With prices rising on everyday items, consumers can use tax refunds strategically to offset some of those costs. If inflation has eaten away at your budget the way waves erode a beach, then your tax refund might just provide a much-needed protective barrier. As of...

If you’ve been to a store lately, you know the cost of everything has increased. This is due to inflation, which is the rate of increase in prices over a given period. Inflation occurs when the supply of money grows too large relative to the size of an economy. When...

Climate change can affect insurance, household bills and investments, so be prepared to save more. Kristy Jiayi Xu got an unwelcome surprise this New Year’s Eve: The roof of her garage was leaking during a severe rainstorm in San Francisco. Delays in getting a...

Filing your taxes can be, well taxing, so it’s best to be as prepared as possible before the deadline. While it is true that most money-saving options to defer income or accelerate deductions are limited after Dec. 31, there are still many steps you can take to make...

Last year, one of my family’s credit cards was used to rack up hundreds of dollars in bogus charges at Apple.com. Another card was compromised four times in a row, as thieves repeatedly charged merchandise and Uber rides. We ultimately got our money back, but...

February is a great time to check how those New Year’s Resolutions are doing. Either you are on a roll, or you have lost some motivation. That’s okay because it’s still early in the new year to get back on track and reevaluate how January went and how you can improve...

When inflation rises, child care expenses do, too. If you’re a parent, you may be hoping to get a little financial relief during the upcoming tax season through deductions or credits. But since there have been recent reductions to both of the child tax credits, you...

A little optimism can help propel you when things get difficult in the homebuying market. But if you’re feeling too good about your chances of buying this year — good in ways simply not justified given the current economic conditions — you could find yourself...

January is a great time to create a checklist for yourself and set a plan for how you can better prepare for the year ahead. This checklist will help you create a better plan of realistic goals for the short-term and long-term. Consumer Reports encourages you to be...

You’ve got big financial plans for 2023. Maybe they include buying a home or car, or getting a new travel rewards credit card to help pay for your next trip. There’s a key piece of these plans you may not have considered: building your credit score. A better credit...