A key Republican lawmaker suggested this week that GOP priorities on student loans and higher education, including a repeal of time-based student loan forgiveness under income-driven repayment plans, could be included in an upcoming reconciliation bill early next year. With Republicans set to control the White House and both chambers of Congress in January (albeit with narrow majorities), top lawmakers are preparing to use the budget reconciliation process to bypass the Senate filibuster, which typically requires 60 votes for legislation to advance. Republicans will hold 53 seats in in the Senate next year. By using reconciliation, Republicans would need only…

As someone who’s spent over a decade helping families navigate the complexities of college financial planning, I’ve never seen a situation that better illustrates the changing landscape of higher education than Tennessee State University’s recent $43 million emergency funding package. If you’re a parent saving for your child’s education or a student planning your academic future, this situation offers crucial lessons about college planning in 2024 and beyond The Wake-Up Call We All Needed When I first read about Tennessee State’s situation in Higher Ed Dive’s comprehensive coverage, the numbers stopped me in my tracks. The university’s first-year enrollment plummeted…

Each day, over 1,500 prisoners are relieved that they are serving their prison term on home confinement rather than being in one of 122 Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) facilities. They represent the last of those prisoners on home confinement who were allowed to be part of CARES Act transfer, a program started as COVID-19 struck the U.S. and ripped through the prison system. The program allowed mostly minimum security prisoners, with no history of violence, to serve their remaining prison sentence on home confinement. For many, that meant serving years of their sentence at home rather than prison. Today,…

Down a few cents, then up a dollar — and always at the worst time — gas prices can be a pain because they feel so fickle. But while it might seem that way, they rarely change on a whim. Rather, gas prices take into account a complex set of global factors that are at work long before the gas gets to your local station. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, those factors include:The cost of raw crude oil, which fluctuates based on international supply and demand.The cost to refine crude oil into gasoline, which rises during warmer months.Taxes,…

In this article I use AAII’s A+ Investor Stock Grades to provide insight into three healthcare stocks. With the healthcare sector projected for significant growth, should you consider the three stocks of Cardinal Health (CAH), Pediatrix Medical Group (MD) and Tenet Healthcare (THC)? Healthcare Stocks Recent News The U.S. healthcare services sector is poised for significant expansion, fueled by technological innovations including artificial intelligence (AI). AI is increasingly being applied in areas such as diagnostics, personalized medicine and improving operational efficiency. Precedence Research forecasts that the global AI healthcare market will grow from $26.69 billion in 2024 to $613.81 billion…

How AI Is Transforming Online Shopping This Holiday Season If there’s anyone who should be worried about artificial intelligence making their jobs obsolete, it’s elves. From personalized gift-giving recommendations to more targeted marketing campaigns to stronger security measures, AI is stepping in as our secret holiday helper, enhancing holiday shopping from product discovery to checkout. Though in-store shopping still makes up the majority of total retail spending, online shopping is increasing at a faster pace. On Black Friday, online retail sales grew 14.6%, while in-store sales grew 0.7%, and the Mastercard Economics Institute expects online retail sales to grow 7.1%…

Welcome to NerdWallet’s Smart Money podcast, where we answer your real-world money questions. In this episode: Learn how to think about major homebuying decisions like shopping for title agencies, managing home equity, and when to buy a house with cash.How do you choose the right title agency for your home purchase? Should you buy a house outright with your savings or take on a mortgage? Hosts Sean Pyles and Sara Rathner discuss the pros and cons of these key housing decisions to help you make smarter choices. They’re joined by housing Nerd Kate Wood to demystify title agencies, offering tips…

The latest development in a heated years-long legal battle between Utah-based brokerage Alpine Securities and its regulator, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), has added more uncertainty over the future of market regulation. On November 22, a three-judge panel in the D.C. Court of Appeals ruled that while FINRA can move forward with its expedited proceeding to expel Utah penny stock clearing firm Alpine Securities from membership, it cannot do so without approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The move hamstrings one of the most prominent financial regulatory bodies in the United States, especially at a time when…

Saving for big dreams—a house, car or wedding—doesn’t mean surviving on ramen, but it does take thoughtful planning. Inflation is driving up costs, so being a savvy saver is crucial. Start by watching your savings and debt: through high-yield savings accounts, which currently pay close to 5%, reducing credit card debt, with APRs higher than 23%, is a good first step toward reaching your financial goals. Juggling multiple savings goals? Balance is key. Save 20% for a new car or 10% for a used one, but don’t ignore other dreams—small contributions keep progress alive. It’s about momentum, not perfection. Let’s…

The battle to get here was certainly an uphill one, but people are generally feeling better about the economy and their finances than they once did. On top of that, the economy has been easing into an ideal, Goldilocks-like position — not running too hot or cooling too quickly. Throughout 2024, consumer sentiment data showed people were fairly positive about the economy and their own finances, even if there’s remaining frustration over elevated prices compared to four years ago.Looking ahead, households are feeling more optimistic about their personal finances in the next year, as the share of those expecting to…