Jeffrey Coolidge | Photodisc | Getty Images As the Democrats’ spending plan moves closer to a House vote, one of the more controversial provisions — nearly $80 billion in IRS funding, with $45.6...
Tag: Personal finance
On rare days, markets rise 10%. How to make sure you’re there for it
Gzorgz | Istock | Getty Images “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” With those classic words, author Charles Dickens famously opened his historical novel “A Tale of...
‘The real mortgage rate is a negative number.’ As inflation stubbornly sits at a 40-year high, do current mortgage rates look better than they seem?
What is the so-called ‘real mortgage rate’ and does it matter? Getty Images/iStockphoto I write about mortgage rates every week, but recently, I’ve heard some sources chattering about what’s called th...
This is the ‘Jay Leno rule’ of saving money. You don’t have to be rich to do it
Comedian Jay Leno Getty Images/iStock Comedian Jay Leno has openly shared that while collecting two salaries — one from his ‘Tonight Show’ hosting gig and one from the 150 annual comedy shows he’d app...
Climate change is making some homes too costly to insure
Firefighters pull up to a burning house during the Kincade fire in Healdsburg, California, on Oct. 27, 2019. Josh Edelson | Afp | Getty Images As climate change threatens the U.S. with more natural di...
4 questionable, but legal, things some financial advisers do with your money
Is your financial adviser ethical? Getty Images/iStockphoto There are many people out there who will offer to give you financial advice. And while most of them are ethical and trustworthy, sometimes y...
Gasoline At (or Under) $2.99 a Gallon: Here’s Where
Gasoline prices continue to fall in a handful of states to $2.99 a gallon, marking the 50th consecutive day of declines and giving consumers a reprieve as high inflation rates have walloped their budg...
Long-term unemployment tumbles to its pre-pandemic level
Long-term unemployment tumbled below its pre-pandemic level in July, the U.S. Department of Labor said Friday, as an unexpectedly strong showing of job gains buoyed workers broadly across the economy....
Is the economy in a recession? Top economists weigh in
‘We should have an objective definition’ Officially, the NBER defines a recession as “a significant decline in economic activity that is spread across the economy and lasts more than...
I hired a financial planner, but they’ve already lost $70K. What should I do?
Is a big loss a reason to ditch your financial planner? Getty Images/iStockphoto By ALISA WOLFSON Question: I recently rolled my retirement pension and 401(k) into one account, managed by a financial ...
Got Hidden Income? The IRS May Get More Money to Find You
If Congress passes the Inflation Reduction Act, Americans should expect more IRS audits—especially on filers making more than $400,000 a year. The surprise agreement between Sens. Chuck Schumer (D., N...
Warren Buffett says this is the ‘biggest mistake’ people make with their money (and psst: it has to do with savings)
Warren Buffett johannes eisele/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images Warren Buffett, the infamous 91 year-old Oracle of Omaha, is worth roughly $100 billion dollars — and could clearly spend frivolously. ...
Gasoline Prices Could Fall to $2.99 Next Week
Crude oil prices declined on August 4 to their lowest prices since before Ukraine was invaded by Russia as the futures market indicated a possible recession that could dampen demand from consumers. Th...
Here are both sides of the argument on why a recession is debatable
If you’re unsure if the U.S. economy is in a recession, you’re not alone. Gross domestic product has declined in back-to-back quarters this year, which is a common signal to market watcher...
I started the year with $3.85M but ‘have watched my accounts drop 20%.’ When I asked about it, I got ‘unsatisfactory’ answers from my financial adviser. That said, he ‘by and large has done well for me.’ What’s my move?
Do you have the right communication going on with your financial adviser. Getty Images/iStockphoto Question: I have watched my accounts drop 20% this year, which is better than the market, but startin...
When can you retire? This beginner’s guide can help you find the answer.
“I want to know if I can retire,” Marie said, dropping her investment file on my desk and sitting down across from me. She was typical of many preretirees everywhere, trying to figure out when they co...
Embryos can count as dependents on 2022 state tax returns in Georgia
Anti-abortion activists demonstrate outside the Supreme Court of the United States in Washington, June 13, 2022. Evelyn Hockstein | Reuters Residents of Georgia may now claim embryos as dependents on ...
How to save on back-to-school supplies amid inflation
For parents already stretching budgets to pay for groceries and gasoline, stocking up on school supplies will be a little harder this year. “Back-to-school shopping is stressful even in the best...
Here’s exactly how much Americans have in savings at every age — and (yikes) here’s what they should have
How much savings you need Getty Images/iStockphoto No matter your age, savings is a necessity. But depending on your age, the amount of savings you will need changes according to life stages and your ...
Typical job switcher got a pay raise of nearly 10%, study finds
Morsa Images | DigitalVision | Getty Images Many workers who changed jobs recently saw raises from their new paychecks outpace inflation by a wide margin — by nearly 10% or more, according to a new st...
I’m the chief economist of a mortgage firm that has funded more than $100 billion in loans. These are 3 things to know about the housing market now.
Cameron Findlay As home prices and mortgage rates march upwards, and housing inventory remains seriously constrained, many buyers are wondering: Should I buy? And if I want to buy, what do I need to k...
5 things Warren Buffett does to save money — that you should too
Warren Buffett is known to be frugal. Getty Images Warren Buffet is worth about $100 billion, and clearly doesn’t need to worry about how much money he spends on a daily basis. But the famed billionai...
‘I have watched my accounts drop by 22%.’ My financial adviser has usually ‘done well’ but now it feels like he’s not making enough adjustments in this tough market given that I’m losing ‘large chunks’ of money. What’s my move?
How to know if your financial adviser is doing a good job. Getty Images/iStockphoto Question: I have had a financial advisor with a national firm for more than a decade. We have done well and his fee...
IRS Changes Guidelines for Inherited IRAs, Causing Confusion and Pushback
Figuring out the most efficient way to navigate the tax impact of inheriting individual retirement accounts has become more complicated since the Internal Revenue Service issued proposed new rules in ...
‘Continuing home price deceleration.’ Here’s what 5 economists and real estate pros predict will happen to the housing market this year
What will happen in the housing market this year? Getty Images When will home price growth really slow down? Will mortgage rates continue their upward climb? What do I need to know if I’m trying to bu...
My boyfriend, 68, has almost no ‘mad money’ for fun activities and trips. He lives with his father, 95, and expects to inherit his house. Is it unreasonable to expect him to get a part-time job?
I am a 65-year-old retired woman with modest Social Security and annuity payments. I also own my own home and have savings. I’ve been seeing a 68-year-old retiree since just before the pandemic. He li...