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Social Security benefits in 2025: 5 big changes retirees should plan for
If you’re retired or planning to retire soon, it’s important to have a plan for your retirement income. For most people, Social Security will play a significant role in this plan, so staying up to date on the latest benefits information is crucial.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) recently announced several key changes to the ...Read more
The Equal Credit Opportunity Act became law 50 years ago. Here are 6 ways it makes America better today
I am a single Black woman, and I can apply for a credit card all by myself.
Thankfully, this is an easy (and obvious) declaration for me to make today. Unfortunately, it wasn’t so long ago that things were a lot more complicated. Before 1974, it was perfectly legal for lenders to deny me credit based solely on my gender and race.
The Equal ...Read more
Medicare benefits in 2025: 4 big changes every enrollee should know
Big changes are coming to Medicare in 2025, and they could make a major difference in your prescription drug costs.
Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, Medicare beneficiaries will see the most significant updates to the program’s drug coverage since it was first introduced in 2006.
These updates are seen as a big win for many ...Read more
Study: Care for one infant costs at least 10% of a family's yearly income in 48 states
A typical week for Diana Carter, a 34-year-old entrepreneur with three kids based in Charlotte, North Carolina, and her husband, involves coordinating day care drop-offs and pick-ups for their middle child.
But that’s just the tip of the iceberg: They also homeschool their oldest son and have family stop by multiple times weekly to help care...Read more
Company pays off debts in 'random acts of kindness'
When the letter came, Sonia Wignall didn’t believe it.
Why would she? Her debt was a stress-inducing albatross on her financial health and a stain on her credit rating. And, yes, she owed that $33,000 for a good reason, as she borrowed the money when she’d been forced to cut back on work to care for her dying father. But, really, who was ...Read more
Bay Area home sales fall in September, even as mortgage rates decline
While the Bay Area might have seen a second summer in September, home sales were already cooling down.
Home sales in the nine-county region hit their lowest level since March, declining 9.4% from a month earlier, even as mortgage rates trended down, according to recent data from the California Association of Realtors. The average rate for a 30-...Read more
Real estate Q&A: What should I watch for during search for rental apartment?
Q: I recently graduated and landed a good job. I am about to rent my first apartment and want to make sure I don’t make a mistake. What should I look out for? — Christine
A: Renting a home is a significant commitment, not only because of the legal agreements involved but also due to the time and effort it takes to find and settle into a new...Read more
Rocket Mortgage accused of discriminating against Black homeowner who sought to refinance
Federal prosecutors accuse lender Rocket Mortgage of discrimination after an appraiser allegedly undervalued a Black woman's home, despite rising property values in her neighborhood.
Francesca Cheroutes sought to refinance the mortgage on her Denver property in January 2021, the complaint said.
Rocket also is accused of retaliating against ...Read more
A quarter of all working women are leaving free money on the table that could set back their retirement
A larger share of women than men aren’t saving for their future selves and could be losing out on hundreds of thousands of dollars over their lifetime as a result.
More than a quarter of women (26%) working full-time, part-time or looking for employment didn’t contribute to their retirement savings between August 2023 and 2024, compared to ...Read more
Farms or subdivisions? Ballot measure would curb development on Silicon Valley's southern edges
When most people in the Bay Area think of San Benito County, California, they imagine rolling ranch lands, majestic condors at Pinnacles National Park and the 227-year-old Spanish mission at San Juan Bautista, which was featured in Alfred Hitchcock’s classic 1958 film “Vertigo.”
But increasingly they also see the rustic county 5 miles ...Read more
I asked ChatGPT to create a debt repayment plan. Here's what a credit counselor had to say about it
Nearly half of all Americans have credit card debt. And more than half of all Americans say they use AI regularly. Which gives me an idea!
What if AI could help you tackle credit card debt?
Credit card debt is complicated and can easily become overwhelming in the face of mounting interest charges. At the same time, we keep hearing about all ...Read more
Her family swapped their lawn for a backyard mini-farm and valuable life lessons
Water-hungry lawns are symbols of Los Angeles' past. In this series , we spotlight yards with alternative, low-water landscaping built for the future.
LOS ANGELES — Like most families stuck at home during the pandemic, psychologist Angel Black and her husband, philosophy professor Tim Black, struggled with maintaining their careers ...Read more
Report: Californians with higher incomes beating out Nevadans for homes
Californians moving to Nevada earn about a third more than in-state residents who didn’t move, according to a new study by the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.
So, it’s pretty clear the data shows the Silver State can’t compete with the Golden State’s purchasing power, said Nicholas Irwin, the report’s author and research director for ...Read more
Real estate Q&A: Who should pay to fix storm damage caused by neighbor's overgrown tree?
Q: During the recent storm, my neighbor’s overgrown tree was knocked over, destroying our fence and clipping our roof. It will cost quite a bit to repair it, and I think my neighbor should pay for it. I warned him the tree was too large. Also, who should pay to remove the tree from my yard? —Celine
A: Your first step in dealing with this ...Read more
Warehouse advance in Riverside County, California, threatens rural lifestyle: 'Where does it stop?'
RIVERSIDE COUNTY, California — Seen from above, the industrial-scale warehouses straddling Interstate 215 where it intersects Mead Valley shimmer like a sprawling lake of white concrete boxes.
In this unincorporated Riverside County community, the big-box distribution hubs responsible for fulfilling online shopping orders have long been ...Read more
You don't need to be a real estate mogul to start a property investment portfolio
Many people have dreams of a HGTV, house-flipping fairytale to earn big profits, but not everyone wants to renovate a fixer-upper or be a landlord.
Luckily, there’s a host of investment options that can be less hands-on so even the most novice wannabe real estate mogul can succeed. Investing several thousand in real estate funds, putting down...Read more
After outcry, Greyhound plans to stay at its Chicago station at least a little longer
After pushback at the prospect of Chicago’s Greyhound bus station closing, the company that owns the intercity bus line says it plans to stay at the site a little bit longer.
Greyhound’s lease at the station on Harrison Street near downtown was set to expire Sunday, sparking months of efforts to find a suitable alternate site to serve bus ...Read more
Here's where the next Sphere is going to be built
Within a few years, the Las Vegas Sphere won’t be the only Sphere in the world.
New York-based Sphere Entertainment Co. announced Tuesday that an agreement has been reached by the company with the Department of Culture and Tourism-Abu Dhabi, known as DCT Abu Dhabi, that a second Sphere will be built in the United Arab Emirates.
The company ...Read more
Wedbush Securities joins downtown LA exodus, opting for smaller, more flexible office in Pasadena
One of downtown Los Angeles' familiar tenants is pulling up stakes as the office rental market continues to contract from shrinking occupancy stoked by the pandemic.
Financial services firm Wedbush Securities has begun its move from a prominent office tower to Pasadena, where it will occupy much smaller offices meant to accommodate employees...Read more
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