The United States tax code has generally been pretty generous with homeowners, but things changed a little bit with the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Now some homeowners may face higher federal tax bills for 2018 than in previous years — and in some cases, that bill will be significantly higher. Why are homeowners at […]
There are plenty of important social programs in this country, but none takes the cake like Social Security. Each month, close to 63 million people receives a Social Security benefit check, many of which are senior citizens. For these aged beneficiaries, more than 3 out of 5 rely on their payout for at least half […]
If you’re getting close to putting full-time work behind you, make sure you give the financial implications of that step more than just a passing once-over. Whether you’re viewing the next phase as retirement, semi-retirement or an unknown adventure, the transition is prone to delivering surprises if you don’t explore how your decisions going forward […]
It is as reliable as your alarm clock. Every time the stock market suffers a swoon, slump or downright rout, financial experts appear in the media to reassure investors that a charging knight is about to ride to their rescue. That knight? Billions or even trillions of dollars that are being held “on the sidelines” […]
Americans are generally upbeat about their progress toward saving for retirement, as well as their prospects for a comfortable retirement. Most are stashing a respectable chunk of their income in savings and getting financial advice. But health costs both before and after retirement are a concern. Those are some of the conclusions from a new […]
Adapt to Tax Law Changes The new tax law changed some traditional financial-planning strategies. Fewer people will be itemizing their income tax deductions now that the standard deduction has almost doubled, which means that they need to use a new strategy to get a tax break for their charitable gifts. See Tax Strategies for Charitable […]
The holidays are a time for celebration— but they also spawn litigation. The new year consistently brings batches of new lawsuits fueled by holiday revelry that goes wrong or snaps long-strained marriages, according to attorneys and experts. “Three things are guaranteed: Death, taxes and me bringing a lawsuit based on drinking on New Year’s Eve,” […]
Financial resolutions may come close to exercise-based ones when people decide what to work on in the new year. That makes sense, because even people who are smart about their money sometimes do dumb things with it. Improving your finances, however, is a lot like getting in shape. You’re better off setting small, manageable goals […]
Becoming a more valued and respected employee often boils down to changing some of your personal behavior. If you want your career to move in a positive direction during the coming year, here are a few key habits to get into. 1. Maintain a tidy desk The less physical clutter you have around you, the […]
There’s no time quite like the New Year to shake things up and set yourself new goals. For many, that can mean pursuing a different role at work — or looking for a new job entirely — and this year could be a better time for it than most. With unemployment in the U.S. at […]
With stock returns in the red this year, people are generally advised to leave their investments alone until they recover. That can be hard with a 529 college savings plan if you expected to tap the account for a tuition bill due in a few months or weeks. The state-sponsored investment plans encourage parents to […]
Investors might have gotten used to a nearly decade-long bull market, and they may not know how to handle anything else. That will likely change soon. The stock market has seen record gains since the Great Recession in 2008, but many believe a downturn is looming. The Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA, +4.98% and S&P […]
