Ron Lieber
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Inactive here. NYT money scribe. Check out my new course about merit aid and how to lower college costs by getting more of it. Find me on Threads, Instagram.
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Articles by Ron Lieber
At Nearly $300,000, Some Recent Duke Graduates Out-Earned All Their Peers
You have a preview view of this article while we are checking your access. When we have confirmed access, the full article content will load. At Nearly $300,000, Some Recent Duke Graduates Out-Earned All Their Peers Federal data show Duke math majors earning a bigger median income four years after graduation than any other majors from any school. It’s a small cohort.
A College-by-College Guide to Which Majors Pay Off — or Don’t
Arfa Momin finished her bachelor's degree in May. Ron Lieber is one-third finished with paying for his children’s degrees. Oct. 7, 2026 History majors can out-earn English majors by more than $50,000 four years after graduation. A Juilliard graduate — trained at one of the country's most prestigious music schools — may not earn more than the median high school graduate.
She Prosecutes Child Abuse. Her Student Loans Ended Up in Purgatory.
World News Now She went for a run and her daughter never saw her again CNN • 5m Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo went for a run and never came back. Nine women have been killed in Johannesburg, South Africa in the last two months, most in the their 20s and 30s, prompting fears it could be a serial killer.
She Prosecutes Child Abuse. Her Student Loans Ended Up in Purgatory. One county lawyer’s repayment saga stretches nearly 20 years, though she’s tried 22 times over the past 20 months to erase her debt. Christine Archer works as a prosecutor in Hendricks County, Ind., putting rapists and child abusers in prison.Credit...A.J. Mast for The New York Times Sept.
Dear borrower, someone might be stealing your home
Welcome back from vacation! Someone may have stolen your home. That isn’t precisely what the paper letter from PNC Bank, my mortgage servicer, said, but it was close. It had displayed, in large font, a highlighted exclamation point followed by a foreboding message — “We’re confirming changes to your address” — across the top. The letter went on.
He Fought to Have Student Loans Canceled. Now His Son Starts College.
He Fought to Have Student Loans Canceled. Now His Son Starts College. Jed Shafer once sounded the alarm about a shambolic federal loan forgiveness program. Eight years later, it’s his sons who need some money for college. Jed Shafer expects to be able to help his son Julius complete his first year at Oregon State University free of debt.Credit...Kristina Barker for The New York Times Sept.
What Rising Global Bond Rates Mean for Your Money
“Soaring” global bond yields. Global bond “sell-offs.” Headlines in recent days have included many scary words. But what do they mean for you and your money? As ever, the answer is this: It depends. It depends on whether you own bonds, what bonds you own and how soon you may need the money you invested. Many people who invest through popular funds in their workplace retirement accounts may know little about their bond holdings, even if they remember that they have roughly 30% of their money in bonds.
What rising global bond rates mean for your money
“Soaring” global bond yields. Global bond “sell-offs.” Headlines in recent days have included many scary words. But what do they mean for you and your money? As ever, the answer is this: It depends. It depends on whether you own bonds, what bonds you own and how soon you may need the money you invested. Many people who invest through popular funds in their workplace retirement accounts may know little about their bond holdings, even if they remember that they have roughly 30% of their money in bonds.
What Rising Global Bond Rates Mean for Your Money
What Rising Global Bond Rates Mean for Your Money If you own bonds, they may be in a broad fund that hasn’t lost much money. And that fund may do much better in the next several years. Credit...Robert Neubecker Sept. 2, 2026, 5:04 a.m. ET “Soaring” global bond yields. Global bond “sell-offs.” Headlines in recent days have included many scary words. But what do they mean for you and your money? As ever, the answer is this: It depends.
Dear Borrower, Someone Might Be Stealing Your Home, No Big Deal
Dear Borrower, Someone Might Be Stealing Your Home, No Big Deal A letter arrived in the mail from PNC Bank about an address change on a mortgage account. Was a deed theft scheme in process? Credit...Alain Pilon This article is part of “How Did This Happen?,” a series examining confounding financial quagmires. Our mission is to explain the seemingly unexplainable. Welcome back from vacation! Someone may have stolen your home.
6 Things That Drive Us Crazy About Money in America
EDITORS NOTE: EMBARGO: No electronic distribution, Web posting or street sales before 5:01 a.m. ET on Saturday, Jul. 4, 2026. No exceptions for any reasons.); (ART ADV: With illustrations. (Your Money) Birthdays are an opportunity to celebrate, but also to reflect and raise a glass to what makes the honoree unique -- and also give a bit of a roast. And so it goes with America and our approach to how we deal with money. We are awash in choices, which is fantastic until it isn’t.
250th Birthday: A Toast to Unique Money Stories
Birthdays are an opportunity to celebrate, but also to reflect and raise a glass to what makes the honoree unique — and also give a bit of a roast. And so it goes with America and our approach to how we deal with money. We are awash in choices, which is fantastic until it isn’t. There are so many credit cards, for instance — and influencers promoting them, and credit-counseling agencies to bail you out of debt, and bankruptcy lawyers standing by in case you’re about to go under.
