Cleo Parker with her dogs in Livonia, Mich. She had expected to keep her job as a marketing analyst well into her 60s, but at 62 is on a job hunt instead. Nick Hagen for The New York Times

Retiring

Your Money Adviser

By ANN CARRNS

The rates, which will take effect on July 1, won’t make a big difference in monthly payments. But given the cost of college, one expert says, “this is a bit of good news.”

Economic View

By SEEMA JAYACHANDRAN

Value-added taxes are popular in many countries, especially those that are less affluent. The great advantage is a built-in feature that deters tax evasion, an emerging body of research shows.

Wealth Matters

By PAUL SULLIVAN

Offering the chance of outsize returns on the back of a huge tax break, opportunity zones are attractive to investors. But there is a catch.

By CLAIRE CAIN MILLER

Long, inflexible hours are the norm. But in a tight job market, more companies are offering flexibility on the when and where of work.

By NEIL IRWIN

Deciding in advance how the government fights downturns could make them less severe and avoid political gridlock.

Wirecutter

By SALLY FRENCH

Building your credit can be a big challenge, whether you’ve never had a credit card in your life or you’ve been burned by credit cards in your past. The New York Times owns Wirecutter, which earns a commission when you buy a product through the Wirecutter site.