Melanie Lockert

Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz's finances made headlines after his financial disclosures showed he owns no stocks or bonds. His lack of investments caught a lot of people's attention and, on the surface, makes him more relatable to the average American. According to the Survey of Consumer Finances, as of 2022, only 21% of families directly held stocks and 1.1% held bonds.
While Walz's lack of investments and diversification potentially make him more relatable, he has something ...

Keeping your personal and sensitive information private is key to helping prevent identity theft and other fraudulent activity. Fraudsters can use this information to open accounts in your name for their financial gain. But keeping your data private is becoming more challenging with the rise of data breaches.
Recently, a National Public Data breach led to 2.9 billion records of personal data being exposed. Your Social Security number (SSN), full name, date of birth, address and phone number c...

Many federal student loan borrowers resumed paying their government-held education debt in October 2023 after a repayment pause of three and a half years. To provide debt relief to more than 43 million Americans with federal student loans, the Biden administration launched a new income-driven repayment (IDR) option: the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan.
The SAVE plan offers borrowers lower payments and a significant interest subsidy, making repayment more affordable. Because your pa...

Checking your credit score and seeing that it’s dropped can feel scary and disappointing. Why the sudden change?
While you may have questions about what’s going on, there are several reasons as to why your score may have gone down. The first thing to be aware of is that credit scores aren’t static numbers. Rather, they’re ever-changing and get updated about every month. Many factors impact whether they go up or down.
Why did my credit score drop?
Fluctuations in your credit score can vary bas...

If you or your child is applying to college, there’s one abbreviation you need to know: FAFSA — Free Application for Federal Student Aid. FAFSA can unlock various financial aid options to help cover the cost of college. In this guide, learn what FAFSA is, the role FAFSA plays in receiving financial support, and what you need to know before applying.
What is FAFSA?
The FAFSA assesses your eligibility for federal grants, student loans, and work-study. These funding options can make education co...

Gusto is a popular tech-forward payroll software solution. The company offers unlimited payroll runs in all of its plans and tax registration in all 50 states is available as an add-on feature. In addition, Gusto calculates and files payroll taxes to local, state and federal agencies, making it an attractive option for time-strapped businesses. It also offers employee benefits, custom reporting and tools to manage teams, even dispersed ones.
Though Gusto has a large feature set, there are oth...

Trigger warning: This piece contains mentions of suicide and suicidal thoughts.

I graduated from New York University in 2011 full of hope — and also with a good chunk of student loan debt. At the time, I owed $68,000 despite having made payments on my undergrad loans for the five years prior. A year later, that hope dissipated and I was in a full-fledged depressive episode. I ended up in Portland, Oregon, after my dreams of getting a full-time job in the arts in New York City didn’t pan out. ...

If you’ve looked at your 401(k) (or IRA, or any other investments) since Monday, you might feel really anxious—chances are, the money you've saved has taken a huge hit. Given all the turmoil in the stock market right now and people's general panic around coronavirus, the world is kind of a shitshow right now, and it’s impacting your money. If you’re just starting your career and, for the first time, have a full-time job with benefits like a 401(k), you might be freaking out about what to do t...

Try these helpful and creative ways to keep your mind and body strong, healthy and together even if it feels like the world is falling apart
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For several weeks after the pandemic began, a friend of mine heard a neighbor play the song “We Are The World” each night at 7pm during the applause for essential workers. The song and sound of thunderous clapping filled the Harlem neighborhood and provided a certain sense of comfort and connection, even if for only for a few minutes. But what about t...

Swiping your credit card is likely something you do often, daily even, and likely without much thought. The action is often a passive precursor to the main event, whether that’s getting a cup of coffee or a book or a workout outfit. Or, it could land you something bigger that doesn’t necessarily involve a swipe, but still requires a history of having solid credit: buying a house, taking out loans, being granted lower interest rates.
But women and credit cards have a complicated history, given...

How long should you keep important documents? Find out.

Key Takeaways:
Black borrowers have the highest average student loan balance at $44,880.
Black women took out student loans at higher rates (53%) and had higher average balances ($11,000) than other borrowers.
From the Survey of Consumer Finances, 20% of white respondents reported having student loan debt compared to 30.2% of Black respondents.
At public four-year colleges, Black borrowers default at close to 4 times the rate of white borrowers (27% vs. 7%).
Black borrowers were less likely t...

Shareholders can sue a corporation if there are wrongdoings from its directors that aren't in line with their fiduciary duty. JulieanneBirch/Getty Images
A shareholder is an individual or entity that holds shares or stocks in a company.
Owning shares or stocks of a company entitles investors to partial ownership of a specific company.
Shareholders may receive dividends and have limited liability if the company is in hot water.
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