax law...

Credit & Debt

Debt collectors must prove you owe the money within 30 days

Consumers who receive a debt collection notice now have a 30-day window to challenge the claim in writing, and once they do, the collector must...

Smart Spending

You can ask a hospital for an itemized bill and apply for charity care — many patients qualify and never ask

Tens of thousands of patients have been sent to collections for hospital bills they may never have owed. A case brought by the Washington State...

Credit & Debt

Freezing your credit at all three bureaus is free

Every consumer in the United States can lock down their credit files at Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion without paying a cent, a protection written into...

Insurance & Protection

A 2% hurricane deductible can leave a Florida homeowner paying the first $6,000 of storm damage before insurance pays a cent

Florida homeowners who choose a 2% hurricane deductible on a property insured for $300,000 face a $6,000 bill out of their own pocket before their...

Smart Spending

HSN recalled 86,040 insulated bowls that caught fire in the microwave

Tens of thousands of consumers who bought Kitchen HQ Thermal Insulated Bowls through HSN now face a fire risk every time they use a microwave....

Budgeting & Saving

States are holding about $70 billion in unclaimed cash, and a free search at MissingMoney.com finds yours

Millions of Americans have money sitting in state treasuries that they have never claimed, often because they moved, changed names, or simply forgot about an...

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