PangoBooks is a marketplace where readers sell used books from their own shelves to other readers. Sellers list for free and pay a fee only when a book sells. That makes it one of the easier side hustles to try with things you already own.

We first reviewed PangoBooks in 2023. This November 2026 update covers the current fees, shipping rates, payouts and buyer protection rules. It also shows when a textbook buyback site or another marketplace will pay you more.

Is PangoBooks Legit?

Yes, PangoBooks is legit. It’s a U.S.-based online bookselling marketplace that launched its app in 2021, and the iPhone app holds a 4.9 out of 5 rating on the App Store from about 17,000 ratings. Payments stay inside PangoBooks, so you never send money to a seller through payment apps like Venmo or Cash App. Every order ships with a prepaid USPS label.

Like Poshmark for clothes, PangoBooks is a peer-to-peer marketplace, so you buy from individual sellers. The company insures orders up to $100 and steps in when a book is lost or arrives in worse shape than the listing said. That protection is the main reason PangoBooks is safer than paying a stranger directly.

Outside reviews are thinner. Trustpilot shows only a handful of reviews, and the company has a Better Business Bureau profile worth checking before you buy a pricey set. The best trust signal is each seller’s own reviews on their shop page. Students who need course books can also compare prices at the best places to buy college textbooks online.

How Does PangoBooks Work?

PangoBooks works like a bookstore made of thousands of small shops. Each seller runs a storefront, and buyers browse by title, author or genre. PangoBooks handles checkout, the shipping label and customer service. For sellers, that setup makes book reselling an easy side hustle to start.

How Buying Works

Buyers can shop through the iOS app, the Android app or the website, and they don’t need an account to buy. You pay the listed price plus shipping, and PangoBooks collects sales tax where a state requires it. Sellers can offer free shipping once your cart in their shop passes a set amount. That matters if you’re trying to create a budget with room for a reading habit.

How Selling Works

Sellers photograph the cover, scan the barcode and set a price. The PangoBooks sell page says the scan fills in the book’s details, and you can type them in when a book has no ISBN. When a book sells, PangoBooks sends you a prepaid USPS label to print. Students can fit it around classes alongside other side hustles for college students.

How Much Does PangoBooks Charge Sellers?

PangoBooks charges sellers a 20% sales fee with a $0.40 minimum on each book that sells. Listing is free, and there’s no monthly charge or listing limit. The fee covers payment processing, customer support and insurance on orders up to $100, according to PangoBooks. That one fee decides whether PangoBooks beats a textbook buyback site for a given book.

The $0.40 minimum matters for cheap books. A $1 paperback leaves you $0.60, a 40% cut, while a book priced at $2 or more pays a flat 20%. List bargain paperbacks as a bundle or a series set, which PangoBooks allows. A shelf of $2 paperbacks won’t replace other ways to make money in college, but a bundle can move them in one sale.

Free shipping offers change the math. When a buyer reaches your free-shipping minimum, the label comes out of your earnings. A $24 order then nets $19.20 minus the label, or at most $14.21 since labels start at $4.99. Track those label costs, since shipping counts as an expense when you figure your side hustle taxes.

How Much Does Shipping Cost On PangoBooks?

Shipping on PangoBooks starts at $4.99 and depends on the weight the seller picks when listing the book. Buyers pay shipping by default, and every order ships by USPS Media Mail. The PangoBooks shipping rate chart reaches $11.99 for a 9 to 10 pound order, with $0.75 added for each pound past 10. Students should weigh that total against other ways to save money on textbooks.

Media Mail is cheap but slow. PangoBooks says it takes 2 to 8 days with no delivery guarantee, and a package isn’t treated as lost until it has been in transit for 30 days. Order at least two weeks ahead if you need a book for class, or compare textbook rental sites with faster shipping.

Sellers with $100 or more in listings can opt into Priority Mail for orders of $100 or more, which adds speed and carrier insurance. Opting in also turns on free shipping at that order size. Collectible editions are the best fit, and sellers of rare books can also compare prices on AbeBooks.

How Do PangoBooks Payouts Work?

