Personal finance

Leopatrizi | E+ | Getty Images If you need a tax preparer for the 2025 filing season, now is the time to start looking, experts say. Finding a preparer could take longer amid the industry’s staffing shortage, particularly for areas of specialty expertise, such as cryptocurrency or international taxes. “I would absolutely 100% recommend starting

The author paid a company, Renewable Recycling, to pick up and recycle his queen-size mattress in New York City. Greg Iacurci I paid $95 to recycle a mattress. It may sound odd, silly even, to pay so much to dispose of a run-of-the-mill household item. But the economics of mattress recycling illustrate why it can

Ivy League architecture at Princeton University. Loop Images | Getty Images At the nation’s top schools, including many in the Ivy League, acceptance rates hover near all-time lows. “College admissions only ever gets more competitive and there’s a lot of stress from families about the stakes and how to get in,” said Thomas Howell, the founder

Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are shown on screen during a debate watch party at the Cameo Art House Theatre in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Sept. 10, 2024. Allison Joyce | Bloomberg | Getty Images With the Social Security Administration facing a looming funding crisis over the next decade, it’s clear that the

Izusek | E+ | Getty Images Exchange-traded funds are generally known for passive strategies. But there has been a surge in actively managed ETFs as investors seek lower costs and more precision, experts say. Active ETFs represented just more than 2% of the U.S. ETF market at the beginning of 2019. But these funds have

Voters work on their ballot at a polling station at the Elena Bozeman Government Center in Arlington, Virginia, on September 20, 2024. – | Afp | Getty Images Many investors worry about how the outcome of the presidential election will impact their investments. But there’s another risk financial advisors are focused on — public debt,

Asiavision | E+ | Getty Images Between higher prices and high interest rates, some Americans have had a hard time keeping up. As a result, many are using more of their available credit and now, nearly 2 in 5 credit cardholders — 37% — have maxed out or come close to maxing out a credit

Jacob Wackerhausen | Istock | Getty Images Starting in 2025, certain heirs with inherited individual retirement accounts must take yearly required withdrawals or face a penalty. But some non-spousal beneficiaries should consider taking distributions sooner, depending on their situation, even if annual withdrawals aren’t required, financial experts explain.  “This is about multi-year tax planning” to

Twenty47studio | Moment | Getty Images Millions of Social Security beneficiaries will benefit from the 2.5% cost-of-living adjustment for 2025, set to take effect in January. With that increase, the maximum Social Security benefit for a worker retiring at full retirement age will jump to $4,018 per month, up from $3,822 per month this year,

About 165 million Americans get their health insurance through work, and yet most don’t spend much time considering what their employer is offering in the way of benefits and what it will cost. In fact, employees only spent about 45 minutes a year, on average, deciding which benefit options suit them best, a report from Aon found. Open

Americans often splurge on gifts during the holidays. This year, holiday spending from Nov. 1 through Dec. 31 is expected to increase to a record total of $979.5 billion to $989 billion, according to the National Retail Federation. Even as credit card debt tops $1.14 trillion, holiday shoppers expect to spend, on average, $1,778, up 8% compared to

Aire Images | Moment | Getty Images Many Americans face a retirement savings shortfall. However, setting aside more money could get easier for some older workers in 2025. Enacted by Congress in 2022, the Secure Act 2.0 ushered in several retirement system improvements, including updates to 401(k) plans, required withdrawals, 529 college savings plans and

Many colleges are under financial pressure, and the cracks are starting to show. At least 20 colleges closed in 2024, and more are set to shut down after the current academic year, according to the latest tally by Implan, an economic software and analysis company. Altogether, more than 40 colleges have closed since 2020, according to

Urbazon | E+ | Getty Images The tax extension deadline has arrived and there are options if you still can’t pay your balance, tax experts say. About 19 million U.S. taxpayers filed for an extension by the April 15 tax deadline, which bumped the filing due date to Oct. 15. But taxpayers affected by natural

Morsa Images | Getty Buying a home is often the biggest financial decision you’ll ever make. It’s not just about choosing a place to live; it’s about making a long-term investment that will impact your financial future for years to come. Therefore, if you are looking to buy a home, there are certain steps you should

David Hester inspects damages of his house after Hurricane Helene made landfall in Horseshoe Beach, Florida, on September 28, 2024.  Chandan Khanna | Afp | Getty Images After a natural disaster, some victims may be eligible for tax relief — but qualifying can be tricky, tax experts say. In late September, Hurricane Helene ravaged parts

Former President Donald Trump departs following an address to the Detroit Economic Club on Oct. 10, 2024. Sarah Rice/Bloomberg via Getty Images Former President Donald Trump proposed a new tax deduction last week for car owners who pay interest on an auto loan, one of many tax breaks he has floated on the presidential campaign

Morsa Images | Digitalvision | Getty Images Medicare open enrollment for 2025 is set to begin on Tuesday. Beneficiaries have from Oct. 15 until Dec. 7 to evaluate their Medicare coverage options and select new plans for next year. Experts say it’s an important opportunity retirees should not ignore. However, just 30% of people on

Momo Productions | Stone | Getty Images Once you’ve decided that opening a Roth individual retirement account for your child is a great idea, now comes the hard part: convincing the child to save for a far-off retirement instead of spending that hard-earned money.  I have some ideas for making the case to your child. 

Mobile homes surrounded by flood water after Hurricane Milton made landfall, in St. Petersburg, Florida, U.S. October 10, 2024. Octavio Jones | Reuters If your home is temporarily uninhabitable after a natural disaster, a provision in your homeowners or renters insurance policy may help you with new lodging and other living expenses. Insured wind and