Saving Money

A 3x leveraged ETF aims to return three times its index for one trading day, then resets. That single fact explains why a flat market can still cost you money.

A server can legally be paid $2.13 an hour, and the national median for waiters is $16.94. Both are true. Here is how the tip credit works, what your state changes, and where the pressure at the checkout screen actually comes from.

Extra Help pays your Part D premium and deductible and caps each prescription at $5.10 generic or $12.65 brand. The 2026 resource limit is nearly double the Medicare Savings Program limit, which is why being over for one says nothing about the other.

SNAP benefits change every October 1. Here are the new maximum allotments, both income tests, and the resource limit most people get wrong.

The Weatherization Assistance Program pays for insulation, air sealing and heating repairs at no cost to you. Renters qualify too, with the landlord written approval.

Medicare Open Enrollment runs 15 October to 7 December 2026 for 2027 coverage. The Part D deductible rises to $700 and the out-of-pocket cap to $2,400, and the letter that tells you what your plan is doing arrives this month.

The federal FAFSA deadline is June 30, 2028, and it is the one that matters least. Thirteen state programs pay until the money runs out, and the 2027-28 form is already accepting real submissions.

Four state-run programs pay your Medicare premiums, and one covers deductibles and coinsurance too. The 2026 income limits, what each pays, and the April 2026 rule change that may already have started your application.

Every official place to search for unclaimed money, the federal pools no state database covers, the deadlines where the money really does expire, and how the scams work.

The 2027 Social Security COLA is announced in October 2026. Here is the exact date, how the number is calculated, and why Medicare takes part of your raise.