Your retirement account is a reflection of your hard work over the years. And as you get closer to retirement age, you may think about tapping some of those funds to cover unexpected costs. You’re not just imagining that everything is more expensive these days: Consumer expenses have increased by 3.5% over the past year, according to recent Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data. But while accessing the money you’ve amassed can be enticing, 401(k) withdrawal rules state that you must be at least age 59½ for a penalty-free withdrawal — at that point, it’s considered a qualified distribution. If ..read more

At the time of writing, the national average price of regular gas is $3.62 per gallon, $0.02 higher than this time last year. Drivers who use premium gas are paying $0.07 more this year than last year at $4.42 per gallon. While Americans are currently paying about 15 percent less for gas than in 2022, prices are expected to climb higher throughout 2024. Numerous factors impact the price drivers pay at the pump, including the cost of crude oil, taxes, distribution and refining. Gas prices also depend on the ZIP code you fill up in, with states in the West paying the highest gas prices on avera ..read more

Rising interest rates favor savvy savers, and today's rates of return are some of the highest we've seen in decades — especially on certificates of deposit. Today's CDs offer a low-risk way to accelerate your savings with significantly higher interest than the national average, helping you to bulk out your piggy bank toward a short-term savings goal or to ride out a rainy day. Certificates of deposit guarantee a high fixed rate of return on your principal at the end of an agreed-on term — the best CDs paying rates that outpace inflation by up to 2 percentage points. Fixed rates can protect you ..read more

Average mortgage rates surged amid continued inflation concerns fanned by last week's discouraging economic data that could push anticipated rate cuts, rounding out the week at increases of more than 20 basis points week over week on 15- and 30-year terms as of Friday, April 19, 2024. The current average rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage is 7.26% for purchase and 7.25% for refinance — up 25 basis points from 7.01% for purchase and up 22 basis points from 7.03% for refinance this time last week. Rates on a 15-year mortgage stand at an average 6.70% for purchase and 6.76 for refinance, up 24 bas ..read more

April 19 will mark the official beginning of Taylor Swift's new era with the release of her new album, “The Tortured Poets Department.” The LP is to be released at 12 a.m. ET and listening parties from New York City, Washington, D.C., and beyond are ready to hear what the singer-songwriter du jour has up her cardigan sleeve. Swift is no stranger to attention: her music, her tour and her boyfriend are the main topics of interest for the legions of adoring, friendship bracelet-wearing fans. She even has a new song on the LP, "Clara Bow," that just could be about her status as an "it girl." One a ..read more

Key takeaways Debt consolidation puts multiple debts into a single account to make your payments easier. Debt consolidation can lower your credit score temporarily, but your score will improve if you make payments on time. Other tools like debt management plans and bankruptcy can help you manage debt. You’re not alone if you’re carrying large amounts of debt across multiple credit cards and loans. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, total household debt reached $17.5 trillion in Q4 2023. Credit card balances stood at $1.13 trillion. TransUnion reported that the average ..read more

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Israeli missiles have hit a site in Iran, ABC News reported late on Thursday, citing a U.S. official, days after Iran launched a drone strike on Israel in response to an attack at the Iranian embassy in Syria. Iran's Fars news agency said an explosion were heard at an airport in the Iranian city of Isafahan but the cause was not immediately known. Several Iranian nuclear sites are located in Isfahan province, including Natanz, centerpiece of Iran’s uranium enrichment program. Several flights were diverted over Iranian airspace, CNN reported. Over the weekend, Iran launche ..read more

[BBC] An adult film star. Alleged secret payments. A turncoat lawyer. And a candidate for president of the United States. Donald Trump's very first criminal trial - and the first of a former US president - involves charges of white-collar crime, but it features some of the most eye-catching details in any of the four criminal cases against him. The case revolves around a $130,000 (£104,000) hush-money payment from Mr Trump's lawyer to adult-film actress Stormy Daniels, who claims she had an affair with Trump in 2006.  But that payment was not actually illegal. Instead, the blockbuster cas ..read more

Over 100 people were arrested and issued summonses for trespass — including Rep. Ilhan Omar’s daughter — after protesters set up an encampment at New York’s Columbia University in support of Gaza, police said. The demonstrators occupied the space on the university's South Lawn for 30 hours, Mayor Eric Adams said after the arrests Thursday. Columbia asked the NYPD for help and said the students had been suspended and were refusing to leave, police said. “Columbia University’s students have a proud history of protests and raising their voices,” Adams said, but he said that they don’t have the ri ..read more

How are Tesla's (TSLA) corporate directors responding to this month's massive delivery miss, a rash of layoffs, reports of an end to a lower-priced family sedan, and a sinking stock price? They are urging shareholders to make sure CEO Elon Musk gets a hefty pay package.  In a proxy statement filed Wednesday, Tesla's board of directors made it clear that Musk is here to stay, even as calls grow louder from some investors and analysts for a leadership change. But Tesla's rough week extends beyond questions of Musk's stewardship and the board's accountability. Tesla's stock is priced for a ..read more