Suriyapong Thongsawang | Moment | Getty Images Inflation is broadly retreating in the U.S. economy. But starting in October, health insurance is poised to act as a countervailing force that buoys inflation for about a year, economists said. That’s significant at a time when policymakers are using inflation data to determine how to set interest rates. The underlying reason for this dynamic is a quirk in how the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — which publishes the consumer price index, a...

Juan Algar | Moment | Getty Images Student loan payments are restarting in October after a pause of more than three years — and scammers are trying to take advantage, the Federal Trade Commission warned. Fraudsters may try mislead borrowers by offering assistance and asking them to pay for it, Ari Lazarus, consumer education specialist at the FTC, wrote in a consumer alert Thursday. Those fake offers might include lowering borrowers’ monthly payments, avoiding repayment or getting their loans...

Luis Alvarez | Digitalvision | Getty Images The job market is cooling. Though it remains strong — and workers still have leverage — their power doesn’t seem to be as broad based as it was earlier in the pandemic, say labor experts. These days, whether employees still enjoy considerable leverage — to find a new job or get a raise, for example — “depends on what industry workers are in,” said Daniel Zhao, lead economist at career site Glassdoor. “That’s a different response than might have been...

Kate_sept2004 | E+ | Getty Images As Americans with student loan debt brace for their monthly payments to restart and recover from the recent sting of the Supreme Court’s ruling against loan forgiveness, some groups are looking to the workplace as a firewall to funnel aid to borrowers. SHRM, a group representing human resources professionals, called on Congress and state legislatures “to pass policies that support employees and employers,” according to a June 30 statement issued after the...

Renphoto | E+ | Getty Images Fireworks-related damage may be covered by your renters or homeowners insurance policy — but not always. “The very short answer is: Usually there’s coverage,” said Peter Kochenburger, executive director of the insurance law program at the University of Connecticut and deputy director of the university’s Insurance Law Center. “It does depend on a number of details,” he added. More from Personal Finance: 3 reasons it can be smarter to rent, even if you can afford to...