Author: Elizabeth Blessing
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Fake job and ‘task’ offers cost Americans $150 million in a single quarter, and no real employer makes you pay to get paid
With layoffs in the news and plenty of people hunting for work, a particularly cruel kind of fraud is booming: scams that dangle a job and then drain the applicant’s bank account. Federal regulators say these schemes cost Americans about $150 million in just three months, and the fastest-growing version disguises itself as easy online…
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About 178,000 heated blankets sold on Amazon were recalled after 27 fires, and buyers can get a full refund
A heated blanket is supposed to be one of the coziest things in the house, which is exactly what makes this recall unsettling. Federal safety regulators have recalled about 178,000 heated throws and blankets after hundreds of reports that they melted, sparked, or caught fire, including 27 actual fires. If you bought one, the manufacturer…
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Behind on rent in 2026? State and local programs still cover back rent and utilities in many areas
The big federal rental-aid program that helped millions during the pandemic has wound down, and that has left a false impression that help for renters is gone. It is not. Across the country, state and county programs, local nonprofits, and a national helpline still assist households that have fallen behind on rent or utilities. The…
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A federal program pays to seal and insulate a low-income home for free, cutting the monthly utility bill
Some of the most effective ways to cut a utility bill are also the least visible: insulation in the attic, sealing around drafty windows, a furnace that runs efficiently instead of straining. For income-eligible households, the federal government will pay for that work outright, with no cost to the homeowner or renter. It is one…
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Social Security’s full retirement age is now 67 for those born after 1959
The single date that most shapes how much your Social Security check is worth is your full retirement age, and for a large group of Americans that age has finished its long climb to 67. If you were born in 1960 or later, 67 is now the age at which you can collect your full…
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Medicare’s out-of-pocket drug cap rises to $2,400 in 2027
For older adults who take expensive medications, one of the most important numbers in Medicare is the yearly ceiling on what they can be forced to pay out of pocket for prescriptions. That cap is set to rise to $2,400 in 2027, up from $2,100 in 2026. It is worth understanding not as a scary…
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A Social Security overpayment of $2,000 or less is now easier to waive
Few letters land harder than one from Social Security saying it paid you too much and now wants the money back. For retirees living close to the edge of their monthly check, an overpayment notice can feel like a threat to the rent. The reassuring news is that the process for pushing back has become…
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New U.S.-built car buyers can deduct up to $10,000 in loan interest
Car loan interest is one of those costs buyers barely notice because it is baked into a monthly payment, yet over a five- or six-year loan it can add up to thousands of dollars. A new federal tax break gives some buyers a way to claw part of that back. If you finance a new,…
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West Virginia storm victims in two counties now have until February 2027 to file, and some can tap retirement savings penalty-free
When a disaster hits, the last thing a family is thinking about is a tax deadline, and the IRS knows it. For residents and businesses in two West Virginia counties hammered by summer storms, the government has pushed federal filing and payment deadlines all the way into next winter, and it has opened a door…
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Two credit unions are automatically refunding overdraft and NSF fees, and members don’t have to file a claim
Overdraft and bounced-check fees are among the most resented charges in banking, so it is worth noting when members get some of that money back. Two credit unions have agreed to settle claims that they charged improper overdraft and non-sufficient-funds fees, and the standout feature for affected members is what they do not have to…