PangoBooks pays sellers after the book arrives, not when it ships. Earnings are held for 72 hours after delivery, then move to your available balance. From there, you can transfer to PayPal instantly or to a bank account, where funds land in 3 to 7 business days. PayPal may charge a small fee, so a transfer to a college student checking account is the better pick if you can wait.

You can also leave the balance in PangoBooks and spend it on other books. If a buyer files an issue report, your earnings for that order stay on hold while PangoBooks reviews it. Don’t count on book sales to cover a bill due this week, and keep a cushion in a student savings account.

Is PangoBooks Safe To Buy From?

PangoBooks is safe to buy from for most orders, since the seller isn’t paid until you receive the book. You can report a damaged or misdescribed book within 72 hours of delivery, with photos. PangoBooks reviews the case in about 3 to 5 business days. Buying used is one of the easier ways to save money in college, as long as you check each order the day it arrives.

PangoBooks doesn’t authenticate or inspect books before or after they’re listed. That matters most for expensive special editions, the books counterfeiters copy. Check a seller’s ratings and ask for extra photos before paying a premium. Students should run the same checks before they buy college textbooks online from any third-party seller.

Never pay a seller outside PangoBooks. The company says a seller who asks for payment through PayPal or Venmo, or for extra fees, is breaking its rules. An off-platform payment also loses PangoBooks’ protection, so report the request to support. Peer-to-peer apps to send money are built for people you know, not strangers selling books.

What Are The Most Common PangoBooks Complaints?

The most common PangoBooks complaints come from sellers. On the r/PangoBooks subreddit, sellers question low prices and the 20% fee, and some post about books that sat for months. Buyers mostly raise damaged packaging, slow Media Mail and the occasional counterfeit copy. Those are the trade-offs of a marketplace compared with an instant quote from a buyback site like Decluttr.

Payout holds are the other frequent frustration. Earnings wait 72 hours after delivery, so a slow Media Mail package can push a payout two weeks past the sale. Sellers who draw a pattern of issue reports can lose their accounts, according to PangoBooks’ seller rules. Honest condition notes prevent most issue reports and keep book selling a low-effort side hustle.

How Do You Sell Books On PangoBooks?

Selling books on PangoBooks takes a few minutes per listing. You need a phone or computer, a free account and a PayPal or bank account for payouts. The steps below follow PangoBooks’ own listing flow. Read our breakdown of how to start a side hustle if you plan to sell books regularly.

1. Open the sell screen. Tap Sell in the app, or start a listing on the website.
2. Photograph the cover. Use good light and show any wear on the spine or corners.
3. Scan the barcode. The ISBN fills in the title, author and format. If the scan fails, enter the ISBN by hand.
4. Pick the condition and weight. Describe flaws honestly. The weight you pick sets the buyer’s shipping cost.
5. Set your price. PangoBooks suggests a price based on recent sales of the same book.
6. Ship the order. Print the prepaid label, pack the book in a bubble mailer and mark the order shipped.

How To Price Books On PangoBooks

Start with PangoBooks’ automatic pricing recommendations, which come from recent sales of the same title. Price below the suggestion for a fast sale and above it for signed or out-of-print copies. Sellers can also accept buyer offers with a minimum cart total, which moves slow listings without a blanket markdown. Checking recent sales is the same habit that works when you sell used clothes online.

Can You Sell Textbooks On PangoBooks?

Yes, you can sell textbooks on PangoBooks, but its buyers lean toward fiction, popular nonfiction and series. Recent textbooks sell faster through a buyback site like BooksRun, which quotes a price up front. Compare that quote with recent PangoBooks sales using our list of the best places to sell used textbooks.

PangoBooks’ community rules ban e-books, PDFs, photocopies and counterfeit copies. They also ban selling books taken from Little Free Libraries. Bookmarks, magazines and comics are allowed. Students clearing out a dorm room can list those extras, then compare textbook rental sites for next semester.

Do You Pay Taxes On PangoBooks Sales?

PangoBooks sends a Form 1099-K only if your sales top $20,000 and 200 transactions in a year. That’s the federal threshold the IRS restored under the One, Big, Beautiful Bill. PangoBooks posts any form in the Tax Center section of your account. A 1099-K reports gross sales, not profit, so read what to do if you receive a 1099-K before you file.

