Unemployment claims climb to 286,000, the most since October

Jobless claims rose for the third straight week — by 55,000 to 286,000, highest since mid-October, the Labor Department reported Thursday.

Child tax credit: How families can get the rest of their money in 2022

Although the IRS paid out the last monthly installment of the expanded child tax credit in December, millions of parents should be on the lookout for a letter from the agency that will help them collect the remaining half of the money when they file their 2021 tax returns. 

IRS urged to offer more relief to taxpayers ahead of 'frustrating' tax season

Industry experts are urging the Internal Revenue Service to provide targeted relief for taxpayers ahead of what's likely to be "frustrating" tax season as the agency wades through a deluge of unprocessed returns from previous years.

Retail sales drop 1.9% in December following early holiday rush

Americans sharply cut their spending in December after a burst of early spending in the fall that helped bolster the holiday season.

Navient cancels $1.7 billion in student loans following settlement

Navient, a major student loan servicing company, has settled allegations of abusive lending practices for $1.85 billion.

US Army offering $50K bonuses to recruits amid ongoing COVID-19 pandemic

The U.S. Army, for the first time, is offering a maximum enlistment bonus of $50,000 to highly skilled recruits who sign up for six years.

Inflation surges in December to highest rate since 1982

Prices paid by U.S. consumers jumped 7% in December from a year earlier, the highest inflation rate since 1982 and the latest evidence that rising costs for food, rent and other necessities are heightening the financial pressures on America's households.

Bank of America cuts overdraft fees

Bank of America is slashing the amount it charges customers when they spend more than they have in their accounts and plans to eliminate entirely its fees for bounced checks.

Powerball winning numbers for Wednesday, January 5, 2022; $630M jackpot

Here are the winning Powerball numbers for Wednesday, January 5, 2022. The Powerball jackpot has climbed to an estimated $630 million, the seventh-largest jackpot in the game’s history.

Getting out of debt is a top New Year's resolution, study finds

Most consumers are considering a financial New Year's resolution, according to a recent study from Fidelity. Keep reading to learn how you can meet your financial goals in 2022.

Families are using the child tax credit to pay off debt, Census Bureau finds

Eligible households have been using the monthly payment to supplement household spending and pay off debt, data shows. But the future of the child tax credit hangs in the balance as the Biden administration struggles to pass the Build Back Better bill, which would extend the benefit through 2022.

$29,000 for an average used car? Would-be buyers are aghast

The days when just about anyone with a steady income could wander onto an auto lot and snag a reliable late-model car or buy their kid’s first vehicle for a few thousand dollars have essentially vanished. “I’ve never seen anything remotely close to this — it’s craziness.”

Virginia dad wins $1M jackpot while on chocolate milk run for kids

Dennis Willoughby stopped at a 7-Eleven store in Richmond to buy the drinks and to buy a $1 million Platinum Jackpot scratch-off ticket.