6 Things That Drive Us Crazy About Money in America
You have a preview view of this article while we are checking your access. When we have confirmed access, the full article content will load. Birthdays are an opportunity to celebrate, but also to reflect and raise a glass to what makes the honoree unique — and also give a bit of a roast. And so it goes with America and our approach to how we deal with money. We are awash in choices, which is fantastic until it isn’t.
Why Americans Will Get Less Help Paying for College
The DailySubscribe: Why Americans Will Get Less Help Paying for College With new limits on federal lending, many students will need private loans and some could be shut out. Back to The Daily Previous More episodes ofThe Daily June 29, 2026 • 38:10Why Everyone Cares About This World Cup June 21, 2026 • 51:00Can a Bad Man Be a Good Father?
Nursing and other graduate students get higher loan limits
Nursing students and other graduate students in specific programs can now borrow up to $50,000 per year from the federal government, a much higher amount than the Education Department had told them they could tap in the wake of a new federal law that goes into effect Wednesday. That law divided graduate students into two groups. One, the so-called professional students who include doctors and lawyers, could borrow up to $50,000 per year and $200,000 total.
Nursing and Other Graduate Students Get Higher Loan Limits Original
Nursing and Other Graduate Students Get Higher Loan Limits A legal challenge to a law that takes effect this week has doubled the amount certain graduate students can borrow from the federal government to $50,000 per year. Nursing students and certain other graduate students had been limited to borrowing $20,500 per year and $100,000 total.Credit...Camille Farrah Lenain for The New York Times Ron Lieber wrote in January about two nursing schools facing down new federal loan caps.
Nursing and Other Graduate Students Get Higher Loan Limits
Nursing students and other graduate students in specific programs can now borrow up to $50,000 per year from the federal government, a much higher amount than the Education Department had told them they could tap in the wake of a new federal law that goes into effect Wednesday. That law divided graduate students into two groups. One, the so-called professional students who include doctors and lawyers, could borrow up to $50,000 per year and $200,000 total.
The Latest in College Pricing: Tuition at 10% of Your Income
The Latest in College Pricing: Tuition at 10% of Your Income Whitman College is trying to keep it simple: Tell us your adjusted gross income, and we won’t make you apply and get in just to receive a price quote. Credit...Robert Neubecker College tuition will cost no more than 10 percent of parental adjusted gross income. That’s it. Grab the figure from Line 11a of your 1040 form, and divide by 10.
The Latest in College Pricing: Tuition at 10% of Your Income
(Your Money) College tuition will cost no more than 10% of parental adjusted gross income. That's it. Grab the figure from Line 11a of your 1040 form, and divide by 10. Starting today, those are the instructions for anyone interested in applying to Whitman College, a small liberal arts college in Walla Walla, Washington.
Education Dept. Lowers Student Loan Interest Rates for 2 Years
The Education Department will temporarily lower interest rates on outstanding federal student loans by up to 1 percentage point starting July 1, it said Thursday. The reduction will end on June 30, 2028. Just over one-third of federal student loan borrowers are current on their loans, Nicholas Kent, the undersecretary of education, said in a phone call with reporters. The department would like that to be higher -- hence the incentive, which is tied to enrollment in automatic payments.
Education Dept. Lowers Student Loan Interest Rates for 2 Years
21 hours ago Caleb Tutt's life looks much like that of many Gen Z professionals in London - rent, student debt and a routine shaped by commutes and convenience food. But there is one thing that is very different. He has the right to graze livestock on common land - a 680-year-old honour - in Llantrisant, a town …
Education Dept. Lowers Student Loan Rates for Borrowers in Auto Pay
Education Dept. Lowers Student Loan Rates for Borrowers in Auto Pay The department, citing high defaults, is reducing interest rates by up to one percentage point for two years if borrowers pay automatically.
Education Dept. Lowers Student Loan Rates for Borrowers in Auto Pay
4 hours ago Jersey Mike’s, the New Jersey-based sub shop that recently topped the top-rated quick-service restaurant list for the first time, is opening more locations. After dethroning Chick-fil-A and its 11-year run atop the American Customer Satisfaction Index's ranking, Jersey Mike's, which has more than …
Want to move 529 account money to a Roth IRA? There’s a hitch
A law that went into effect in 2024 was supposed to help persuade more people to save for college. As of Jan. 1 that year, you could begin moving up to $35,000 from a 529 college savings account into a Roth individual retirement account, as long as you followed a long list of rules. Some of those rules outlined eligibility, and the legislation that allowed for the transfer refers to “a qualified tuition program of a designated beneficiary” that has been maintained for 15 years.
The Joy of Missing Out on SpaceX’s I.P.O.
The Joy of Missing Out on SpaceX’s I.P.O. You’re not important or lucky enough to have access to shares at the offering price, and that’s OK. Here’s why. Credit...Robert Neubecker Ron Lieber has never bought shares in an initial public offering. June 11, 2026, 9:56 a.m. ET Many of the people who work for him at SpaceX are about to hit seven-figure jackpots — or more — via the company’s initial public offering.