Selling your own books for less than you paid creates no taxable gain, because you’re selling personal items at a loss. Buying thrift-store books to resell is different, since the profit counts as income even without a 1099-K. Keep a record of what you paid for each book, and learn the rules for side hustle taxes if book flipping becomes regular income.

PangoBooks handles sales tax collection for you when a state requires it, according to its tax help page. Sellers don’t need to collect or remit sales tax on PangoBooks orders. If book sales grow into a real business, look at the tax breaks for side hustlers that can lower what you owe.

PangoBooks Vs. Other Ways To Sell Books

PangoBooks lets you set your own price, which can beat a buyback quote on popular titles, but its fee runs higher than eBay’s. eBay’s final value fee for books is about 15% of the total sale, including shipping, plus a per-order fee. eBay also reaches more collectors for rare and signed books. Buyback sites pay less but pay right away, and our list of places to sell used textbooks compares them.

Start textbooks with a buyback quote from BooksRun or a similar site. For a mixed pile of books, DVDs and games, Decluttr gives an instant quote. Half Price Books makes a cash offer at the counter with no shipping. Its offer is the lowest of the group, so make it your last stop.

Is PangoBooks Worth It?

PangoBooks is worth it for readers who want more than a buyback site pays for popular books. It also works for buyers who want used copies at a discount. We rate it 3.8 out of 5. Free listings, prepaid labels and buyer protection make it an easy way to make money from home, while the 20% fee and slow payouts hold the score down.

Who Should Use PangoBooks

• Readers with a shelf of popular fiction, series or recent nonfiction in good shape
• Buyers who want used copies and don’t mind Media Mail delivery times
• Sellers willing to list books one at a time and wait for the right buyer

Who Should Skip It

• Students with recent textbooks, who will get a faster, surer price from a buyback site
• Anyone with rare or signed books, which reach more collectors on eBay
• People who need cash this week, since earnings post 72 hours after delivery

If your first few listings sell, PangoBooks can become a steady source of small payouts. Pair it with other side hustles for students to build income faster.

PangoBooks FAQs

How Long Does PangoBooks Take To Pay Out?

PangoBooks releases earnings 72 hours after the buyer receives the book. A PayPal transfer arrives instantly, and a bank deposit takes 3 to 7 business days. With Media Mail transit time, a payout can land one to two weeks after the sale, so plan for that delay in your college budget.

What Happens If A Buyer Says A Book Arrived Damaged?

The buyer has 72 hours after delivery to file an issue report with photos. PangoBooks holds the seller’s earnings for that order during its review, which takes about 3 to 5 business days. Clear photos and honest condition notes are a seller’s best defense on PangoBooks and on Poshmark.

What Do Buyers Pay On PangoBooks?

Buyers pay the book price, shipping and any sales tax their state requires. Shipping starts at $4.99 for USPS Media Mail, and some sellers waive it once your cart passes their free-shipping minimum. Buying several books from one shop is an easy way to save money in college on reading.

Can You Sell E-Books On PangoBooks?

No, PangoBooks only allows physical books and book-related items such as bookmarks, magazines and comics. E-books, PDFs and photocopies are banned. Writers who want to earn from digital work can look at ways to get paid to write.

How Do You Contact PangoBooks?

You can message PangoBooks from an order in the app, use the chat in its help center or email support@pangobooks.com. Keep every conversation about an order inside the app so PangoBooks’ protection still applies. Report any buyer or seller who asks to move the deal to Venmo, Zelle or PayPal.

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Democrats won control of both the House and the Senate on November 3, and the new Congress won’t be sworn in until January 3, 2027. That leaves Republicans a short window of unified control to take action – and they have some pressing items that need to be addressed next month. Our breakdown of what the Democratic sweep means for student loans highlights what we expect will happen next year.

There is a critical must-pass item coming up: government funding. Lawmakers return today and have a December 11 deadline, and missing it would trigger a government shutdown that hits student loans and financial aid right before Christmas.

