kate_sept2004 It’s about to get a little easier for you to figure out how to break even or get a bigger tax refund from Uncle Sam. The IRS kicked off the new year with a revamp of its tax withholding estimator tool, a calculator that helps you fine-tune the amount of federal income taxes that
Personal finance
Should you stay or should you go? Deciding whether you should renovate your current home or buy a new house isn’t easy. It comes down to asking yourself three big questions, according to Drew and Jonathan Scott, the stars of HGTV’s “Property Brothers” and “Property Brothers: Forever Home.” “Am I in the right location? Can
Thomas Jackson Treat money with respect. Don’t crumple it. Think of it as an ally and a force for good, not evil. Your beliefs can affect your finances. If you don’t believe it, check out the experiences of personal finance bloggers who started with nothing (or very little) and now have hundreds of thousands of
Jamie Grill | Blend Images | Getty Images A new retirement law could soon put annuities in front of more 401(k) investors — and some financial experts question whether that’s a good thing. The Secure Act, which President Donald Trump signed into law last month, eases rules for employers offering a 401(k) plan around how
Ponte de Lima, Portugal THEGIFT777 | iStock Unreleased | Getty Images Didn’t save enough for retirement? One solution: Spend your golden years in a country where life is less expensive than it is in the U.S. More Americans are doing just that. The number of retirees who are collecting Social Security abroad rose 40%, to
Traffic is at a near standstill heading into New York City via the Holland Tunnel from New Jersey. Andria Patino | Corbis Documentary | Getty Images Blame it on brutal winters, high taxes or the New Jersey Turnpike: The Garden State is the last place where people want to be. More two-thirds of all New
Daniel Grizelj The stock market surged in 2019, closing out the end of the decade by posting its best annual gain in six years. But investors hypnotized by the prospect of big profits should temper any knee-jerk reaction to load up on stocks as the new year gets under way. Charlie Fitzgerald, a financial advisor
In the few short weeks leading up to the holidays, Americans went all out on spending. It will take much, much longer to pay it off. The surge in spending last month may have contributed to the best holiday shopping season in years. Through Dec. 24, holiday retail sales rose 3.4%, while online sales jumped
Rolf Bruderer Living in another country is a save-your-retirement move that few people consider. For Edd and Cynthia Staton, it was a lifesaver. During the 2008-2009 financial crisis, they took a hard look at what retirement might look like if they remained in the U.S. Staying would have meant severe belt-tightening. After some research and
For those considering a career change, the year ahead looks particularly promising. With the unemployment rate at a 50-year low and U.S. companies adding many more jobs than expected, 2020 could be the year to land a new job, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But not just any job will do. Job seekers
Rawpixel | Getty Images Rawpixel | Getty Images 1. Create a budget Not having a budget is probably what got you here in the first place. Keeping track of how much you bring in versus how much you spend is vital to prevent future budget busts. Some experts recommend looking at three to six months’
Many Americans hold multiple retirement accounts — and there are many reasons why they should consider combining those nest eggs instead of letting them gather dust. Around 25 million Americans left behind money in a 401(k) account when separating from an old job, according to the Government Accountability Office, which analyzed 10 years’ worth of
Getty Images It’s never too early to resolve to save more for retirement and trim your tax bill. The IRS has made inflation adjustments to a range of key figures, from the amount you can put in a 401(k) retirement plan at work to the individual income tax brackets that help you determine your tax
A sign displayed on Bruckner Building reads ‘Commercial Space Available’ in the Port Morris neighborhood of the Bronx borough of New York. For a limited time, investors who develop real estate or fund businesses in opportunity zones are able to defer capital gains on profits earned elsewhere and completely eliminate them on new investments in
The maze that is Medicare includes some higher costs for 2020 that beneficiaries might want to factor into their health-care budgets. For the program’s 61 million beneficiaries — most of whom are 65 or older — certain costs are adjusted by the government from year to year and can affect premiums, deductibles and other cost-sharing
Hero Images | Getty Images When the clock strikes midnight on Dec. 31, it will not only usher in a new decade. It will also bring in a host of retirement changes. And that could have big implications for your money. The good news is that you will be able to save even more in
Activists participate in a rally urging the expansion of Social Security benefits in front of the White House July 13, 2015. Getty Images Raising the retirement age is an emotional issue. For evidence, just look at proposals to move up the full retirement age for Social Security. Even the idea upsets advocates who want to
This year has been one of superlatives: The longest bull market in history. Historically low unemployment. S&P 500 returns approaching 30%. Millions of Americans had a great financial year. If you’d like 2020 to be another of positive financial steps, don’t just rely on the economy and luck. Instead, craft realistic resolutions that can help
U.S. President Barack Obama signs the Affordable Health Care for America Act during a ceremony with fellow Democrats in the East Room of the White House March 23, 2010 in Washington, DC. Win McNamee | Getty Images Recently, a federal court decided the central provision of the Affordable Care Act requiring all Americans to be
For some couples, this winter holiday will be unforgettable. December is the most popular time to pop the question and, for the recently engaged, 2020 will be the very beginning of a new life. However, weddings are expensive, and merging personal finances can get complicated. The average American wedding costs nearly $39,000, and more young