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Personal Finance
Americans scroll Amazon and Walmart for bargains — yet choose pricey healthcare services and throw away hundreds of dollars
New hospital-price transparency rules took effect earlier this year, but patient advocates say those rules only do so much.
‘We need help’: Texas attorney general sues energy provider over ‘sky-high’ rates after massive winter storm
Griddy, the electricity company, allegedly misled customers on the risks of price surges, the Texas attorney general says.
I married ‘the life of the party,’ a Royal Ascot regular. But he takes his financial problems out on me — and calls me a ‘gold digger’
‘He was a generous man and financially stable, or so I thought.’
‘Warren Buffett and Harry Potter couldn’t get those two retired early’: When financial advisers can’t make their clients see the light
‘We put our spendthrift neighbors in touch with our financial adviser. They called her lousy. So how come WE are the ones who retired early?’
My brother owes $10K to our late father’s estate. There’s no loan agreement and I’m executor. How should I approach repayment?
‘He feels that if he had paid this money back before Dad passed, he would still get half back, and therefore owes $5,000.’
‘Greed is rearing its ugly head and killing brotherly love’: My husband and his brother are at war over an inheritance from a beloved neighbor. What can we do?
The brother says his ‘early inheritance’ should not be taken into consideration ‘because it cost him so much trouble and work.’
My wife has homeschooled our son and our best friends’ son since September due to COVID-19. Is it too late to bring up money?
‘She’s putting in about 15 to 20 hours each week. The two families have shared the costs of the curriculum, school supplies and art supplies.’
‘What the hell!’ I’m 28, have no debt, a 401(k), Roth IRA and $45K in cash. Should I save for a house or buy a Tesla Model 3?
‘I believe I can buy the car and strap down, and save more aggressively to replenish the funds.’
Low wages are just the start of the problems for millions of U.S. workers during COVID-19 — here’s why
Prior research on wage inequality ‘understates the true level of inequality,’ said Ioana Marinescu, a University of Pennsylvania economics professor and co-author of a new report.
U.S. consumers made a record number of complaints in 2020 — this was their No. 1 grievance
‘As consumers dealt with the economic fallout of the pandemic, they increasingly faced problems with financial companies.’
Elsewhere on MarketWatch
Senior House Democrat says using filibuster to stop minimum-wage hike is akin to using it to block civil rights
The third-ranking House Democrat, Rep. Jim Clyburn, tore into Republicans for opposing a minimum-wage boost, saying their threatened used of the filibuster in the Senate to stop it reminded him of when it was deployed against civil-rights legislation.
Biden and the Democrats are weakening democracy by using ‘reconciliation’ to pass COVID-19 aid
It’s not the first time this process is being used to do the opposite of its original intent, which was to reduce budget deficits.
As Democratic aid bill gives $25 billion to restaurants, industry says it’s a ‘strong step,’ but more will be needed
The restaurant industry’s largest lobbying group is working to ensure that Democrats’ big COVID-19 relief package doesn’t leave out eateries at the last minute, as the organization also says that it expects more aid for the hard-hit sector will be necessary.
Here’s why the Senate’s filibuster rule could safely be abolished
It’s actually quite hard to pass legislation, thanks to the Constitution’s robust separation of powers.
Biden huddles with Senate Democrats as $1.9 trillion relief bill moves forward
President Joe Biden was scheduled to meet with Senate Democrats on Tuesday, as his $1.9 trillion coronavirus aid package begins moving through the chamber and lawmakers eye a mid-March deadline for passage.