Some Republicans also want one last party-line bill before they lose power, which could touch the debt ceiling and taxes.

When Does The Government Shut Down If Congress Doesn’t Act?

Federal funding expires after December 11, 2026. The stopgap law signed September 2 keeps agencies running at fiscal year 2026 levels until then. Congress has to pass full-year spending bills or another continuing resolution before that date. Until it does, Education Department programs run at last year’s funding levels.

House and Senate appropriators had been working toward a full-year deal, but that path is unclear. Another short-term continuing resolution looks like the most likely outcome. A full-year education bill matters for families because it sets money for Federal Work-Study, TRIO and Pell Grants, and the House version would end subsidized student loans to pay for a Pell Grant increase.

The politics cut both ways. Funding deadlines are one of the few checks Democrats will hold over President Trump next year, so Republicans have a reason to lock in longer-term funding now. Democrats have the opposite incentive, since a short deadline gives them leverage once they hold the gavels and pursue their Pell Grant and student loan agenda.

What Happens To Student Loans, Pell Grants And The FAFSA If There Is A December Shutdown?

Federal student loan payments must continue due during a government shutdown, and Pell Grants and Direct Loans keep flowing. The Education Department pays for those programs through mandatory and carryover funding, so spring semester disbursements in January should go out on schedule. That’s what happened during the 43-day shutdown in fall 2025, when student loan payments and financial aid disbursements continued.

Student loan servicers are private contractors, so they stay open. They keep processing payments, deferments and income-driven repayment plan applications. Federal workers who stop getting paychecks can recertify their income to lower their student loan payment, which an unexpected benefit.

Work that needs an Education Department employee is what stops. That includes final PSLF discharges, Direct Consolidation Loan approvals and the Federal Student Aid ombudsman. In fall 2025, the department furloughed about 87% of its staff and laid off 466 employees during the shutdown. Its court-ordered income-driven repayment backlog reports were also delayed until after it reopened.

The FAFSA stays open, and processing is largely automated. Help desk support and issue resolution slow down, which matters because some state deadlines arrive fast. Texas has a January 15, 2027 priority date, according to our list of 2027-28 FAFSA deadlines.

How Would A Shutdown Affect The IRS And The 2027 Tax Filing Season?

A December shutdown would hit the IRS while it updates forms and tests systems for the 2027 tax filing season. During the October 2025 shutdown, the agency used leftover Inflation Reduction Act money to stay fully staffed for five business days. It then furloughed about 34,000 of its 74,000 employees and kept filing season preparation running as much as possible.

The cushion is smaller now. The fiscal 2026 spending deal cut the IRS budget to $11.2 billion and rescinded $11.7 billion of the roughly $20.7 billion left from the Inflation Reduction Act. The current stopgap protects what remains from another rescission. We haven’t seen a Treasury contingency plan for this deadline yet, so it’s unclear whether the IRS would use that money again. Our 2027 filing season overview covers what else changes this year.

Tax obligations don’t pause because the government shutdown. The fourth-quarter estimated payment is still due January 15, 2027. The last long shutdown didn’t push back the start of filing season either, and the IRS opened the 2026 season on January 26 as our IRS refund calendar shows.

What Happened During The 2018-2019 Holiday Shutdown?

The closest precedent began December 22, 2018, and lasted 35 days. The IRS was shut down, but the Education Department wasn’t, because its fiscal 2019 funding had already passed. FAFSA processing and Pell Grant payments ran normally that winter. This time both agencies run on the same stopgap, so both would close together.

The IRS still opened filing season on January 28, 2019 and paid refunds, after earlier shutdown plans had held them. It recalled about 46,000 employees to work without pay. Service suffered anyway, and the IRS answered only 48% of calls in the first week of filing season, according to the National Taxpayer Advocate’s report.

That backlog is one reason some tax refunds run late after a shutdown.

Could Republicans Pass A Third Reconciliation Bill Before January?

It’s possible, but the votes and the calendar are tight. Reconciliation lets a bill pass the Senate with a simple majority, and Republicans used it in 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) that created RAP and capped Parent PLUS borrowing. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has called another reconciliation bill difficult, and he can lose only three Republican votes.

