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Personal Finance News 6 January 2026 - 14 January 2026

Jan. 15 tax deadline looms: IRS maps 2026 filing season start, Free File and new 2026 tax brackets

Jan. 15 tax deadline looms: IRS maps 2026 filing season start, Free File and new 2026 tax brackets

The IRS set Jan. 15 as the deadline for final 2025 estimated tax payments. The 2026 tax filing season opens Jan. 26, with about 164 million returns expected. The standard deduction for 2026 rises to $16,100 for single filers, and the 37% tax bracket starts at $640,600. The IRS is phasing out paper refunds and urging taxpayers to use online accounts and direct deposit.
14 January 2026
Debt worries rise: MNP survey says most Canadians expect higher costs and weaker economy in 2026

Debt worries rise: MNP survey says most Canadians expect higher costs and weaker economy in 2026

TORONTO, Jan 13, 2026, 07:16 EST Most Canadians are bracing for a tougher cost of living in 2026, according to a quarterly survey from insolvency firm MNP Ltd. Released Monday, the poll revealed that 71% expect living expenses to rise, while 59% anticipate the overall economy will take a hit this year. Concerns about housing are also mounting. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/01/12/3216872/0/en/MNP-Consumer-Debt-Index-Canadians-Brace-for-Challenging-2026.html The snapshot is crucial now as households enter the year still wary of borrowing costs, following a series of rate changes that altered mortgage and credit payments. In December, the Bank of Canada kept its overnight rate target steady at 2.25%,
13 January 2026
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SoFi stock swings on Trump’s 10% credit-card rate cap talk as CEO flags personal-loan upside

SoFi stock swings on Trump’s 10% credit-card rate cap talk as CEO flags personal-loan upside

New York, January 12, 2026, 11:12 (ET) — Regular session Shares of SoFi Technologies (SOFI.O) slipped roughly 1.7% to $26.94 by 11:12 a.m. ET on Monday, after earlier hitting $28.05. Traders initially jumped on a Washington-related headline, only to pull back soon after. The stock finds itself pulled in opposite directions. A cap on credit-card interest rates might squeeze banks and card issuers but could steer some borrowers toward personal loans — a core area for SoFi. The timing matters — the proposal dropped just as investors were digging into consumer credit trends and scouting fintech’s next growth area. Yet,
12 January 2026
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Synchrony Financial stock slides on Trump’s 10% credit-card rate cap push — what to know now

Synchrony Financial stock slides on Trump’s 10% credit-card rate cap push — what to know now

NEW YORK, Jan 12, 2026, 09:51 EST — Regular session Synchrony Financial shares were down about 7% at $80.80 on Monday morning, as investors sold credit-card lenders after President Donald Trump called for a one-year cap on credit-card interest rates. The proposal matters for Synchrony because it leans heavily on interest income from store and co-branded cards. A hard cap would compress what lenders earn on revolving balances, just as the sector heads into a fresh earnings cycle. Trump said on Friday he was calling for a 10% cap starting Jan. 20, but offered no details on how the plan
12 January 2026
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Mortgage rates today: 30-year fixed holds near 6.2% — what moves next with CPI hours away

Mortgage rates today: 30-year fixed holds near 6.2% — what moves next with CPI hours away

New York, January 12, 2026, 07:46 EST — Premarket The U.S. 30-year fixed mortgage rate hit an average of 6.18% early Monday, according to Bankrate data. Meanwhile, the average 30-year refinance rate stood at 6.54%. “Mortgage rates will remain volatile for the foreseeable future,” said Samir Dedhia, CEO of One Real Mortgage. (Bankrate) Bond yields nudged higher at the start of the week. The U.S. 10-year Treasury yield climbed 3 basis points to 4.30%, while the 30-year yield gained 4.5 basis points, reaching 4.86%, according to Reuters market data. (A basis point equals 0.01 percentage point.) Mortgage rates usually follow
12 January 2026
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Apple Card switches banks: JPMorgan replaces Goldman in a two-year handoff

Apple Card switches banks: JPMorgan replaces Goldman in a two-year handoff

NEW YORK, January 10, 2026, 04:15 EST JPMorgan Chase will become the new issuer of Apple Card, taking over the program from Goldman Sachs in a handover expected to take about 24 months. The bank said the purchase would bring more than $20 billion of card balances onto its Chase platform and trigger a $2.2 billion provision for credit losses — money set aside for borrowers who may not pay — in its fourth-quarter 2025 results. (JPMorgan Chase) For Goldman, the deal is another step away from a consumer push that turned into a long-running headache. “This transaction substantially completes
10 January 2026
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IRS sets Jan. 26 opening for 2026 tax season as refunds and new rules collide

IRS sets Jan. 26 opening for 2026 tax season as refunds and new rules collide

WASHINGTON, Jan 9, 2026, 11:43 EST The Internal Revenue Service said it will begin accepting and processing 2025 tax returns on Jan. 26, opening the 2026 filing season, with an April 15 deadline to avoid penalties and interest. The agency expects to receive about 164 million individual income tax returns this year. (WTOP News) For many households, the calendar is really about refunds. Last year’s average refund was almost $3,200, based on IRS data, and Piper Sandler said the typical check could rise by about $1,000 this season. The IRS says people who file electronically, known as e-filing, often receive
9 January 2026
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Mortgage rates today: U.S. 30-year hits lowest since Sept 2024 as UK lenders cut deals

