Opinion: The floodgates are open for grandparents to super-size college savings for grandkids

If you’re a grandparent looking to save the day by helping your grandchildren pay for college, take a second look at a tax-advantaged 529 college savings plan before the end of the year. Rule changes ...

Opinion: You can’t rely on Social Security to fund your retirement — it’s time to rethink your retirement savings strategy

Following a period of record inflation, Social Security’s latest cost of living adjustment (COLA) means retirees will see the biggest bump to their benefits checks in 40 years. While this move will pr...

The brands and models car shoppers want most—despite inventory levels

Toyota dealers are low on cars. All the same, more American car shoppers consider a Toyota TM, +1.95% than any other brand. Fully 35% of American car shoppers looked closely at buying a Toyota product...

Genius or Jackass, Musk Stirs the Pot

To the Editor:Your timely analysis of Elon Musk’s Twitter purchase doesn’t consider one important factor: the millions of potential users who will enthusiastically embrace a free-speech platform uncon...

These money and investing tips can help you see this bear market more clearly

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 Bitcoin owners are bellyaching...

How to get a guaranteed retirement spending rate of 4.3%

Stop the presses! The 4% spending rule may be alive after all—at least for now. I’m referring to the famous research from William Bengen in 1994 that focused on how much a retiree could withdraw from ...

Investors may be whistling past the graveyard of a recession with latest rally in stocks

Investors feeling giddy about last week’s sharp rally for stocks might want to give a listen to Tom Waits’ song, “Whistlin’ Past the Graveyard” from 1978, to sober up for the dangers that still lurk a...

Should I do a Roth conversion to offset stock losses?

Q.: Dear Dan, We have roughly $45,000 in short-term & long-term losses this year from our brokerage accounts. Is the best move to sell some of our positive stock positions in our brokerage account...

Pension problems, caregiver burnout, saying ‘no’ to nursing homes and more retirement news

From MarketWatch Retirement:  Here’s why you should be worried about state and local pensions. About 26 million people are relying on state and local pension plans to take care of them in their retire...

Brokered CDs pay more than traditional CDs — should you buy them now?

When market volatility and inflation persist, retirees or those who are near retirement might be wondering where to put their money now. There are a variety of alternatives with a range of risks, so t...

You need to understand the FTX debacle even if you have no investments in crypto

The sudden collapse of FTX, the world’s third-largest cryptocurrency exchange, underlines how important it is for any investor to learn about the risks they take when they park their money with a ligh...

Judge Blocks Student Debt Relief Program. What That Means for Navient.

A federal judge from Texas blocked President Joe Biden’s student debt relief program on Thursday. This could be good news for lenders like Navient In August, Biden announced his student loan debt plan...

President Biden decides on nomination for IRS Commissioner

The Internal Revenue Service building in Washington. SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images New role a ‘challenging assignment,’ former IRS commissioner says Biden’s nomination comes at a cr...

‘Voters are looking for help’: With control of Congress too early to call, here are 3 burning tax questions

A day after midterm elections, it remains uncertain whether either party will end up with Congressional control or whether it will be a divided Congress — and that has consequences for these tax quest...

Elon Musk Wants to Challenge Apple

Elon Musk is a man in a hurry.  He wants to move fast.  The new boss and owner of the social network Twitter  (TWTR) – Get Free Report wants to imprint his mark on the platform, which cost him $...

One reason the rich get richer

Legend has it that Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald disagreed about the rich. Fitzgerald, who had stars in his eyes, supposedly said, “The rich are different from the rest of us.” “Yes,” repli...

What the ‘millionaire tax’ in Massachusetts means for the wealthy

If you make more than $1 million a year in Massachusetts, you may soon be subject to a “millionaire tax” approved by voters this week through a ballot initiative. The new law creates a 4% ...

Here’s why you should be worried about state and local pensions

America, about 26 million people across America are relying on state and local pension plans to take care of them in their retirement years. That figure includes 15 million retired teachers, police of...

Voters approve higher minimum wage in Nebraska and Washington, DC

Activists demonstrate in support of a $15-per-hour minimum wage and tips for restaurant workers in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 8, 2022. Mandel Ngan | AFP | Getty Images Voters in both Nebraska and the Di...

The best ways to pay for holiday gifts ahead of Black Friday

What you buy this holiday season is just as important as how you buy it. In fact, the payment method you choose at checkout can go a long way toward helping you stick to a budget, save money and stay ...

I’m a 61-year-old flight attendant who wants to retire at 70. I’ll have a $900 per month pension and will get Social Security, but only have $150K in my 401(k). Should I get professional help?

This flight attendant is looking for financial help from an adviser, but how should she pick the right one? Getty Images Question: I think I need a financial advisor. I am 61 and plan on retiring at 7...

‘It’s a touchy subject’: My in-laws live in our basement. They gave us our 20% down payment. Should we charge them for renovations?

Last year, my husband and I approached my in-laws to see if they wanted to live with us. We had learned that my father-in-law had terminal cancer but could still live five to seven years in remission,...

Semiconductor stocks have bounced from 2022 lows — and analysts expect upside of at least 28% in the next year

For investors aiming to take advantage of stock market declines, the obvious question is: How far is too far for stocks to fall? The semiconductor industry, a standout performer during the reopening o...

Winning ticket for Powerball $2.04 billion jackpot sold in California

Anadolu Agency | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images California does not tax lottery winnings While the IRS will scrape 24% — or $239.4 million — off the top for federal tax withholding, California does not...

Consumers are cutting back on holiday gift buying amid higher inflation

Inflation is weighing heavily on the holidays this year. Roughly half of shoppers will buy fewer things due to higher prices, and more than one-third said they will rely on coupons to cut down on the ...

Auto loan delinquencies rise as loan-accommodation programs end

With inflation cutting into the budgets of Americans, a growing percentage of people with auto loans are struggling to make their monthly payments. TransUnion, which tracks more than 81 million auto l...

The simple question Dave Ramsey says you must ask yourself to determine if you have enough savings right now

How much should you be saving in your emergency fund? Getty Images/iStockphoto You need an emergency fund, especially in trying times like these, but just how much should go in that fund? For his part...

What 5 key personal finance issues mean for you

As Americans head to the polls, several key personal finance issues are weighing on voters’ minds and wallets. This week, the Federal Reserve enacted its fourth consecutive 0.75 percentage point...