Personal finance

Children draw on top of a Treasury check prop during a rally in front of the U.S. Capitol on Dec. 13, 2021. Alex Wong | Getty Images The IRS and U.S. Department of the Treasury are ending out the final monthly child tax credit payment of the year to millions of American families Dec. 15.

mixetto | E+ | Getty Images The tax season is fast approaching — and the IRS has its eye on crypto investors.   Form 1040, which U.S. taxpayers use to file an annual income tax return, has a question about “virtual currency” near the top of the first page. Investors must report taxable 2021 transactions

ljubaphoto | E+ | Getty Images The Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated many differences between haves and have-nots in the U.S. Now, a new survey shows that it also made the savings gap more pronounced between those groups. Of those with incomes less than $50,000, 36% say they now have less savings than before the pandemic, versus

As you’re wrapping up your finances this year, you may want to take advantage of a few investment and tax strategies that could become more expensive or go away altogether in 2022. Financial advisors, retirement consultants and tax experts recommend these savvy money moves to make now — or at least by Dec. 31 —

Tetra Images | Getty Images Thousands of taxpayers may still be waiting for a tax refund on unemployment benefits collected during the Covid pandemic, as the IRS grapples with a backlog of tax returns. The American Rescue Plan Act, a pandemic relief law, waived federal tax on up to $10,200 of unemployment benefits a person

Liu Guanguan | China News Service | Getty Images News that inflation rose to a historic high in November probably comes as no surprise to retirees. But they may be in for another shock when they receive their monthly Social Security checks in January. The Social Security Administration announced in October that beneficiaries will get

In this article MRO XOM MUR krisanapong detraphiphat | Moment | Getty Images In recent years, many financial advisors have been cautious talking to clients about energy companies. So much so that it’s become almost taboo. Undoubtedly, environmental, social and corporate governance concerns have played a part, with a burgeoning number of investors now more

Milos Dimic | E+ | Getty Images If a new job is what you want in the new year, you may want to start preparing now. That’s because January and February are the best times of year to look for a job, since companies that have a calendar-year budget tend to post new positions during

XiFotos | E+ | Getty Images Inflation is not just a day-to-day worry for Americans. It is now also their top risk for retirement. A survey from Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America finds that 25% of Americans see rising inflation as the single greatest risk to their retirement plans. That’s up from 8%

Nick Emery clears mountains of snow from his driveway on March 14, 2021 in Nederland, Colorado. Helen H. Richardson | Denver Post | Getty Images This winter could be especially cold and expensive. But there are a few ways to keep your wallet full and your family warm. People who heat their homes with natural

The amount of student loan debt in the United States is $1.8 trillion dollars — and counting. The price to get an education has never been more expensive. The student loan crisis has affected a lot of students but statistics show that it disproportionately affects the Latinx community. Around 72% of Latinx students take out

Dana Neely | Taxi | Getty Images Medicare beneficiaries may already be aware that the big jump in their 2022 Part B premiums is partly due to the cost of a single drug. Yet why all enrollees are picking up the tab for Aduhelm — a controversial new medicine designed to slow cognitive decline with

It’s become impossible to ignore that prices are going up.  Last month, inflation accelerated at its fastest pace since 1982. The consumer price index, which measures the cost of a wide-ranging basket of goods, rose 0.8% for the month. Year over year, prices jumped 6.8%.  “Households are facing higher prices at every turn,” said Greg

Ines Fraile | iStock | Getty Images Over the course of the pandemic, most people’s office clothes hung in their closets, untouched. Now, with many companies announcing that they’re going fully remote post-Covid, or requiring employees to come in only a few days a week, much of that clothing may become permanently irrelevant for you.

Throughout our lives as students, we work hard to get a good education that will lead us to a solid job and fruitful career. But we aren’t prepared for what happens after graduation — responsibilities such as finding a place to live, getting that first job and paying rent and other bills. You can’t just

Sporrer/Rupp | Image Source | Getty Images How much do you think you’ll need to save for retirement? If you’re in one of these major cities, the answer will be at least $1 million to live an average lifestyle, according to MagnifyMoney. To find the amount needed to retire in each city, analysts used data

In this article CTRU bunhill | E+ | Getty Images A new exchange-traded fund aims to give investors a way to turn corporate transparency into tangible returns. The Ark Transparency ETF, which trades under the ticker CTRU, is the newest product from Ark Investment Management, led by CEO and chief investment officer Cathie Wood. The

RyanJLane | E+ | Getty Images With a rising cost of living, investors may be eyeing I bonds, an inflation-protected and nearly risk-free asset, paying a 7.12% annual rate through next April.  While I bonds have relatively low purchase limits, couples may leverage a year-end strategy to increase their holdings.    Annual inflation rose by 6.8% in

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., are warning the Biden administration that restarting student loan payments in February could drag down the economic recovery. The senators also repeated their call on President Joe Biden to cancel the debt. In March

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., outside the Senate Chambers of the Capitol on Dec. 7, 2021. Anna Moneymaker | Getty Images News | Getty Images The Senate will soon consider whether to implement a plan for a federal paid family and medical leave as part of the Build Back Better bill. Advocates are campaigning