Ideas floated so far include Iran war funding, a debt limit increase, voting restrictions, and cryptocurrency policy. The debt limit drives most of it. Raising the limit through the end of President Trump’s term would keep Democrats from using it as leverage in 2027, and the limit could be reached as soon as February. Our coverage explains what happens when the U.S. hits the debt ceiling.

The process is complicated. The House-passed budget resolution includes no tax instructions, so the Senate would need to rewrite it and send it back. Attendance is another headwind, since retiring and defeated members may not stay through December. Tax options that fit reconciliation rules include extending expiring provisions, gambling losses, digital assets and retirement savings.

It’s unclear which, if any, would make the cut, so plan your 2026 return around the deductions already in law.

No student loan proposals are part of the reconciliation talk. The 2025 law already made the big changes, and the current repayment plan options stay in place.

What Should Families And Borrowers Do Before December 11?

1. Keep paying your student loans. Servicers stay open in a shutdown. Federal workers who lose pay should recertify income instead of using forbearance.
2. File the 2027-28 FAFSA now. Submitting before December 11 gives you time to fix problems while help desks are fully staffed, and our step-by-step FAFSA walkthrough covers every question.
3. Expect delays on consolidation and PSLF approvals. Final sign offs require the Department of Education.
4. Get ready to file early in 2027. E-file with direct deposit, and compare options in our best tax software rankings.
5. Plan around current law. Our analysis of what a Democratic Congress can change shows most proposals still need President Trump’s signature.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will My Student Loan Payments Pause If The Government Shuts Down?

No. Federal student loan servicers are contractors and stay open during a shutdown, so payments remain due. Missed payments can still be reported to credit bureaus during a shutdown.

Will A December Shutdown Delay My 2027 Tax Refund?

A short shutdown probably wouldn’t, since the IRS usually opens filing season in late January. A long one could slow phone help and correspondence, as it did in 2019. Refunds that claim the Earned Income Tax Credit are held until mid-February under the PATH Act refund rules.

Will Pell Grants Still Pay Out For The Spring Semester?

Yes. Pell Grants and Direct Loans are funded outside annual appropriations, so they kept disbursing during the 2025 shutdown. Delays are more likely for problems that need Education Department staff to resolve.

The post December 11 Shutdown Deadline: What It Means For Student Loans, The FAFSA And Tax Refunds appeared first on The College Investor.

Foyer Home Savings is an app-based savings account for people buying their first home. Foyer calls it the “401(k) for homeownership” because it matches part of every dollar you deposit, the way an employer matches retirement contributions.

The account has changed a lot since our last review. The old 2% match is now 3% or 6% depending on your membership, and the top tier costs $99 a year. Its APY also sits below the best high-yield savings accounts we track daily. We ran the numbers to show when the match pays off and when a plain savings account wins.

What Is Foyer Home Savings?

Foyer Home Savings is a First Time Homebuyer Savings Account (FHSA) from Foyer, a fintech company founded by Landy Liu. It pays interest like a high-yield savings account and adds a deposit match you can put toward a home purchase.

Foyer isn’t a bank. Your deposits sit at 1st Security Bank, Member FDIC, which provides the banking services behind the app. Foyer earns money from membership fees and from partner agents and lenders. That’s why the app also walks you through the home buying process and connects you with its partners.

The company has grown since launch. It raised a $6.2 million seed round in January 2025, and Prosperity Home Mortgage began offering Foyer to its future borrowers through a national partnership announced in February 2026. That kind of lender tie-in matters most if you’re also figuring out how to buy a house with student loan debt.

How Much Does Foyer Pay In 2026?

Foyer pays 3.58% APY to Foyer+ members, effective September 16, 2026. The rate is variable, so it can change after you open the account. That’s more than nine times the 0.38% national average the FDIC reports, but it trails the 4.40% top rate in our daily savings rate tracking as of November 8, 2026.

Foyer doesn’t post a current APY for the free Basic tier on its main pages. If you’re choosing on rate alone, our list of the best high-yield savings accounts will beat either tier.

