What a Santa Claus rally means for investors

Santa Claus looks on at the 98th Annual Christmas Tree lighting ceremony at the New York Stock Exchange on Dec. 1, 2021 in New York. Bryan R. Smith | Afp | Getty Images If history is a guide, stock in...

I sold my late mother’s home for $250,000. I make $80,000 and have $220,000 in student debt. I want to buy a house. Should I use all my inheritance for a down payment?

My mom passed away, and left me her house, which I just sold and will net $250,000. I’m 41 years old with no real retirement savings. I make $80,000 a year, and I am maxing out contributions to my emp...

credit card debt, ruined retirement plans

Teresa Harding Source: Teresa Harding It took three months for Teresa Harding to open her termination letter. “I couldn’t look at it,” Harding, 47, said. For seven years, she’d...

Opinion: Five energy companies are seeing bullish stock buying from their own executives

Even though energy stocks are up 49% this year, executives keep buying their own companies’ shares. Does that make sense? Yes, for two reasons. Oil will trade a lot higher next year, and energy stocks...

Amid inflation and market volatility, just 12% of adults feel wealthy

Inflation, geopolitical uncertainty and fears of a recession have undermined financial confidence across the board, according to a new report by Edelman Financial Engines. Less than one-quarter, or 23...

Long Covid is distorting the labor market, hurting the U.S. economy

Charlotte Hultquist Charlotte Hultquist Weeks after Charlotte Hultquist got Covid-19 in November 2020, she developed a severe pain in her right ear. “It felt like someone was sticking a knife in...

I’m 53, just got laid off, and wondering what to do now. I have $425K saved for retirement, $10K in an HSA, and a property I could sell for an extra $200K in cash. Is getting professional help wise? 

Getty Images/iStockphoto Question: I was laid off from my job of 12 years. I have a few questions about how to rearrange my future financial plan. I am 53 years old and I plan to go back to work once ...

This is the No. 1 source of income for millions of older Americans — and that may pose a problem

Just one in four retirees say they have not experienced any kind of shock event in retirement, according to a study from the Society of Actuaries. Getty Images/iStockphoto Where is the 65 and older cr...

Do Democrats have momentum for a second round of boosted child tax-credit payments?

A day after Raphael Warnock held onto his seat in Georgia’s Senate race, giving Democrats a 51-49 edge in the Senate, Democrats are hoping that momentum can quickly turn into a financial boost for par...

Dear Tax Guy: Our accountant charged us $486 for a simple gift-tax return. Why on earth would it cost so much?

We gave our daughter money towards a down payment on a home and learned we had to file a gift tax return. Our accountant charged us $486 for this. Why can’t you just add a form to your regular tax ret...

Can you still retire on $1 million? That’s what today’s millionaires want to know.

OK, so a million dollars isn’t what it used to be. That’s the worry among a surprising number of America’s millionaires. So, at least, reports money-management giant Natixis, which owns bond shop Loom...

Here are 3 ways Gen Z workers can start saving now for retirement

Luis Alvarez | Digitalvision | Getty Images If you’re just out of college, you may be wondering when the right time is to get started with a retirement savings plan. The answer is now, experts s...

Lucid Offers Discounts to Sell EVs. Why That Could Signal a Bigger Problem.

Lucid Group stock has skidded 37% in the month since the electric-car maker said that its order backlog shrank in the September quarter. So investors will be laser-focused on whether Lucid’s order boo...

If you’re over 72 with an IRA, make sure you do this before the year ends

If you’re 72 or older, you have a crucial financial deadline approaching. By year-end, owners of individual retirement accounts (IRAs) who are 72 or older must take their required minimum distribution...

Cryptocurrency investor losses are being turned into IRS gains — here’s how they’re doing it

The Internal Revenue Service has been turning up its scrutiny on cryptocurrency investors in recent years, and as that happens, more investors have been turning to the tax code’s rules on investment l...

4 financial moves if you have — or are worried about — long Covid

Milan2099 | E+ | Getty Images Long Covid is a chronic illness with far-reaching impact, both in terms of health and household finance. As many as 23 million Americans have suffered long-haul symptoms ...

LeBron James — now worth an estimated $1 billion — learned this simple lesson about saving money early in life. Pros say far more of us need to learn it too.

Lebron James Getty Images Basketball star and businessman LeBron James is now worth an estimatd $1 billion, according to Forbes, but the Ohio-native didn’t grow up wealthy and his family struggled to ...

I’m 56 and plan to retire at 62. I’ll have both a state retirement plan and Social Security — but I also have a child starting college, which I want to pay for. Do I need professional help?

Getty Images/iStockphoto Question: I’m 56 years old and working for a state university, so I will have a state retirement plan. I previously worked full time and contributed to Social Security for 20 ...

This one great idea can make everyone better with money, older Americans say

Surveys regularly show that older Americans have regrets about lots of things — working too much, choosing the wrong partner, not taking care of their health, etc. There are often financial regrets to...

10 Dividend Aristocrat stocks expected by analysts to rise up to 54% in 2023

Stocks of companies that raise dividends consistently have outperformed during this year’s bear market. Below is a screen showing which stocks are analysts’ favorites for next year among an expanded l...

1 in 4 Americans made this money move this year, and it has Suze Orman “worried” — but for some of you, it’s actually a lucrative move

Suze Orman Getty Images Finance guru Suze Orman isn’t shy about sharing her distaste for credit cards. In a blog post earlier this year, she wrote that more than a quarter of Americans surveyed said t...

Tax deadlines for retirees: do this before the year ends

It’s the most wonderful time of the year for holiday cheer – and last-minute tax tips.  Retirement Tip of the Week: As we approach the new year, look for tax-advantageous strategies to cut your tax bi...

These 10 cars have the greatest potential lifespan

New cars are getting increasingly expensive. But they’re also more durable than before, which means drivers have a better chance of getting their money’s worth. As the average transaction ...

Why is portfolio balancing important? Because it’s not different this time.

Asset allocation is about dividing your portfolio among various investment asset classes like stocks, bonds and cash, and sub-asset classes like small, large and midcap stocks. Bonds and international...

T. Rowe Price Has Had a Rough Time of Late. Negativity in the Money Manager’s Stock Could Be Overdone.

Money manager T. Rowe Price Group has fallen way out of favor on Wall Street. There are 15 analysts covering the stock, according to FactSet. None say to buy. More say to sell than hold. That’s approa...

Moving is not fun. When you’re older, it’s even worse.

Almost everyone who completes a move and settles into their new place sighs and says, “That’s the last time I’m moving.” There’s no research to prove that. But who doesn’t dread moving? It’s stressful...

These money and investing tips can help you know when the bull market has come back to stay

Don’t miss these top money and investing features: Sign up here to get MarketWatch’s best mutual funds and ETF stories emailed to you weekly! INVESTING NEWS & TRENDS There’s a strong possibility t...

Opinion: 4 numbers retirement savers need to know heading into 2023

The past couple of years have been challenging for almost everyone invested in stocks or bonds, including anyone saving for retirement through employer-sponsored plans. With markets down across the bo...