Personal finance

Zoom In IconArrows pointing outwards This year’s tax season has turned out to be a complicated one — the American Rescue Plan made changes midseason, and the IRS pushed back the filing deadline for individual returns to May 17 from April 15. Even though most Americans have extra time to file, 32% of taxpayers are

In this article FB SFY Monitors display Bumble signage during the company’s initial public offering in front of the Nasdaq MarketSite in New York on Feb. 11. Bloomberg | Getty Images It looks like Main Street is poised to get in on an investment that’s been largely off-limits: initial public offerings. At least two trading

Robert Daly | Getty Images The Biden administration is expanding an existing pause on student loan interest and collections to include more than 1.1 million borrowers who are in default, the U.S. Department of Education announced Tuesday. The borrowers, whose defaulted loans are part of the Federal Family Education Loan program, were ineligible for the

In this article HMN Students sit behind barriers during a March 24 in-person English class at St. Anthony Catholic High School in Long Beach, California. Patrick T. Fallon | AFP | Getty Images Nothing beats being in a classroom. After a year of school closings and distance learning amid the coronavirus crisis, more than half

FG Trade | iStock | Getty Images Married? You may want to think about how claiming Social Security early would affect your spousal benefits. For starters, not all early filers can access those benefits right away. And for those who can, it may not translate into a bigger monthly check. It’s also common to misunderstand

Steven Heap/EyeEm/Getty Images The deadline to contribute to individual retirement accounts and health savings accounts is May 17, the same day that individual federal income tax returns are due, the IRS said Monday. The announcement comes after the agency postponed the filing deadline to May 17 from April 15 following increased calls for more time

kohei_hara | E+ | Getty Images There’s a good reason many people want to claim head-of-household filing status with the IRS: It’s a great deal. The head of household can claim a 50% larger standard deduction than single filers can ($18,650 vs. $12,400). They also benefit from wider tax brackets on lower income levels. For

A Social Security Administration office in San Francisco. Getty Images When the Covid-19 pandemic set in last year, one of the unintentional effects from the deep economic downturn included a potential reduction in Social Security benefits for one group of people. And now, as the U.S. economy is beginning to repair itself, signs point to

In this article PYPL EBAY Getty Images All that money you make selling stuff online? Don’t overlook the taxman. Depending on your situation, it’s possible that you’re generating income that the IRS wants to know about. And if you’re an ongoing seller, be aware that it could become harder after this year to avoid income-reporting

Me in my new living room. Source: Janna McPartland When I was 25, and knew nothing about pandemics, I made a list in a small notebook of the things I hoped to achieve in my life. One of those goals was, “To live in my own apartment by 37.” Some people may wonder: Why did

Student loan borrowers may see more relief still in the pandemic. ViT Postman | iStock | Getty Images Many people with federal student loans won’t be able to claim a popular deduction on their taxes this year. Around 12 million taxpayers take advantage of the break known as the student loan interest deduction, which allows

elenaleonova | E+ | Getty Images A quirk in eligibility rules for a new unemployment tax break may lead some married couples to wonder whether they should file separate returns, even if they typically file jointly. The short answer: Filing separately may make sense in some cases, especially when each spouse can get the maximum

In this article IRSA3-AR Luis Alvarez | DigitalVision | Getty Images Americans can get a tax break this filing season for masks, hand sanitizer, sanitizing wipes and other personal protective equipment to prevent the spread of Covid-19, the IRS announced Friday. The tax code lets taxpayers deduct medical costs that exceed 7.5% of their adjusted

Luis Alvarez/ Getty Images. Corporate America is in need of a reboot. That’s what advocates are calling for as working parents — especially women — are looking for more flexibility and other changes to help them juggle work and family life. “This pandemic has turned the workplace upside down,” said Amber Clayton, director of the

Grace Cary Washington has issued stimulus checks to about 127 million households over the past two weeks. Some payments went to those who didn’t need the money. But that’s not necessarily bad — the answer largely depends on one’s view of check targeting and how easily that can be achieved. The concept of trying to

zimmytws | iStock | Getty Images The Social Security Administration has sent information to the IRS that will help clear the way for almost 30 million people to receive their $1,400 stimulus checks, lawmakers said on Thursday. The development comes after Democratic leaders on the House Ways and Means Committee gave the agency 24 hours

RgStudio | E+ | Getty Images A second batch of $1,400 stimulus payments has been sent, bringing the total number of checks issued so far to about 127 million for a total of about $325 billion, according to the Treasury Department, IRS and Bureau of the Fiscal Service. Additional tranches will be issued in the

Wednesday is Equal Pay Day, a reminder of the persistent income inequality between men and women. Currently, women earn just 82 cents for every dollar earned by men, according to an analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data by the National Women’s Law Center. As a result, March 24 marks just how far into the new year full-time

A small business owner in Chinatown, San Francisco Source: CNBC Beginning April 6, small businesses and non-profits can apply for up to 24 months of relief, with a maximum loan amount of $500,000, the Small Business Administration announced Wednesday. The previous limit for such businesses was six months, with a maximum loan amount of $150,000.

ozgurcankaya The IRS recently extended the filing deadline for individual tax returns to May 17 from April 15. You may still want to file by the original date. That’s because the extension only applies to individual returns, from taxpayers who file an IRS Form 1040. For people who make estimated tax payments, including the self-employed