The Upshot
Financial Aid, Simplified: A Better College Calculator
By DAVID LEONHARDT
Wellesley's net-price calculator is simpler than the typical one. As a result, most students who start using it finish the process, in a few minutes.
Officials suspect that big banks ignore bankruptcy court discharges, keeping debts alive on credit reports and impairing borrowers’ ability to secure housing and jobs.
Wellesley's net-price calculator is simpler than the typical one. As a result, most students who start using it finish the process, in a few minutes.
When a new father takes time off from work, his whole family can benefit. But maybe his career won’t.
It was unclear whether the changes marked the start of a shift toward better news on the economics of higher education or just a temporary pause in more worrisome trends.
Americans do not appear to save enough, but individuals have options for addressing this admittedly touchy subject.
The $5,000 set-aside can be used for some babysitting, after-school programs and even summer day camp. The cap hasn’t increased since 1986, however.
Despite federal requirements on disclosure, few workers and retirees realize how fees could be eating into their savings.
A lawyer’s institute takes a more personal approach to trusts, encouraging clients to craft them in a way that is not destructive to beneficiaries.
A lawsuit by retirement funds against Conn’s — the appliance store chain that isn’t talking to the Haggler — followed a sharp decline in the company’s stock price.
It’s a statement that makes some parents uncomfortable — what are we teaching them, if that’s the goal? It’s still worth talking about honestly.
The chief executive of Fannie Mae said that Fannie would accept more low down payment mortgages but would require private mortgage insurance as well.
Car loans used to last three or four years, but the average length of a new-car loan is now a record five and a half years, with some loans reaching eight years.
Lowering debt, adding to savings or learning more about investing are strategies that can help combat stagnant income.
Most parents know that their children are legally adults when they turn 18. But the full significance may not be apparent until something drives it home.
The brokerage firm is moving to compete with companies like Wealthfront and Betterment that put customers into low-cost exchange-traded funds.
Michael Bloomberg’s charity announced an effort to reduce the number of poor students who excel in high school and fail to get through college.
Learn more about time management, limiting risk in your retirement portfolio, the new Gotham funds and luxurious health spas that cater to affluent executives.
Thanks to gains made in their generation, and to demographic factors, many women now nearing retirement age control substantial assets.
Many established spas and retreats are retooling their offerings to attract the same target: wealthy, successful and highly stressed-out executives.
Financial advisers say investment portfolios, financial plans and lifestyles can be adjusted to limit the risk of running out of money before you run out of time.
Tens of billions of dollars sit in the unclaimed property funds that states run, waiting to be taken back by owners.
Foundations that plan their own demise have bucket lists and regrets too.
Originally an oral tradition to pass on wisdom from a family patriarch or matriarch, ethical wills today are more likely to be videos or Facebook pages.
Some high-tech companies offer top-shelf extras like gourmet meals and child care, but critics say this just keeps people at work longer.
See how long it could take for your portfolio to return to its peak value.
What would happen to your savings balances if you saved just one percent more a year?
A customizable checklist to guide your own financial tuneup, providing tips, the time needed to achieve them and links to additional resources.
An interactive checklist to help navigate ways to prepare and secure your financial future at each stage of life.
Those who go abroad to scenes of disaster or conflict already take considerable personal risks — and those who go where Ebola is prevalent can face misunderstanding at home as well.
Five years after the Great Recession reshaped the global economy, charitable giving is making a big comeback.
The choice between buying a home and renting one is among the biggest financial decisions that many adults make.
A guide to student loans at various universities, and what it takes after graduation to repay that debt.
Carl Richards, a financial planner, has been explaining the basics of money through simple graphs and diagrams.
See how your household income ranks in 344 zones across the United States.
The college-application essays that four students submitted this year on emerging stronger from economic challenges.
These companies offer help picking and rebalancing index and exchange-traded funds or similar investments, and none charge more than about 0.5 percent of your assets each year for the privilege.
Is the world economy suffering from “secular stagnation”? True or false, the idea alone could keep hurting stock prices.
After asking Comcast about a customer’s billing issue, the Haggler got a quick answer — and a rare look at a corporate attempt, called Einstein, to fix a systemic problem.
Research shows real differences in men’s and women’s economic behavior, but suggests more equitable times to come.
A study finds that people who are good at planning their financial future are more likely to take steps to improve their physical health.
It was the first drop in the default rate in years, but 21 schools still have rates so high that they could be barred from federal loan and grant programs.
Student loans need reform. But recent gloomy reports obscure the key benefit of borrowing for college: a college education.
Readers have questions. Co-authors of a recent study from the Brookings Institution have answers.
A new research paper finds that typical debt burdens have not risen significantly over the last two decades.
A road map to help those with student loans steer clear of common repayment mistakes and protect their credit scores.
A lawsuit by retirement funds against Conn’s — the appliance store chain that isn’t talking to the Haggler — followed a sharp decline in the company’s stock price.
As regulatory issues swirl, investors are fretting over a Comcast deal with Time Warner Cable.
writes Wealth Matters, a column looking at strategies that the wealthy use to manage their money and their overall well-being.
Valuing knowledge and experience, some employers are making extra efforts to encourage longtime workers to stay.
Guide dog schools are considered charities that do work of great value, but they have commensurate expenses. Also, a step-by-step guide to choosing a charity wisely.