Author: Brian Lund
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Two waiting periods that slowed Medicare sales pitches are gone this enrollment season
For the past several years, a Medicare beneficiary who signed a form at an informational seminar had two days of quiet before an agent could legally pitch them a plan. That gap was built into federal regulation on the theory that a decision worth thousands of dollars a year should not be made in the…
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Kroger will pay $17 million over inflated prescription copays, and most claims need no receipts
The copay a pharmacy collects at the counter is supposed to be calculated off the price the pharmacy actually charges the public. A long-running lawsuit against Kroger says the company reported something different to insurers — and that insured customers paid more at the register as a result. Kroger has agreed to put $17 million…
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Starting with 2027 contributions, the government will match up to $1,000 a year into a retirement account
A tax break that most eligible workers never claimed is being converted into something harder to miss: cash deposited straight into a retirement account. Treasury and the IRS have begun writing the rules for the Saver’s Match, a federal contribution worth as much as $1,000 a year to low- and moderate-income savers. It applies to…
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Doxim data-breach victims can claim about $100 with no proof through October 13
If your bank or credit union sent you a data-breach notice a couple of years ago, there may be a check with your name on it — and claiming it takes minutes, not paperwork. A $5.5 million settlement over a Doxim data breach is paying class members an estimated $100 flat, with no documentation required,…
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About 18 states have won federal approval to bar SNAP from buying soda and candy
For families that use SNAP benefits, what the card can buy is starting to depend on the state. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved a wave of state waivers that bar SNAP dollars from purchasing soda, candy, and similar items, and after a court paused several of them, roughly 18 states now have restrictions…
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Trump’s promised $2,000 tariff dividend checks are still only a proposal with no funding path
The short answer for anyone waiting on a $2,000 check from tariff revenue is that there is no check coming right now. President Trump has repeatedly floated the idea of “tariff dividend” payments to Americans, but as of today no such payment is scheduled, funded, or written into law. A Supreme Court ruling earlier this…
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A widow or widower can step up to 100 percent of a late spouse’s Social Security
When a spouse dies, Social Security offers a survivor benefit that is far larger than many people realize — and getting the timing right can mean thousands of dollars over a retirement. A surviving spouse can receive up to 100 percent of what the deceased worker was getting or entitled to, and a widow or…
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Americans 65 and older get an extra $6,000 deduction on their 2026 tax return
Older taxpayers have a new break this year, and it is one of the simpler ones to use. Anyone 65 and older gets an extra $6,000 deduction — $12,000 for a married couple where both spouses qualify — on top of the standard deduction. It lowers taxable income whether or not you itemize, and for…
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The 2026 estate and gift tax exemption is now $15 million, or $30 million per couple
For most families, the federal estate tax has always been someone else’s problem, and a change taking effect this year makes that even truer. The amount a person can pass on free of federal estate and gift tax rose to $15 million for 2026, or $30 million for a married couple. Just as important as…
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With SAVE struck down, student-loan borrowers have 90 days to switch or pay more
Millions of student-loan borrowers who enrolled in the SAVE repayment plan are now on a clock. A federal court blocked the plan, the Education Department has begun sending notices giving borrowers 90 days to move to a different repayment plan, and interest is accruing again. Do nothing and you can be pushed into the Standard…