Personal finance

People walk past the Federal Reserve building on March 19, 2021 in Washington, DC. Olivier Douliery | AFP | Getty Images The Federal Reserve said Wednesday it will keep its benchmark interest rate near zero to continue to support the economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. It’s been over a year since the central bank slashed

Representative Tom Suozzi, a Democrat from New York, speaks during a news conference announcing the State and Local Taxes (SALT) Caucus outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, April 15, 2021. Sarah Silbiger | Bloomberg | Getty Images Calls to end the $10,000 cap on state and local tax deductions are growing from

FatCamera Retirees concerned about inflation eroding the value of their money may want to consider hedging against the possibility. Treasury inflation-protected securities, or TIPS, could be an appropriate option.  Like typical Treasury bonds, TIPS are issued and backed by the U.S. government. However, they operate a bit differently. And depending on how you use them,

MoMo Productions | DigitalVision | Getty Images A House bill proposed Tuesday aims to make recent enhancements to the child tax credit permanent. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass., chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and gatekeeper of new tax legislation, issued a bill that would codify changes made by the recent $1.9 trillion American

In this article CSGH Narisara Nami | Moment | Getty Images Young investors are piling into stocks. Yet before you follow their lead, there are several things you should do first. Otherwise, you could get burned. “Sometimes the shiny object or the stock that is being flashed around the screen or talked about on Twitter

In this article IRSA3-AR Audrey Saracco / EyeEm If you’re still waiting on your $1,400 stimulus check, it could be in the mail. The government announced last week it had sent a sixth batch of stimulus checks. This time, that included more paper checks than direct deposit payments. Of the 2 million checks that were

President Joe Biden and First lady Jill Biden walk on the Ellipse near the White House on April 25, 2021. Tasos Katopodis | Getty Images News | Getty Images Roughly 75% of U.S. stock investors wouldn’t be subject to an increase in the capital-gains tax rate due to the types of accounts they own, according

Along with Clorox wipes and toilet paper, the demand for backyard swimming pools has skyrocketed since the start of the pandemic. Across the country, swimming pool and hot tub suppliers struggled to meet a sudden wave of demand. But putting in a pool is a pricey proposition, and not everyone who wanted to swim could

Real estate agents Rosa Arrigo, center, and Elisa Rosen, right, work an open house in West Hempstead, New York on April 18, 2021. Newsday LLC | Newsday | Getty Images In this red-hot real estate market, it’s tough for buyers to land a deal. Supply is low, which is pushing prices higher. The median price

In this article APO HIG ALL mdphoto16 | E+ | Getty Images Private equity firms are buying up insurers — and the policies they hold — at a feverish pace. Some groups, namely financial advisors, fear the trend may be bad for consumers who own annuity and life insurance contracts. Critics are concerned the buyers

fotostorm If you’re missing one or more stimulus check payments, there is still time to claim the money. But the deadline is fast approaching. The IRS is urging individuals who still have not received their stimulus checks, or received less than they anticipated, to file a federal tax return to claim it. This year, the

Marcos Osorio / 500px | 500Px Plus | Getty Images The Travel Corporation, which owns and operates 40 travel brands — including guided vacation companies, hotels and transportation providers — has announced a five-step Climate Action Plan to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030 and continue existing efforts to achieve its corporate sustainability goals. The plan,

In this article .COVID19 It is increasingly likely that students returning to college campuses in the fall will be required to get the Covid-19 vaccine. In just the last few days, California State University and the University of California announced that all students, staff and faculty who plan to be on campus must be vaccinated

chanakon laorob | iStock | Getty Images Student debt can impact so many aspects of a person’s life, from the careers they pursue to if and when they’re able to purchase a home. So it’s no wonder that a lot of people feel stuck in limbo as President Joe Biden and other elected officials debate

Al Drago | Getty Images President Joe Biden is expected to propose doubling the tax rate wealthy Americans pay on investment returns when they sell stocks and other assets. But investors shouldn’t necessarily rush for the exits, according to financial experts. Under Biden’s proposal, the federal capital-gains tax rate would be as high as 43.4%

In 2020, when the world suddenly ground to a halt, most people postponed or canceled all of their plans due to the coronavirus crisis.  Many were issued vouchers or credits good for a future date. Now, one year later, those credits have likely expired — or are about to. More than half of all adults, or

Mint Images – Tim Robbins Repealing the $10,000 state and local tax deduction cap is likely to have uneven results for Americans. In fact, Black families are 42% less likely and Hispanic families are 33% less likely than white ones to see a tax break from a SALT cap repeal, according to a recent analysis

Jamie Grill | Getty Images The IRS may start issuing monthly payments of the enhanced child tax credit as soon as July. But some recipients may have to pay back a portion of those funds at tax time next year. The American Rescue Plan directed the federal government to issue advance payments of the child

eyecrave | E+ | Getty Images A majority of American teenagers believe that one of the biggest challenges to achieving financial success is the cost of higher education, a survey from Junior Achievement finds. They are also concerned about a general lack of understanding of how money, investing and the economy works, with 46% citing

Outdoor dining tents under constructions in Arlington, Virginia, on Feb. 5, 2021. Liu Jie/Xinhua via Getty More than 300,000 Americans lost unemployment benefits prematurely during the Covid pandemic, according to a study published Tuesday by the California Policy Lab. That’s due to a way many states account for unemployed workers, which has understated the severity