Mortgage rates today: U.S. 30-year hits lowest since Sept 2024 as UK lenders cut deals

NEW YORK, Jan 7, 2026, 07:39 EST — Premarket U.S. mortgage rates opened 2026 a shade lower, with the Mortgage Bankers Association’s measure of the 30-year fixed contract rate falling to 6.25%, the lowest since September 2024. Applications still fell over a holiday-adjusted two-week stretch, keeping the early-year rebound in refinancing on a tight leash. Why it matters now: the market is trying to find the point where lower rates actually pull buyers off the sidelines. First American said affordability improved to its best level since the summer of 2022, even as it remained far below pre-pandemic norms, and chief
7 January 2026
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No IRS Direct File in 2026: Here are the free ways to file your taxes now

No IRS Direct File in 2026: Here are the free ways to file your taxes now

WASHINGTON, Jan 6, 2026, 14:18 (EST) The IRS’ Direct File program — a free, government-run tool that let eligible taxpayers file federal returns directly with the agency — will not be available in the 2026 filing season, pushing filers toward other free options as preparations for tax season ramp up. https://m.economictimes.com/news/international/us/taxpayers-lose-free-irs-tax-filing-service-as-trump-administration-scraps-biden-initiative-what-to-know/articleshow/126373776.cms The change lands in early January, when households start gathering W-2s and other tax forms and checking whether they can avoid paying for software or a preparer. The IRS has urged taxpayers to “Get Ready” ahead of the 2026 filing season. https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/what-taxpayers-can-do-to-get-ready-for-the-2026-tax-filing-season https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/2026/01/05/when-will-2026-tax-season-start-how-to-file-your-2025-taxes-for-free/88028548007/ Direct File was a free, online
6 January 2026
2026 IRS tax brackets hit paychecks now — what the new standard deduction and deductions mean for refunds

2026 IRS tax brackets hit paychecks now — what the new standard deduction and deductions mean for refunds

WASHINGTON, Jan 6, 2026, 07:31 EST U.S. workers are starting 2026 with higher income thresholds for federal tax brackets and a larger standard deduction, shifts that can change how much tax employers withhold from paychecks, the Internal Revenue Service said. The timing matters because payroll systems are being reset for the new year. Employees who expect different deductions or credits can update Form W-4, the form that tells an employer how much federal income tax to withhold. The bracket changes also land as taxpayers prepare to file 2025 returns in the coming weeks, when several new deductions enacted in 2025
6 January 2026
Mortgage Refi Rates Hover Near 6.24% as 2026 Starts—Here’s What’s Driving the Numbers

Mortgage Refi Rates Hover Near 6.24% as 2026 Starts—Here’s What’s Driving the Numbers

New York, Jan 6, 2026, 07:19 EST U.S. mortgage refinance rates stayed in the mid-6% range early Tuesday, with the average 30-year fixed refinance rate at 6.24%, Zillow data showed. Jumbo refinance loans, which exceed conforming loan limits, averaged 7.29%, while FHA- and VA-backed refinancings averaged 5.75% and 5.62%, according to a Fortune review of Zillow data as of Jan. 5. Fortune The level matters because refinancing—replacing an existing home loan with a new one—has remained out of reach for many borrowers since rates jumped from pandemic-era lows. A sustained decline would lower monthly payments and could loosen a market
6 January 2026
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You Could Be Owed Cash: NSW Flags A$300 Million Sitting in Unclaimed Money Pool

You Could Be Owed Cash: NSW Flags A$300 Million Sitting in Unclaimed Money Pool

Sydney, January 6, 2026, 21:47 AEDT New South Wales residents are being urged to check whether they are owed a share of about A$300 million sitting in Revenue NSW’s unclaimed money pool, the state government said. The register includes more than 800,000 items, with individual payments ranging from a few dollars to amounts in the millions. AAP News The push comes as households reset their budgets after the holiday period and look for relief wherever they can find it. NSW Finance Minister Courtney Houssos said, “This is money that belongs to residents of New South Wales, and we want to
6 January 2026
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Stock Market Today

Corning stock price hits record close — what’s driving GLW and the next big test

Corning stock price hits record close — what’s driving GLW and the next big test

7 February 2026
Corning shares jumped 8.3% to a record $122.16 Friday, gaining 11% over two sessions amid strong demand for AI infrastructure stocks. The move follows a $6 billion optical fiber deal with Meta and upgraded company forecasts. Shares traded as high as $122.56 and rose 0.6% after hours. COO Avery Nelson sold 1,894 shares for tax withholding, retaining 66,050.
PepsiCo stock: €2.5 billion bond deal lands as investors size up the price-cut gamble

PepsiCo stock: €2.5 billion bond deal lands as investors size up the price-cut gamble

7 February 2026
PepsiCo priced €2.5 billion in euro notes across four maturities, with settlement set for Feb. 11, according to an SEC filing. The company plans to use proceeds for general corporate purposes, including repaying commercial paper. Shares closed at $170.49 Friday, up 1.8%. PepsiCo is also cutting U.S. snack prices by up to 15% after consumer pushback.
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