How to protect personal information, as data breaches hit a new high
Fertnig | E+ | Getty Images It’s the letter most consumers dread receiving — the notification that your personal information has been involved in a data breach. About 80% of respondents to a new survey said they received at least one data breach notice in the prior 12 months, according to the Identity Theft Resource […]
How To Buy Gold from Costco
While a typical Costco run might include a $1.50 hot dog and bulk paper towels, the wholesale club is also known for its gold sales. Since the start of 2026, gold prices have risen 15%, crossing $5,100 an ounce on Monday. The safe-haven investment has seen a record-breaking run as investors flock to the metal […]
Silver is having a parabolic move. How to hedge against a decline using options
Silver is not a stranger to parabolic bull markets. It spiked roughly 100% when the U.S. government abandoned pegging the price of silver certificates in the 1960s. It spiked by more than 400% before falling by more than 40% mid-decade in the 1970s, as inflation rose following Nixon’s unilateral abandonment of the gold standard in […]
What Does It Mean for a Credit Card To Devalue? How To Protect Rewards
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. Credit cards that offer rewards play a significant role in U.S. spending, accounting for 92% of all card transactions, per the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)’s December 2025 Report to Congress. This makes the concept of credit card devaluations all the more relevant. While […]
How To Organize Your Credit Cards in 2026
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. Owning more than one credit card can help you take advantage of complimentary benefits and rewards. However, if you have three or more cards, it’s a good idea to take time each year to review your wallet and ensure you’re not paying […]
How To Avoid Defaulting On Your Federal Student Loans
If you have a federal student loan and have been consistently struggling to make payments, there’s one important deadline you have to remember: Borrowers enter default after 270 days of missed payments. Once your loans are in default, you can have your wages garnished and tax refunds withheld. Although the Trump administration has put a […]
How to Boost Your Savings For a Down Payment
President Donald Trump has floated that his administration can help ease the housing affordability crisis by creating portable mortgages, 50-year terms — and now funding down payments using your 401(k). On Friday, National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett told Fox Business that the administration is “going to allow people to take money out of their […]
This chemical stock could be signaling a bullish reversal. How to use options to play the bounce
LyondellBasell (LYB) , the 3rd-best-performing stock in the Russell 1000 on Wednesday, is a cyclical name that may be signaling a bearish-to-bullish reversal. The stock was punished through 2025 as the global chemicals chain wrestled with weak demand and ongoing overcapacity — especially in Europe and Asia — driving compressed margins and investor skepticism. In […]
Get your finances sorted in 2026: How to save money
Is organising your money life on your New Year’s resolution list in 2026? In this five-part series, RNZ money correspondent Susan Edmunds guides you through the basics. Catch up on Day One: Set a Budget. Next up: Saving money. By Susan Edmunds of RNZ Saving money is probably near the top of people’s New Year’s […]
Student loan forgiveness is taxable again: How to prepare
Songsak Rohprasit | Moment | Getty Images Student loan borrowers whose debt is canceled in 2026 or later may face a significant tax bill. A law that shielded student loan forgiveness from taxation at the federal level — part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 — expired on Dec. 31, 2025. President Donald Trump’s “big beautiful […]