Personal finance

Joe Biden and Donald Trump 2024. Chip Somodevilla | Alex Wong | Getty Images Trillions in expiring tax breaks are at stake this election season — and those sunsets could raise taxes for most Americans after 2025 without extensions from Congress. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, or TCJA, temporarily reduced taxes for most

Maca And Naca | E+ | Getty Images Your student loan bill may get smaller next month. Here’s why: A feature of the Biden administration’s latest income-driven repayment plan that will reduce millions of borrowers’ monthly payments kicks in on July 1. For some borrowers, “it’s a dramatic drop,” said higher education expert Mark Kantrowitz.

Alvaro Gonzalez | Moment | Getty Images Despite a strong labor market, some applicants are facing more competition on the job hunt. But prolonged unemployment and lower income for 2024 could offer the chance for tax planning, experts say. One “silver lining” of a job layoff can be a temporary lower federal income tax bracket,

Andresr | E+ | Getty Images College graduates who recently received their diplomas may be dreading the next milestone: The start of their federal student loan payments. Each year, roughly 2 million people in the U.S. are awarded a bachelor’s degree, according to an analysis by higher education expert Mark Kantrowitz. Roughly 60%, or 1.2

Jamie Grill | Getty Images Mega backdoor Roth conversions can significantly boost tax-free retirement savings — but this maneuver is not available for all investors and mistakes are common, experts say. When investors make too much to save directly to a Roth individual retirement account, backdoor strategies can bypass the IRS income limits. A mega

Some Americans believe that real estate is the best long-term investment. If you’re among them, real estate investment trusts, or REITs, might be the easiest way to tap the market.  About 36% of surveyed Americans ranked real estate as the top long-term investment, more than cited stocks or mutual funds (22%), gold (18%), and savings

Justin Paget | Digitalvision | Getty Images The work-from-home trend is here to stay. Many companies have continued to let employees work remotely for at least some of the workweek — four years on from the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic — due to the win-win nature of the arrangement: Remote work is more

Sally Anscombe | Moment | Getty Images When saving for retirement, investing sooner typically boosts growth over time. But you can lose money by maxing out your 401(k) too early in the year — unless the plan has a special feature. Most 401(k) plans offer an employer match, which uses a formula to deposit extra

“Spaving,” or spending more to save more, has become a dangerous habit for cash-strapped Americans amid elevated inflation and mounting debt. Though inflation eased in April, the consumer price index was still up 3.4% from a year prior.  Despite higher prices, Americans continue to spend. To that point, credit card debt reached $1.12 trillion in

Ippei Naoi | Moment | Getty Images Generation X is known as the sandwich generation because they sit between having a combination of financial or emotional responsibility for adult children and aging parents — in addition to managing their own current lifestyle aspirations and securing their retirement future. It’s a lot to deal with, and

Finance bros are having a moment. Just ask content creator Megan Boni, who posted a clip from her account @girl_on_couch on April 30 hashing out a new song. The lyrics are simply: “I’m looking for a man in finance, trust fund, 6’5”, blue eyes…” Her 20-second video has more than 38 million views and counting. A representative

SDI Productions | E+ | Getty Images A gradual cooling of the labor market has made it tougher to find a new job, but overall conditions are still favorable for job seekers. “Things have gotten competitive,” said Julia Pollak, chief economist at ZipRecruiter. “Don’t get discouraged; there are opportunities out there,” she added. “This is

Halfpoint Images | Moment | Getty Images The average 401(k) plan savings rate, including employee and company contributions, recently hit a record high — and the percentage is nearing a popular benchmark. During the first quarter of 2024, the combined 401(k) savings rate reached 14.2%, according to a quarterly Fidelity analysis of almost 26,000 corporate

D3sign | Moment | Getty Images Americans aren’t good at taking vacation. About 62% of workers say having a job with paid time off — for vacations or illness — is “extremely important” to them, more so than benefits like health insurance, a 401(k) plan or paid parental leave, according to a Pew Research Center

Last month, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau declared that buy now, pay later customers should have the same federal protections as users of credit cards. However, Marshall Lux, a fellow at the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government at the Harvard Kennedy School who studies BNPL, says the government’s latest guidance is already a few steps behind.

Peshkova | Getty Images From cash stuffing to loud budgeting, TikTok is chock-full of ways to build wealth — and more people are taking notice. Financial TikTok, also known as #FinTok, is now one of the most popular sources for financial information, tips and advice, particularly among Generation Z. With less access to professional advisors and

Early in her career, Kelly Harry worked at a major news organization in New York City as an account executive in ad sales. “I was making $40,000 a year, and I really thought that that was a lot of money at the time, until I had a casual conversation with my co-worker who was actually

Hurricane Irma strikes Miami, Florida, in 2017. Warren Faidley | Getty Images Hurricane season has officially begun. With scientists predicting yet another active year for storms, making your home hurricane resistant has become a more valuable precaution. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said in its forecast May 23 that it expects an 85% chance

Martin Barraud | Ojo Images | Getty Images Many Americans are likely familiar with financial thresholds that are adjusted for inflation each year. They include contribution limits to 401(k) plans, cost-of-living adjustments for Social Security benefits and federal income tax brackets, to name a few. These tweaks help households keep pace with the rising cost

Getty Images If you’re a higher earner and looking to boost tax-free retirement savings, there’s a lesser-known strategy that could be worth considering. While Roth individual retirement accounts offer tax-free growth and other benefits, some investors earn too much for direct contributions. For 2024, the adjusted gross income limits for Roth IRA contributions are $161,000 for