Offering an allowance is an opportunity to teach children how to spend and save. People form many of their financial habits by seven years old, a 2013 University of Cambridge study found. #personalfinance Read more »

Amazon is justifying Prime’s 20 percent price hike, to $119 a year, by saying it is more a valuable service than when the fee last rose four years ago. #personalfinance Read more »

Finding the right gift for a college graduate can be tough. It's nearly impossible to pick out the latest gadget—let alone the latest fashions—and just cash may strike you as too impersonal. So what can you give a young person, just starting out, that would be useful and meaningful? #personalfinance Read more »

“Skimmers” can grab your financial data when you swipe your card, and you may not know anything about it until you literally pay the price. #personalfinance Read more »

When seniors default on federal student loans, their Social Security benefits can be docked to repay the debt. As much as 15 percent of your benefit payment can be withheld. If there is a silver lining, it’s this: Your Social Security benefits can’t be dunned for defaulting on private student loans. But the lender can still take you to court to try to collect the amount due. #personalfinance Read more »