How The Foyer Match Works

Foyer matches 6% of deposits for Foyer+ members and 3% for Foyer Basic members, on the first $10,000 deposited each year. That caps the match at $600 a year with Foyer+ and $300 a year with Basic. Deposit $5,000 into Foyer+ and you earn $300 in match rewards, plus interest on the full balance.

The match shows up as Foyer Rewards in the app, not as cash in your balance. Think of it like an unvested 401(k) match, since you only keep it if you meet the rules below.

When You Can Use The Match

You can redeem Foyer Rewards once you finish Foyer’s Home Preparation Program and have been a customer for at least 90 days before your scheduled closing. You also need a signed purchase agreement, which you upload in the Foyer app. The rewards then go toward your down payment or closing costs.

That 90-day rule is the detail to plan around. Open the account at least three months before you expect to close. That lead time also gives you room to check how student loans affect getting a mortgage before you apply.

What Does Foyer Cost?

Foyer+ costs $99 a year or $19 a month, and Foyer Basic is free. Pay annually if you choose Foyer+, since 12 monthly payments add up to $228. Foyer also lists fees for certain transactions in its Account Agreement.

The fee changes the math on small balances. Foyer+ needs $1,650 in deposits a year before the 6% match covers the $99 fee. Foyer+ beats Basic once you deposit more than $3,300 a year, because that’s where the extra 3% match tops $99. Savers putting away less than that should start with Basic or a no-fee high-yield savings account.

Foyer+ also lists over $2,350 in agent and lender savings. That figure is Foyer’s example of a $1,000 lender credit plus a $1,350 agent rebate on a $400,000 home, so your savings depend on using Foyer’s partners. Compare any partner offer with quotes from other lenders, the same way you would when shopping for a mortgage with student loans.

Is The Foyer Match Worth More Than A Higher APY?

Yes, if you buy a home and redeem the match. No, if you don’t. We compared Foyer+ against a 4.40% APY savings account, the top rate in our savings rate tracking as of November 8, 2026. Each saver deposits $833 a month at unchanged rates. The Foyer+ saver also pays the $99 annual fee.

After one year, the Foyer+ saver who buys a home comes out $457 ahead of the 4.40% account. After two years, the lead grows to $829. A saver who opens Foyer+ and never buys ends up $143 behind after one year and $371 behind after two, because they paid fees and earned less interest. That’s the trade with Foyer, and it’s why the account fits people with a real plan for buying their first home.

The match also shortens your timeline a little. Saving $833 a month for a 3.5% down payment on a $400,000 home ($14,000) takes about 16 months with Foyer+, compared with about 17 months in a 4.40% account. One month faster won’t change your life, but the extra $800 in match rewards can cover part of your closing costs.

How Does Foyer Compare To High-Yield Savings Accounts?

Foyer pays less interest than top online banks but adds a match no bank account offers. The table below compares both Foyer tiers with the top account from our best high-yield savings accounts list.

CIT Platinum Savings works well for down payment money if your purchase is more than two years out or your plans are uncertain. Nothing is forfeited if you change course, and the account has no monthly fees.

Pibank had the highest rate we track as of November 8, 2026, at 4.40% APY, with no minimum deposit and no monthly fees. Pibank is app-only with no ATM access, which doesn’t matter much for money you plan to leave alone until closing.

Which States Offer Tax Breaks For A Foyer FHSA?

According to Foyer, 10 states offer tax benefits for First Time Homebuyer Savings Accounts: Alabama, Colorado, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Oregon and Virginia. Foyer says it helps you claim these state benefits based on where you live. Residents of other states can still open the account and earn the match.

State FHSA rules come with strings. Foyer notes that withdrawing money without buying a home may trigger penalties in states with tax benefits. Check your state’s rules before you deduct contributions, and look into local down payment assistance programs while you’re at it, since many pair well with first-time home buying programs.

Is Foyer Safe?

Your deposits are FDIC-insured up to $250,000 through 1st Security Bank, Member FDIC. Foyer previously used Pacific West Bank, so older reviews may list the wrong partner bank. FDIC insurance covers the failure of the bank, not the failure of Foyer itself.

