A “Now Hiring” advertisement in a store window in Bay Shore, New York, on March 24, 2022. Steve Pfost/Newsday RM via Getty Images Claims for unemployment insurance last week fell to their ...
Tag: Personal finance
Retired? Here’s when you don’t have to file your taxes – and when you do
Not all seniors need to file a tax return, but others may incorrectly think they fall in this category – don’t make that mistake. Retirement Tip of the Week: If you don’t plan to file a tax return th...
We are both doctors but struggle with $472K in student loans. Can we get help?
How to get out of student loan debt Getty Images/iStockphoto Question: I have $237K in loans and my wife has $235K in loans. We are not currently making any payments [thanks to government relief] but ...
Demand drops for used cars but high prices aren’t budging
David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images Used-car prices appear to be stuck in high gear, despite slowing consumer demand. Last month, sales of used cars less than 10 years old were down 27% compa...
How to buy a new car amid low inventory and high prices
Any shopper who has stepped onto a vehicle sales lot during the coronavirus pandemic has likely noticed at least two things: There are very few cars and they have very high sticker prices. Amid inflat...
Governors say financial education should extend beyond school years
Student Olivia Raymond participates in a personal finance course in her middle school class in West Orange, New Jersey, in February 2020. CNBC Pursuing financial literacy is something that should cont...
‘Going to college ruined my life.’ I have $85K in student loan debt for my ‘useless degree’ but only make $16 per hour. How can I cope?
I would give anything to go back and not go to college at all. It wasn’t worth it. iStock Question: I am 32 and got my associates degree in occupational therapy. I owe $25,000 in federal student loans...
Wells Fargo to Pay to Settle Lawsuit Over Its 401(k) Plan
Wells Fargo has agreed to pay $32.5 million to settle a two-year-old case involving alleged self-dealing with the company’s 401(k) plan. Wells Fargo, which had previously sought to dismiss the lawsuit...
These income strategies can help protect your stock investments from inflation and a recession
There is always uncertainty in the stock market, but the deflationary cycle that helped feed tremendous gains over the past several decades has ended. Two related strategies can give you downside prot...
Top Tax Write-offs for the Self-Employed
With self-employment comes freedom, responsibility, and a lot of expense. While most self-employed people celebrate the first two, they cringe at the latter, especially at tax time. They might not be ...
I’m 41, my partner is 50. We have $800,000 in retirement savings and make $250,000. We want to retire ASAP but know our money won’t last us our lifetimes – what can we do?
I love reading your responses to everyone’s retirement questions, but realized that I haven’t seen one that matches up closely to what I’m hoping to do. I am 41, and my partner is 50. We are both empl...
I have 4 degrees and owe $197K in student loans. What should I do?
How to get out of student loan debt Getty Images/iStockphoto Question: I am 55 and a mental health therapist. I have $197,000 in student loans that were for four degrees, plus some in Parent Plus loa...
Inflation fears force Americans to rethink financial choices: Survey
Surging inflation has Americans reconsidering how they spend their money. The Consumer Price Index, which measures a wide-ranging basket of goods and services, jumped 7.9% in February from 12 months p...
Most Americans are worried about a recession hitting the U.S. in 2022
Rate hikes, soaring energy prices and geopolitical risks have combined to stoke fears of a possible recession. Credit Suisse however, thinks that is an unlikely scenario. Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | G...
Consumers squeezed by inflation plan to cut back if prices keep surging
Edwin Lopez sorts the money in the cash register at Frankie’s Pizza on January 12, 2022 in Miami, Florida. Joe Raedle | Getty Images As inflation continues to weigh on American households, peo...
Want to Unload That Investment Property? What Advisors Recommend.
With valuations high and many boomers gearing up for or entering retirement, many investment property holders could be rethinking their strategy around real estate ownership. It’s a big issue for many...
4 economists and real estate pros on exactly when mortgage rates will hit 5%
Pros expect that higher mortgage rates will cool the housing boom somewhat. Getty Images/iStockphoto If mortgage rates continue on their current trajectory, some experts predict 30-year fixed rates co...
Has the student loan pause done any good?
Two years after the chaos of the pandemic prompted Congress to pause federal student loan payments, new data show many borrowers have used that extra room in the budget to shore up their overall finan...
A Mom Who Died Still Needs Taxes Filed. Here’s How to Handle the Tricky Process
Dreamstime.com Text size Have a question about saving for retirement or your personal financial situation? Whatever the question, Barron’s Retirement can try to help. Email [email protected], and...
My wife and I have $750,000 in savings and earn over $144,000 a year. Can we afford to spend $5,000 per month on housing?
Financial advisers recommend spending no more than 30% of take-home pay on housing. I have always lived by this rule and now have $750,000 in cash savings. But now I need to make a big move. Is there ...
Former basketball player turned advisor offers money advice to college athletes
University of Arizona Wildcats guard Joe McLean plays defense against UCLA Bruins guard Kevin Dempsey during a Pacific-10 Conference game on Jan. 7, 1993. Ken Levine | Getty Images Sport | Getty Image...
‘A plan to protect any excess cash is vital.’ As inflation sits at a 40-year high, here’s who has ‘too much’ in savings right now
Inflation may be your cash’s greatest enemy. Getty Images As inflation hits a 40-year high, you may be asking yourself if you actually have too much money in your traditional savings account. The answ...
How to make a monthly budget in a spreadsheet and start saving money
Think of a budget as just another list. It’s most efficient to build a budget on a spreadsheet somewhere — whether it’s Microsoft Excel or a Google doc. Add your income and then add new ex...
7 red flags that signal it may be time to dump your financial adviser
Getty Images/iStockphoto In these trying financial times, more Americans are leaning on financial advisers for money advice. While in 2020, 22% of Americans said a financial adviser was their most tru...
Are State Tax Refunds Taxable?
For those who itemize their deductions, it’s one of the stranger parts of the tax code. First, you get to take a deduction of your state and local taxes, then all of a sudden the next year you get a F...
Want to Add Crypto to Your Retirement Portfolio? Here’s How, and What to Consider.
With many cryptocurrencies surging last year as the overall market surpassed $3 trillion in value, a growing number of retirement savers are looking for ways to tap into the potential. Before joining ...
Millennials have solved the retirement crisis
Wow. It looks like millennials have totally solved the retirement crisis. And it turns out it was a lot easier than anyone realized. The solution? Cryptocurrencies, of course. A new survey of 4,000 pe...