The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the 2023-2024 school year opened on October 1, 2022. Here are some things you should know. Why file it? The FAFSA is a prerequisite for federal student loans, grants, and work-study. In addition, colleges typically require the FAFSA before distributing their own need-based aid and, in
Legislation that could benefit people with individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and workplace retirement plans is currently moving through Congress. The Securing a Strong Retirement Act of 2022 has passed almost unanimously in the House. A similar bill (with some differences), the Enhancing American Retirement Now Act, has been drafted in the Senate but will have
After dropping the benchmark federal funds rate to a range of 0%–0.25% early in the pandemic, the Federal Open Market Committee of the Federal Reserve has begun raising the rate aggressively in response to high inflation and a stronger economy. Following 0.25% and 0.50% increases in March and May 2022, the Committee implemented successive 0.75%
On August 24, 2022, just a few days before federal student loan repayment was set to resume, President Biden announced a plan for additional student loan debt relief. Federal student loan repayment was originally halted in March 2020 at the start of the pandemic. The new plan extends the payment moratorium through the end of
Here are some things to consider as you weigh potential tax moves between now and the end of the year. 1. Defer income to next year Consider opportunities to defer income to 2023, particularly if you think you may be in a lower tax bracket then. For example, you may be able to defer a
September is National Preparedness Month, part of an effort by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to raise public awareness and inspire disaster readiness. Most communities could be impacted by some type of natural disaster, whether it’s a wildfire, hurricane, tornado, earthquake, or flood. Here are some tips to help keep your family safe in
2.5 million – Number of weddings projected to take place in the United States in 2022, according to the Wedding Report, an industry trade group. If predictions come to pass, this could be the biggest year for weddings since 1984. Source: The Wedding Report, 2022 In 2021, the national average cost of a wedding was
In recent months, the debate surrounding digital asset investing has reached a fever pitch among media pundits, financial experts, lawmakers, and policy enforcers, partly due to the fact that cryptocurrency might soon be available in at least some 401(k) plans. If given the opportunity, should employer retirement plans offer crypto as part of their investment
5.12 million – Existing home sales in June 2022, down 14.2% from June 2021. Rising mortgage rates and general inflation have cut into purchasing power for homebuyers, while the national median existing-home price reached a record $416,000, up 13.4% from one year ago. A recent increase in homes on the market may help to ease
$24.2 trillion – Projected national debt at the end of 2022, equivalent to about 98% of gross domestic product (GDP). By 2032, the national debt, which represents the accumulation of past budget deficits, is projected to be $40.2 trillion, almost 110% of GDP — the largest percentage on record. Source: Congressional Budget Office, May 2022