The Joy of Missing Out on SpaceX's IPO
Elon Musk may be about to become a trillionaire. Many of the people who work for him at SpaceX are about to hit seven-figure jackpots -- or more -- via the company's initial public offering. And individual investors are lining up for a chance to buy shares for the $135 opening price. There are so many of them that some brokerage firms are, in effect, running a lottery for $135 tickets. Do you have fear of missing out? That's natural, maybe inevitable.
How to protect college savings in case of divorce or death
If you’ve managed to start a 529 college savings account, pat yourself on the back. But it’s important to keep in mind that such accounts can involve up to four people: the account owner, the spouse of that owner, the beneficiary and the successor. And if you don’t understand what that means or how it works, it can create big trouble if a marriage breaks up or someone dies. Here’s what you need to know.
How to Protect College Savings in Case of Divorce or Death
How to Protect College Savings in Case of Divorce or Death Many couples don’t consider 529 accounts carefully when splitting up, and other families make a crucial mistake that can leave a mess if somebody dies. Credit...Robert Neubecker Until this week, Ron Lieber had no idea whether he had named a successor for his children’s 529 accounts. Sure enough, one account didn’t have one. May 30, 2026, 5:02 a.m. ET If you’ve managed to start a 529 college savings account, pat yourself on the back.
How to Protect College Savings in Case of Divorce or Death
(Your Money) If you've managed to start a 529 college savings account, pat yourself on the back. You'll be glad you set one up -- and you're lucky you have money to spare, since plenty of people don't. But each of these accounts can involve up to four people: the account owner, the spouse of that owner, the beneficiary and the successor. And if you don't understand what that means or how it works, it can create big trouble if a marriage breaks up or someone dies. Here's what you need to know.
Want to Move 529 Account Money to a Roth IRA? There's a Hitch.
(Your Money) A law that went into effect in 2024 was supposed to help persuade more people to save for college. As of Jan. 1 that year, you could begin moving up to $35,000 from a 529 college savings account into a Roth individual retirement account, as long as you followed a long list of rules. Some of those rules outlined eligibility, and the legislation that allowed for the transfer refers to "a qualified tuition program of a designated beneficiary" that has been maintained for 15 years.
With Just One Word, Brandeis Is Trying to Change College Shopping
You don’t get to know for sure what college will cost until you apply and get in. Colleges provide tools that help you guess what kind of financial aid they might offer, if any, but the numbers are often off by many thousands of dollars. The fact that this real price is a mystery for most people at most schools is disgraceful. It also presents an opportunity. A few weeks ago, Brandeis University quietly introduced a new tool for college shoppers called Faye.
With Just One Word, Brandeis Is Trying to Change College Shopping
With Just One Word, Brandeis Is Trying to Change College Shopping A new tool on the university’s website tells you what the first year “will” cost if you get in. Credit...Robert Neubecker May 10, 2026, 5:01 a.m. ET You don’t get to know for sure what college will cost until you apply and get in. Colleges provide tools that help you guess what kind of financial aid they might offer, if any, but the numbers are often off by many thousands of dollars.
With Just One Word, Brandeis Is Trying to Change College Shopping
You don't get to know for sure what college will cost until you apply and get in. Colleges provide tools that help you guess what kind of financial aid they might offer, if any, but the numbers are often off by many thousands of dollars. The fact that this real price is a mystery for most people at most schools is disgraceful. It also presents an opportunity. A few weeks ago, Brandeis University quietly introduced a new tool for college shoppers called Faye.
Other colleges have frat houses. Carleton has a cookie house.
NORTHFIELD, Minn. — As midnight approached on a Monday in late March, the new oven in the Carleton College cookie house was showing some strain. It was running about 20 degrees too cool, a bit of intel that each successive cook had passed along since early afternoon. A baker had mistimed some of her butter cookies. Another engaged in an experiment she referred to as “Choose Your Own Adventure Scones,” including a strawberry-cardamom escapade that literally fell flat.
Other colleges have frat houses. This one has a cookie house
NORTHFIELD, Minn. — As midnight approached on a Monday in late March, the new oven in the Carleton College cookie house was showing some strain. It was running about 20 degrees too cool, a bit of intel that each successive cook had passed along since early afternoon. A baker had mistimed some of her butter cookies. Another engaged in an experiment she referred to as “Choose Your Own Adventure Scones,” including a strawberry-cardamom escapade that literally fell flat.
Other colleges have frat houses. This one has a cookie house
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... By Ron Lieber NORTHFIELD, Minn. — As midnight approached on a Monday in late March, the new oven in the Carleton College cookie house was showing some strain. It was running about 20 degrees too cool, a bit of intel that each successive cook had passed along since early afternoon. A baker had mistimed some of her butter cookies.
Schwab affiliate halts customer donations to Southern Poverty Law Center
The donor-advised fund affiliated with Charles Schwab, DAFgiving360, has suspended account holders’ ability to give money to the Southern Poverty Law Center, a civil rights group. Last week, the Justice Department indicted the group and accused it of financial crimes. Earlier this week, the donor-advised funds that bear Fidelity and Vanguard’s names also cut the group off.
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