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When a loved one passes away without a will, settling their estate can quickly become a nightmare. If you were promised something but never got it in writing, you might find yourself in a difficult position when you try to claim it as yours.

You walk into work, and before you’ve even logged in, someone comments on your outfit. Another chimes in with a “joke” about your body. Everyone laughs, except you. It’s 2025—shouldn’t we be past this? Spoiler: we’re not.

Most Americans pay more monthly fees than they realize. Many of these charges blend into routines and statements so that you don't even think about them—but they are causing serious damage to Americans' savings. These are the worst offenders and why.

Whether it’s pure nostalgia, obsession, or just plain curiosity, these bizarre items prove that, at the right auction, anything can become a treasure.

Your nephew is the executor of your late brother’s estate, but the job is overwhelming him and probate has ground to a halt. We look at options to salvage the situation.

Your husband’s Christmas bonus just came in, but instead of paying off debt, he wants to splurge on luxuries over the holidays. We look at ways to put the money to better use.

Red Lobster was the epitome of American family dining, but had to file for bankruptcy last year. We retrace how the restaurant chain came unglued, and what happens next.

You just moved into your house, but now the city is saying the deck put in by the previous owners is in violation of building codes. We look at what to do and what not to do

Consumers were told that recycling programs would save the planet. But the reality is that plastic recycling isn't economically viable, and the system was built more on marketing slogans than economic reality.

Many Americans search for financial stability through online courses that promise high returns with minimal effort. The internet also makes learning widely accessible, but it creates opportunities for misleading marketing and poorly structured educational products. A situation where someone pays for a “passive income course” only to receive a repackaged playlist mirrors a growing problem of low-value digital content sold at premium prices. Consumer protection laws exist to offer recourse, but success depends on factors like the platform’s refund policies, advertising claims made by the seller, and whether the course delivery matches its stated description. Understanding these parameters helps consumers assess their options before deciding how to respond.

Americans planning a year abroad frequently evaluate whether renting or selling a second home offers the best tax outcome. Because the Internal Revenue Service taxes US citizens and residents on worldwide income, both rental income and any eventual sale of real property must be reported, regardless of where the owner temporarily relocates. That rule applies even when the homeowner moves to Europe and maintains no physical presence in the United States during the tax year. The tax consequences differ sharply between renting and selling, and the choice can influence annual taxable income, long-term tax exposure, and the cost of managing the property from overseas.

Refinancing often starts with optimism. A lower monthly payment seems within reach, along with a clearer payoff timeline and the sense that you’re finally doing something that supports long-term stability. That’s why the shock lands so hard when a new lender suddenly pushes the interest rate far above what was originally promised. The shift feels like a breach of trust, as if the whole point of refinancing has been upended. And once the confusion settles, a tougher question emerges: can a lender legally hike the rate after offering a lower one, or did the fine print quietly allow it all along?