Hours of research by our editors, distilled into minutes of clarity.
Credit reporting’s earliest origins in the 1700s resemble a game of telephone, with rural merchants asking their most esteemed neighbors to vouch for them to sleuthing urban lenders. It would be decades before the system evolved into something more formulaic.
Someone's net worth is the value of their assets minus their liabilities. Assets may include a home or a retirement savings account, whereas examples of liabilities include student or credit card debt.
In relationships, shared bank accounts used to be the default. Not anymore. Many couples maintain separate finances for practical reasons or to retain greater independence, though many couples experience trust issues as a result. This article checks in on the status of relationship finances and highlights, among other insights, how attitudes toward money are often determined by family history.
According to data from Bankrate, Tennessee ranks as the easiest state in the US to save money, while Hawaii is the most difficult for those attempting to build a savings fund. This map of the US shows where all the states rank in-between. Some may surprise you. See the map here.
Some people using AI to help them budget—but is it a good idea? In this article, a personal finance editor explains what happened when they tried to use ChatGPT to help them create a budget. Read the article here.
Track the price of key grocery items with this price radar tool, which shows real-time prices across major retailers in the US and Canada. Select bread, milk, eggs, and more to see differences in cost by location and store, including Wal-Mart, Kroger, Amazon, and Target.
While new college graduates typically don't have much money to invest, creating a plan for the money they earn from their first job can set them up for a promising financial future. This list of investing advice for new grads includes recommendations like enrolling in their company's retirement plan as soon as possible, prioritizing building an emergency fund, and more. Read the full list here.
The average net worth for an American household is now $1M, according to 2024 data from the Federal Reserve. How did being a millionaire—a word that was once a status symbol—become the norm? This article answers that question and more, such as what the average millionaire's assets look like in detail. Read the article here.
"Loud budgeting" is when you announce to your friends that something—a restaurant, an activity, and so on—is too expensive and you can't afford it. The term, which opposes the social pressure of keeping up wealthy appearances, was coined by comedian Lukas Battle in 2024 as a joke, but it caught on with TikTokers amid inflation.
In 2025, about half of America will be able to file taxes directly with the IRS for free. It’s the second year of the agency’s new program, which cuts out intermediaries. Americans spend an average of $200 on tax preparation services like TurboTax and H&R Block. Though tax preparation has been free for many Americans, critics say tax companies upsell customers. Listen to a podcast about the IRS’s program.
The United States is home to more than 33 million businesses, the vast majority of which are small businesses, with millions being created (and others closing shop) every year. These businesses often rely on loans, provide the goods and services that keep the economy flowing, and sometimes even grow large enough to enter public markets or provide private investment opportunities. Explore key topics central to business and finance, from the role of the Federal Reserve to how initial public offerings work, how millions of American students finance higher education, and more.