Author: Brian Lund
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I bonds pay 4.26% through October 31, with a $10,000 annual purchase limit.
Series I savings bonds are offering a government-backed way to earn an inflation-linked return without watching a market price move every day. The current terms can be useful for money that will not be needed soon, but the rate, purchase ceiling and withdrawal rules all matter before a household moves cash. What the 4.26% rate…
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Ask your employer about $5,250 in tax-free tuition or student-loan help.
A benefit hidden in an employee handbook can be worth as much as $5,250 a year without increasing taxable wages. Employers may use a qualified educational-assistance program to help with tuition, books and certain student-loan payments. The catch is that the workplace must actually offer the plan, and its rules can be narrower than the…
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A seafood wholesaler will pay $265,000 after at least 19 women were denied warehouse jobs
A seafood wholesaler has agreed to pay $265,000 to resolve federal claims that women were denied a fair chance at warehouse jobs. The agreement covers at least 19 applicants and requires changes beyond the payment. For workers, the case illustrates that hiring discrimination can have a direct paycheck cost even before a person becomes an…
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What a 650 Credit Score Costs You on a Car Loan
A 650 credit score lands you in “near prime” territory with auto lenders. Here is what that costs in real dollars, and how to shrink the gap.
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SSI in 2026: The Federal Payment and Who Qualifies
The 2026 SSI federal payment is $994 a month for an individual and $1,491 for a couple. Here is who qualifies, and how income and assets change the check.
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April Jobs Report: The Numbers Behind the Headline
Employers added 115,000 jobs in April and unemployment held at 4.3%. Behind the headline: where hiring is real, where it isn’t, and what wages did.
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Where’s Your Refund? How the IRS Tracker Actually Works
The IRS refund tracker has three stages, updates once a day, and needs three pieces of info. Here is how to read it and when to actually worry.
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April Inflation: The Grocery Aisles Driving Your Bill
April’s CPI shows grocery prices up 0.7% in a month, the sharpest rise of 2026 so far. Beef, produce, and drinks led the way. Here’s the aisle-by-aisle math.
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Turning 65 Soon? Your Medicare Enrollment Window
Medicare’s Initial Enrollment Period runs seven months around your 65th birthday. Miss it and the late penalties follow you for life. Here’s the timeline.
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Unit Pricing: The Shelf Tag That Beats Shrinkflation
The small price-per-ounce number on the shelf tag defeats shrinking packages and misleading “family size” labels. Here’s how to read it in 2026.