Personal finance

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange during morning trading on December 13, 2023 in New York City. Michael M. Santiago | Getty Images The stock market is having a holiday party. But financial advisors urge investors to use caution for before joining in. “Don’t fall prey to irrational exuberance,” said

Valentinrussanov | E+ | Getty Images Retirement balances for midcareer workers declined between 2019 and 2022, despite gains on financial assets like stocks over that period, according to new research. However, the loss isn’t necessarily as bad as it may initially seem, financial experts said. Median combined 401(k) plans and individual retirement account balances for

Shohei Ohtani, formerly of the Los Angeles Angels, pitches during a game in Anaheim, California, on July 6, 2021. Daniel Shirey | Major League Baseball | Getty Images Shohei Ohtani made history this week with a 10-year, $700 million contract to play for Major League Baseball’s Los Angeles Dodgers. The deal’s unique payout structure, however,

Thomas Barwick | Stone | Getty Images Inflation has been falling gradually across the U.S. economy. This process, known as disinflation, means prices for consumer goods and services are rising but at a slower pace than they had been. However, inflation has actually turned negative in some sectors, like energy. Deflation, as this dynamic is

Westend61 | Westend61 | Getty Images If the current stock market rally added profits to your portfolio, a lesser-known strategy could help rebalance your assets or reduce future taxes. The strategy, known as tax-gain harvesting, allows you to leverage lower earning years by strategically selling profitable brokerage account assets. “Tax gain harvesting is like a

Fizkes | Istock | Getty Images There’s one piece of good news for student loan borrowers bummed out by the resumption of their bills this fall: They may be eligible for a break on their 2023 taxes. The student loan interest deduction allows qualifying borrowers to deduct up to $2,500 a year in interest paid

Anchiy | E+ | Getty Images While most Americans say couples should talk about money honestly before living together, Gen Z and millennials believe the conversation should happen way sooner. Nearly a third, 32%, of Gen Z adults and 40% of millennials say an honest conversation about your finances and long-term goals should happen before

If it seems like your paycheck disappears as quickly as it hits your bank account, you’re not alone. More than 60% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck as of September 2023, according to a LendingClub report. Even people in higher income brackets are affected. More than half of Americans earning over $100,000 a year live

Only 41% of investors with more than $1 million have a plan for passing on their wealth to future generations, UBS says. kate_sept2004 via Getty Images As retirees consider their legacy, a popular income tax-saving strategy has become more common, experts say. The strategy, known as a Roth individual retirement account conversion, transfers pretax or nondeductible

The Federal Reserve is expected to announce it will leave rates unchanged at the end of its two-day meeting this week after recent signs the economy is in fairly good shape and as inflation continues to drift lower. “While there’s been talk about an imminent recession going back to early last year, the U.S. economy has

D3sign | Moment | Getty Images More retirement savers have taken loans from their 401(k) accounts over the past year, suggesting that U.S. households are borrowing more readily as they feel the pinch of inflation, experts said. “I think 401(k) loans — like credit card debt — are kind of leading indicators of economic stress

In this article MTCH BMBL Follow your favorite stocksCREATE FREE ACCOUNT D3sign | Moment | Getty Images Channing Muller moved to Chicago in May from Chattanooga, Tennessee. Her main goal in the new city was to find a partner. Already a Bumble user, before long, she was subscribed to three more dating apps: The League,

Momo Productions | Digitalvision | Getty Images Over the last three years, while student loan payments were on pause, many borrowers probably thought, “I could get used to this.” Fortunately, you may be able to finish paying off your student debt sooner than you thought, experts say. They shared tips on how to make that

Fg Trade | E+ | Getty Images Unlike younger adults, those in their 30s oftentimes have more financial responsibilities on their plate. “The 30s can be sometimes more stressful because your responsibilities have gone up and you’re still not at your earnings potential of your 40s and 50s,” said certified financial planner Shaun Williams, partner

A young woman receives help from a financial advisor. Richvintage | E+ | Getty Images It can be far too easy for adults in their 20s to overlook retirement altogether. After all, it’s still decades away, with many other shorter-term goals — such as buying a home or paying off student debt — closer on

zimmytws | iStock | Getty Images There’s renewed focus on the Social Security retirement age, thanks to recent Republican presidential debates. The Social Security board of trustees projects the program’s combined funds will run out in 2034, when just 80% of benefits may be payable. To prevent that, lawmakers may generally raise taxes, cut benefits

Westend61 | Westend61 | Getty Images You may want to think twice before scanning that QR code. The codes — a digital jumble of black and white squares, often used for storing URLs — have become seemingly ubiquitous, found on restaurant menus and in retail stores, for example. However, they can pose risks for the

Taiwanese woman walking down the city street with umbrella and coffee on a rainy day Mixetto | E+ | Getty Images For a couple of years, stocks have largely had an inverse relationship with economic data. The better the numbers have been — whether weekly jobless claims, consumer sentiment or housing starts — the worse

U.S. President Joe Biden gestures as he delivers remarks on aid to Ukraine from the White House in Washington, U.S., December 6, 2023.  Kevin Lamarque | Reuters The Biden administration announced Wednesday that it would forgive an additional $4.8 billion in student loan debt, for 80,300 borrowers. The relief is a result of the U.S.

Morsa Images | Digitalvision | Getty Images About 8 million Americans rely on federal benefits that provide income to the elderly, blind and disabled who have little or no income or resources. Yet the program — Supplemental Security Income, or SSI — has not been updated in about 40 years. A bill called the SSI