That difference matters. When the fintech middleman Synapse collapsed in 2024, customers of several fintech apps lost access to their money even though partner banks held the funds. Foyer uses the same fintech-plus-partner-bank setup. Keep your Foyer balance under $250,000 and confirm the partner bank on the FDIC’s BankFind tool. Our coverage of Evolve Bank’s Synapse payouts shows how long recovery can take when records break down.

What Do Foyer Savings Reviews Say?

Foyer Home Savings has a 4.9 out of 5 rating from 429 reviews on the Apple App Store. Reviewers mostly praise the automatic match, the savings plan tools and the agent and lender connections. App store ratings skew positive, so weigh them alongside the match rules covered in our first-time home buying 101 overview.

Customer service has improved since our 2024 review, when Foyer only offered email and in-app support. Foyer now lists a phone line at 888-295-6590, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern, plus email at hello@foyersavings.com.

How Do I Open A Foyer Account?

You open a Foyer account in the iOS or Android app. After you verify your identity and link an outside bank account, you pick Foyer Basic or Foyer+. There’s no minimum to open, but Foyer asks you to reach a $100 balance within 60 days to keep the account open.

Set up recurring deposits once the account is live. Automatic transfers make it easier to hit the $10,000 match cap, the same habit we recommend for any high-yield savings account. You can make ACH withdrawals at any time without a fee, though Foyer says you may lose accrued rewards.

Who Should Use Foyer And Who Should Skip It?

Foyer fits first-time buyers who expect to close within about two years and can deposit at least $3,300 a year. It fits even better if you live in one of the 10 FHSA tax-benefit states. Borrowers balancing a down payment with student loan payments also get a structured savings plan.

Skip Foyer if you’re unsure when you’ll buy, since you lose the match if you never close. Skip it too if you already have your down payment saved. In both cases, a top high-yield savings account pays more interest with no fee and no strings.

Is Foyer Home Savings Worth It?

Foyer Home Savings is worth it for committed first-time buyers on a one- to two-year timeline. The 6% match on Foyer+ outweighs its lower APY and $99 fee once you buy. For everyone else, the redemption rules and fee make a top high-yield savings account the better place for down payment cash.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Foyer Home Savings Legit?

Yes. Foyer is a fintech company whose deposits are held at 1st Security Bank, Member FDIC, and insured up to $250,000. Like any app-based account, it relies on a partner bank, so read our coverage of the Synapse fintech collapse to understand that risk.

Can I Withdraw Money From Foyer At Any Time?

Yes. Foyer allows ACH withdrawals at any time without a fee. You may lose accrued Foyer Rewards, and residents of FHSA tax-benefit states may owe state penalties if they withdraw without buying a home.

Can I Use Foyer Savings For A Down Payment?

Yes. Your deposits and interest are yours to use whenever you want. The match rewards can go toward your down payment or closing costs once you upload a signed purchase agreement. You also need to finish the Home Preparation Program and be a customer for 90 days before closing.

Is Foyer Better Than A Roth IRA For A Down Payment?

They do different jobs. The IRS lets first-time buyers withdraw Roth IRA contributions at any time and up to $10,000 of earnings penalty-free for a first home, as IRS Publication 590-B explains. A Roth IRA is invested, so its value can fall right before you buy. Foyer holds cash, which suits money you need within a couple of years.

How Long Does It Take To Save A Down Payment With Foyer?

At $833 a month, Foyer+ gets you to $14,000, or 3.5% down on a $400,000 home, in about 16 months. A 4.40% savings account takes about 17 months for the same goal. Our first-time home buying 101 overview covers the other costs to budget for.

Does Foyer Have A Phone Number?

Yes. Foyer’s support line is 888-295-6590, open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern. You can also email hello@foyersavings.com or message the team in the app.

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Social Security’s maximum taxable earnings will rise to $192,300 in 2027, the Social Security Administration announced. That’s an increase of $7,800, or about 4.2%, from the 2026 cap of $184,500.

The update came out alongside the 3.6% Social Security COLA for 2027, the largest benefit increase since 2023.

