How to avoid a 6-figure tax penalty on foreign bank accounts

Chuyn | Istock | Getty Images Whether you’re an expat or U.S.-based, you may need to report your foreign accounts to the U.S. Department of the Treasury by April 15 — or face costly tax penaltie...

7 things investors need to know

Gary Gensler, chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, at the SEC headquarters in Washington, on July 22, 2021. Melissa Lyttle/Bloomberg via Getty Images The Securities and Exchange Commiss...

Opinion: The Trust Act is not the way to fix Social Security

Last month, I was invited to a forum on “Trust Fund Solutions,” which means Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) is still pushing his TRUST Act. One of the bill’s co-sponsors — Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) — also a...

Opinion: How ‘washed up…old man’ Warren Buffett is getting the last laugh

Poor old Warren Buffett. Poor, old, “washed up” Warren Buffett! It’s almost two years since the Berkshire Hathaway chairman, then 89, was publicly mocked by 40-something self-proclaimed stock market “...

My son failed out of school and has $126K in student loan debt. What can we do?

How to get out of student loan debt Getty Images/iStockphoto Question: My son was studying in a pharmacy program and at the end of the last semester, the college kicked him out due to his non-performa...

Is it OK to use the lowest-grade gas? Here’s a guide to the different types of fuel.

Selecting a grade of gasoline simply because it has a higher octane rating might not be the best choice for your car or your budget. While some vehicles can benefit from premium gas, most drivers can ...

Do I need to file a tax return if most of my income is Social Security?

Recently we received the following email from a reader: I would like to know if I live off my Social Security check and have no other income must I file a federal tax return? I have a yearly income of...

Stock market investors are in the danger zone. This all-weather investing strategy offers protection

We’re in a period of high inflation, with a war disrupting energy markets and the Federal Reserve raising interest rates. The murky outlook calls for a multiyear cycle of central-bank policy moves tha...

What Is an IRS Tax Transcript and How Do I Request One?

Do you need information from a tax return you filed three years ago because you’re making a major purchase and the lender wants to see your tax history? Maybe you need to provide your adjusted g...

Great Resignation continues, as 44% of workers seek a new job

Thianchai Sitthikongsak | Moment | Getty Images Almost half of employees are looking for a new job or plan to soon, according to a survey, suggesting the pandemic-era phenomenon known as the Great Res...

Inflation is spiking the cost of pets. But owners are still splurging

Halfpoint Images | Moment | Getty Images Pet parenthood is getting more expensive, but many owners are still willing to splurge, according to a report from Rover, an online pet marketplace. Rising cos...

5 money-saving tips from a TikTok lawyer who reads the fine print

Reading the fine print means you could be saving money that you might not have otherwise known about, according to Erika Kullberg, lawyer and founder of Plug and Law, a legal tech start-up for small b...

I now owe 3x what I originally borrowed in student loans. What can I do?

Borrowers with less-than-perfect credit records face challenges while climbing out of debt, and they can get steeper when you’re older because income tends to plateau. Getty Images/iStockphoto Questio...

Many companies are enriching their retirement benefits

Workers may be in for a treat – some companies plan to boost their retirement benefits in the next few years, as they look to hire and retain talent, according to a new survey.  U.S. employers are imp...

‘Reduced competition.’ 5 predictions for the housing market in 2022, from economists and real estate pros

We’ve already seen rates rise in the early months of 2022, and some pros say that will continue. Getty Images Aspiring home buyers may have watched as mortgage rates in recent months rose (though to b...

Why investors should care about who owns their advisor’s firm

Getting financial advice online is easier than ever before. Even so, many investors are likely to discover that there is no substitute for a human financial advisor. The problem, however, is selecting...

Equifax, TransUnion and Experian will soon stop counting medical debt in credit reports — now, for the bad news

The nation’s three major credit bureaus say they are overhauling how they include medical debt in a consumer’s credit history. The agencies said the removal will result in nearly 70% of the medical de...

Buying your first home? Here’s what you need to know

Paul Bradbury | OJO Images | Getty Images First-time home buyers have a steep learning curve, from understanding true affordability and how to qualify for a mortgage to managing their cash flow after ...

‘Motherhood Penalty’ Ranges as High as $600,000. Here Are Some Tips to Catch Up.

When the pandemic hit in 2020 and shut down schools, Samantha Goodman decided there was no way to work and care for her son, now 6. So for two years she gave up on having a job or saving for retiremen...

These money and investing tips can help you build a proactive ‘all-weather’ portfolio

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 Stock trading during ‘March Ma...

Yes, Roths Are Tax-Free Retirement Accounts. But TFRAs Refer to Something Else.

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...

Will the Fed rate increase mean higher interest on your savings and not using your travel card rewards may not be such a bad thing

Hi, MarketWatchers. Don’t miss these top stories. Weekend reads: There’s a recession warning as the Federal Reserve fights inflation Also, value stocks, the wild market for crude oil and a U.S. compan...

Deere, Hershey and More Stocks to Buy to Combat Food Inflation

The highest inflation in decades is hitting consumers and rippling through the food industry, from farm equipment to packaged food, grocers, and restaurants. At-home food costs climbed 8.6% and out-of...

Meet Erin Collins, National Taxpayer Advocate for the IRS

Erin M. Collins Source: Erin M. Collins If you’re one of the millions of Americans grappling with IRS issues, you may not realize there’s another option for your unresolved problems. The T...

Foreclosures have jumped 70%. Here’s what that says about the housing market

The foreclosure uptick indicates that the economic — and especially employment recovery — is not complete, an expert says. Getty Images Foreclosures are up, and that’s something potential homebuyers a...

Food Costs Are Rising. Here Are the Stocks to Buy.

The highest inflation in decades is hitting consumers and rippling through the food industry, from farm equipment to packaged food, grocers, and restaurants. At-home food costs climbed 8.6% and out-of...

Weekend reads: There’s a recession warning as the Federal Reserve fights inflation

The Federal Reserve this week increased the federal funds rate for the first time since 2018. Long-term market interest rates had risen significantly as investors anticipated that the central bank wou...

France is considering raising its retirement age to 65

French workers may see their legal retirement age jump from 62 to 65 if President Emmanuel Macron gets his way.  Macron, who is running for reelection, said the move is a natural progression. “We are ...

More than 70% of savers are worried that inflation will affect their ability to retire

Inflation just hit its highest level in 40 years. Future inflation expectations have risen by a third in 12 months. And the federal government’s own “inflation protected” bonds, which were designed to...

Why high gas prices fall harder on lower earners

High gasoline prices are impacting all American drivers — but low-income households bear the brunt of it. That’s because low earners funnel a bigger share of their budgets to transportation cost...

The IRS sent more than 45 million refunds. This is the average payment

Bill Oxford | E+ | Getty Images The IRS has issued more than 45 million tax refunds worth almost $152 billion in total, as of March 11, the agency reported Friday. Nearly half of Americans expect refu...