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Lawrence Golub (left) speaks on stage at the Forbes/Shook Top Advisor Summit in Las Vegas.Santa Barbara Photography Lawrence Golub, billionaire founder and CEO of private credit firm Golub Capital, emphatically dismissed fears that the rapid growth of private credit, specifically direct lending, is leading to a bubble. Speaking at the ninth annual Forbes/SHOOK Top Advisor Summit in Las Vegas, NV, on Friday, Golub argued that direct lending continues to offer investors superior risk-adjusted returns and acts as a necessary hedging tool for traditional 60/40 portfolios with stocks and bonds. “It’s for sure not a bubble,” he said to a room…

Americans may feel somewhat removed from the Federal Reserve, but the central bank’s moves have a ripple effect on many types of consumer products, most notably the credit cards in their wallet.Nearly half of American households have credit card debt and pay more than 20% in interest, on average, on their revolving balances — making credit cards one of the most expensive ways to borrow money.”For millions of American households, credit card debt represents their highest-cost debt by a wide margin,” said Ted Rossman, senior industry analyst at Bankrate. Since most credit cards have a variable rate, there’s a direct connection to the…

Workers walk through the crypt of the US Capitol in Washington, DC, US, on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025.Valerie Plesch | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesWith a union lawsuit against the Trump administration on hold during the government shutdown, borrowers’ wait times for student loan forgiveness may get even longer.The American Federation of Teachers’ legal challenge against Trump officials will be stayed until Congress restores appropriations to the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton said in an Oct. 4 filing. The government shuttered on Oct. 1 after Democrats and Republicans failed to agree on a spending deal.In its lawsuit,…

Alvaro Gonzalez | Moment | Getty ImagesMore from Financial Advisor Playbook:Here’s a look at other stories affecting the financial advisor business.Here are some key things to know about ACA health insurance subsidies — and how changes could impact future Roth conversions.How the ACA health insurance subsidies workEnacted via the Affordable Care Act, the premium tax credit was designed to make marketplace health insurance more affordable for Americans with incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level.In 2021, Congress expanded eligibility above 400% of the federal poverty level, a benefit that was extended through 2025. The legislation also capped…

The Good Brigade | Digitalvision | Getty ImagesIn recent weeks, some federal student loan borrowers have received welcome news: The U.S. Department of Education will soon cancel their remaining debt.”You are now eligible to have some or all of your federal student loan(s) discharged because you have reached the necessary number of payments under your Income-Based Repayment (IBR) Plan,” reads an email sent to one borrower.The notices stand out, consumer advocates say, because student loan forgiveness has become rare under the Trump administration.More from Your Money:Here’s a look at more stories on how to manage, grow and protect your money…

For months, experts have warned that student loan borrowers who are behind on their payments may trigger a “default cliff.” Recent reports show that cliff is now looming.The resumption of federal student loan delinquency reporting on consumers’ credit earlier this year caused a spike in the rate of severe delinquencies, which now near a record high, according to September’s Credit Insights report from credit score developer FICO. Roughly 5.3 million borrowers are in default and another 4.3 million borrowers are in “late-stage delinquency,” or between 181 and 270 days late on their payments, according to a separate analysis last month by the Congressional…

D3sign | Moment | Getty ImagesThe IRS has unveiled the capital gains tax brackets for 2026, with higher earnings limits for the 0% rate. That could offer tax planning opportunities for many investors, financial experts say.  The bigger limit is “pretty incredible, especially in years like this where the market’s been roaring,” said Tommy Lucas, a certified financial planner at Moisand Fitzgerald Tamayo in Orlando, Florida. His firm is ranked No. 69 on CNBC’s Financial Advisor 100 list for 2025. Despite recent volatility, the S&P 500 was still up nearly 14% year-to-date as of Tuesday afternoon. The index also soared by more than…

Peopleimages | Istock | Getty ImagesThe government shutdown will delay a key announcement that affects millions of Social Security beneficiaries — just how much their benefit checks will increase in 2026.The Social Security cost-of-living adjustment for next year will be revealed once September consumer price index data, which was slated for release on Oct. 15, is available. Due to the federal government shutdown, the CPI release has been pushed to Oct. 24.”The Social Security Administration (SSA) will use this release to generate and announce the 2026 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) on October 24 as well,” a Social Security spokesperson told CNBC.com…

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell speaks during a news conference following the Federal Open Market Committee meeting, Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025, at the Federal Reserve Board Building in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.The Federal Open Market Committee is broadly expected to cut interest rates to below 4% on October 29. That’s according to the CME FedWatch Tool which projects the chance of a cut at 97% based on fixed income markets. Forecasting markets have a similar projection. The FOMC’s own forecasts from September suggest that rates were likely to move lower over the remainder…

The US Capitol in Washington, DC, US, on Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025.Eric Lee | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesThe thousands of federal workers newly laid off by the Trump administration face numerous financial challenges, including finding new health insurance and keeping up with recurring bills. Another key task: Figuring out what to do about their monthly student loan payment.The permanent job cuts — which Russell Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget, announced on Friday — are formally known as “Reductions in Force,” or RIFs. The RIFs will strip many federal workers of certain benefits related to their student loans and…