The tax rate itself isn’t changing. Employees pay 6.2% of covered wages up to the cap, and employers pay a matching 6.2%. Under the SSA’s contribution and benefit base table, anyone earning $192,300 or more will pay $11,922.60 in 2027, up from $11,439. The 1.45% Medicare tax still applies to every dollar of pay.

Why It Matters

The SSA’s formal name for this number is the contribution and benefit base, because it sets two limits at once. It caps the pay that owes Social Security tax, and that same figure limits the earnings counted toward your future benefit. A worker who earns $250,000 in 2027 gets credit for only $192,300 on their Social Security record.

Most workers won’t see any change from the new cap. Roughly 6% of covered workers earn above the taxable maximum in a given year, according to SSA research on taxable maximum earners. The agency projects almost 20% of current and future workers will cross it in at least one year.

For everyone else, the bigger 2027 change is the inflation update to the 2027 federal tax brackets.

How Much Social Security Tax Will You Pay In 2027?

You’ll pay 6.2% of covered wages up to $192,300, so the most any employee owes in 2027 is $11,922.60 if you make or exceed the limit. Workers earning under $184,500 pay the same Social Security tax on the same salary as in 2026. Only pay between $184,500 and $192,300 is newly taxed, which caps the increase at $483.60.

You can see how payroll taxes stack up with income tax in our federal income tax calculator.

High earners also see bigger paychecks late in the year. A worker earning $250,000 and paid every two weeks reaches $192,300 on the 20th paycheck of 2027. Social Security withholding stops for the last six checks, so each one keeps about $596 more.

Employers keep withholding the 1.45% Medicare tax, plus the 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax on wages above $200,000.

What If You’re Self-Employed Or Work Two Jobs?

Self-employed workers pay both halves, so the Social Security portion of self-employment tax is 12.4% on net earnings up to $192,300. That puts the 2027 maximum at $23,845.20, up $967.20 from 2026. The IRS applies self-employment tax to 92.35% of net earnings. That means you’d need about $208,230 in net profit to reach the cap.

If you have a W-2 job and a side business, your wages count toward the cap first. Schedule SE subtracts those wages, so side income owes the 12.4% only on the room left under $192,300.

Freelancers near the cap should rerun their quarterly side hustle tax payments for 2027, since the higher base can add up to $967.20.

Workers with two employers can overpay. Each employer withholds Social Security tax on its own wages up to $192,300, so combined withholding can top $11,922.60. A midyear job switch can trigger it, since a new employer starts withholding from zero no matter what’s on your Form W-4. You get the excess back as a credit on your federal return.

What Does The 2027 Change Mean For Students And New Workers?

The cap won’t touch most students or new graduates, but a companion number will. One Social Security credit takes $1,970 of covered earnings in 2027, and $7,880 earns the maximum four credits for the year. You need 40 credits to qualify for retirement benefits, which takes at least 10 years of work. A summer job or one of the best side hustles for college students can clear $7,880 in a year.

Some campus jobs don’t count toward those credits. Wages covered by the IRS student FICA exception skip Social Security tax, so they don’t earn credits. Self-employed students do earn credits, since net side hustle income of $400 or more owes self-employment tax.

How This Connects

The higher wage base lands next to two other 2027 updates we’ve covered. Retirees get a 3.6% COLA starting in January, and the IRS raised the 2027 tax brackets about 3.2% for inflation. The wage base rose faster, at 4.2%, because it tracks the national average wage from 2024 to 2025 rather than consumer prices.

Student loan borrowers on income-driven repayment plans should know which taxes touch their payment. For W-2 workers, Social Security tax doesn’t lower adjusted gross income, so it doesn’t lower an IDR payment. A traditional 401k contribution does lower AGI, though it doesn’t reduce Social Security tax, as our income tax calculator notes.

What’s Next

The $192,300 cap applies to wages paid starting January 1, 2027. High earners should check their late-2027 pay stubs, and job switchers should compare box 4 on every W-2 when they file in early 2028.

The SSA will set the 2028 cap in October 2027 using 2026 national wage data. Watch for the IRS’s 2027 retirement plan limits too, which we track on our 401k contribution limits page.

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