Many states pay unemployment benefits to workers at a level below the federal minimum wage. That may leave families with little income to pay bills at a time when many are no longer receiving a federal unemployment subsidy and jobs are scarce. Workers with existing health conditions may also fear returning to work due to […]
Category: Personal Finance
IRS updates cryptocurrency tax guidance
The IRS issued new guidance clarifying how cryptocurrencies are treated for tax purposes when they are received in exchange for certain services. The tax agency recently released a memorandum stating that an individual who receives digital currency through a crowdsourcing platform in exchange for providing a service should report the convertible virtual currency as ordinary […]
Majority of workers expect their ‘retirement’ to include a job, survey shows
For many workers, a traditional retirement is not part of their plans. Among baby boomers still in the workforce, 59% expect to keep working into retirement, a new study from Voya Financial shows. For Generation X, that share is 60% and for millennials, 49%. Overall, 54% of all workers say their retirement years will include […]
Americans are saving more than just money by not commuting
The pandemic lockdown has killed the work commute. And as the number of miles people travel every day has collapsed, commuters have saved themselves billions of dollars. In June, Americans traveled nearly 37 billion — yes, billion — fewer miles than in the same month last year, according to the Federal Highway Administration. Usually, the […]
Don’t leave your retirement savings behind when you switch jobs
However, leaving and ignoring your old 401(k) retirement assets is like putting money in a box under your bed and forgetting it’s there. You need to create a plan for that money and find ways to reinvest it. And in these uncertain times, when so many people are leaving or changing jobs, the question becomes more urgent: What should I do […]
65% of workers plan to work in retirement; surprisingly few actually do
For many Americans, their vision of retirement doesn’t include long days gardening, or sunning on the beach. Instead, it involves more work — either because of jobs they enjoy or, more commonly, financial need. Research from Allianz Life shows an estimated 65% of people think it’s likely they’ll work either part time or full time in retirement. […]
Why Retirement Investors Must Focus on ESG Investing
Retirement investing is a long-term play. Even if you’re late getting started with your retirement savings, your portfolio should be around for four decades or more. That extended timeline is one reason why ESG investing fits nicely into your retirement savings plan. ESG investing involves evaluating a company’s performance on environmental, social, and governance issues […]
Tricky Divorce Issue: How to Divide 401(k)s, IRAs and Annuities
Many things occupy your mind during a divorce. Understandably, taxes can likely fall to the bottom of the list. But there are critical tax considerations that should be evaluated, particularly when it comes to dividing qualified assets, such as 401(k)s, IRAs and annuities. Dividing 401(k)s and Pensions Dividing 401(k)s and pensions can seem quite complex […]
3 Signs You Aren’t Ready to Retire
Retirement should be a reward for a lifetime of labor, but for far too many Americans, it’s a time of belt-tightening and financial worries because they leave work before making sure they’re financially prepared. To avoid this mistake, watch for these three key signs you’re not ready to retire yet. 1. You don’t have a […]
Here’s how much cash you should have saved at every age
How much you should be saving for retirement is an age-old question that just about everybody wants to know. While the answer has a lot to do with when you plan to retire and the type of lifestyle you want to have in retirement, there are some general guidelines that you can follow at every […]
How to Be Reunited With Your Long-Lost Money
Are you owed money you don’t even know about? You might be, if your name is in an unclaimed property database. Each year, billions of dollars from forgotten security deposits, refunds, uncashed paychecks and even old bank accounts are reported to state agencies. And each year, according to the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators, […]
Want to retire in 2021? 3 tips to make that happen
Many people estimate their retirement date well in advance and hope that somehow, things all work out. But what if your anticipated retirement date is next year — as in, the year following the nightmare that is 2020? Right now, the economy is stuck in a recession, and while the stock market has recovered from its […]