Nearly two years after lawmakers temporarily changed tax rules in the middle of the filing season in order to exclude a major chunk of jobless benefits from federal income tax, the Internal Revenue Se...
Tag: Personal finance
‘It feels like I’m holding two full-time jobs:’ I’m 65, retired and have a $2K pension. I own rental properties, but they’re stressful to maintain. Should I keep them or sell?
Dear MarketWatch, I’m a 65-year-old married man in Southern California. I retired about 5 years ago, and have very little in pension payments of about $2,000 from my old job, without any medical benef...
Suze Orman says to be ‘very, very careful’ before you do this — but for some people it can be a savvy money move
Suze Orman has a message about HELOCs: “Please be very, very careful if you are considering borrowing against the equity in your home. It is very risky.” Anna Webber/Getty Images Home equity lines of ...
8 places you may earn between 3%-7% or more on your money right now (and psst: some have guaranteed returns)
Where exactly should you put money to — at least somewhat — stave off inflation? We asked certified financial planners and experts to share their thoughts. Getty Images Though inflation has cooled a b...
Why a stock market obsessed with the Fed’s inflation fight should focus on Main Street jobs in 2023
Fortunes on Wall Street this year could hinge less on what’s happening to high-paid workers in San Francisco’s reeling technology sector and more on a familiar part of American life: the working class...
These money and investing tips can keep you afloat if stocks circle the drain
Sign up here to get MarketWatch’s best mutual funds and ETF stories emailed to you weekly! INVESTING NEWS & TRENDS How the Dow’s start to the new year affects the stock market’s 2023 return Many r...
2022 was the worst-ever year for U.S. bonds. How to position for 2023
Traders at the New York Stock Exchange on Dec. 21, 2022. Michael M. Santiago | Getty Images News | Getty Images The bond market suffered a significant meltdown in 2022. Bonds are generally thought to ...
Why your investment ‘ego’ might be costing you big bucks
Fuse | Corbis | Getty Images When it comes to investing, you may know less than you think — and that overconfidence may be costly. Almost 2 out of every 3 investors rate their investment knowledge hig...
6 value stock picks for 2023 from successful money managers
Following a down year for the stock market, there is no shortage of recession predictions for 2023, especially as the Federal Reserve has signaled it will continue to raise interest rates to fight inf...
It’s Pharma Time: Why Merck and Lilly Stock Are Buys, but not Pfizer.
My 2023 biotech outlook calls for continued momentum in name changes. I just need to figure out what the stocks will do. Last year, Respira Technologies became Qnovia. It’s run by a former tobacco exe...
Turning 72 or 73 this year? Here’s what to do about your required minimum distributions
Anyone turning 72 years old in 2023 is getting a birthday present from Congress – one more year to push back their required minimum distributions from their retirement accounts. As part of the Secure...
Opinion: Roth IRA conversions: Take advantage of this limited-time offer to save on taxes
No one likes taxes, but everyone loves a sale. So the idea of a major blowout on Roth conversions in 2023 — a limited time offer, no less — might make it enticing to pay taxes now to avoid them in the...
Highest bank account bonuses for January 2023 (up to $3K)
There are some steps to take to earn any of the best bank account bonuses. Getty Images Earn hundreds, even thousands, of dollars for opening a checking or savings account? That’s the promise many ban...
I am 60 and plan to retire in March. I have $113K in my 401(k) and no other savings, but I will get an early retirement package of 9 months salary. Should I get a pro to help me?
Question: I am accepting an early retirement offer from my long-term employer of 24 years. In March of 2023, I will retire and receive nine months of salary as well as my benefits. During this time I ...
Why a Long-Term Investor Is Sticking With Tesla and Cloud Shares
Everything about the investment approach at Baillie Gifford screams patience. Founded more than 110 years ago, the Scottish portfolio management firm, which oversees $250 billion, is a believer in the...
You can earn 3%-4% on your savings account. 7 smart ways to save more in 2023
Converting your monthly billpay to paperless can result in “over $1,000 a year in savings”, according to an expert. Getty Images/iStockphoto The No. 1 financial new year’s resolution for 2023 is to bo...
Where to keep your cash amid high inflation and rising interest rates
dowell | Moment | Getty Images Investors have many options when saving for short-term goals, and those choices have become more complicated amid high inflation and rising interest rates. While there h...
Share of car buyers with monthly payments over $1,000 hits record high
Financing a new or used car is more expensive than ever, new research shows. Amid rising interest rates and elevated auto prices, the share of new car buyers with a monthly payment of more than $1,000...
Here are some strategies that can help you dig out of holiday debt
While some Americans are still recovering from holiday festivities, many others may have lingering effects of spending regrets. Overall U.S. retail sales increased 7.6% year-over-year between Nov. 1 a...
Investors who did this one thing survived the markets in 2022
Forget inflation. Forget oil prices. Forget Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Forget layoffs in the tech sector. Forget the yield curve. When I sat down to write about what worked for investors in...
Opinion: It’s time to buy I-bonds again. Here are 3 ways to maximize your $10,000 inflation-fighting investment.
The once-obscure Treasury investment soared in popularity last year because of its enticing inflation-adjusted rate, which peaked at 9.62%. That leapfrogged bank deposit accounts and completely trounc...
Earn $3,500 cash by opening a savings account? The offer is real for the next week — but there are hurdles
If the account balance for this savings account falls just one dollar short of the required minimum, that hefty bonus is diminished in half to $1,750. istock Looking for some extra cash after a busy h...
Why this Japanese idea can lead to a more fulfilling retirement
Typical New Year’s resolutions, financially speaking, tend to be things like:” I’ll save more,” “I’ll reduce debt” or “I’ll become smarter about investing.” I’d like to offer a different one for 2023,...
I want to retire in 4 years on $3,100 a month. Is this enough, and do I need a pro to help?
Getty Images/iStockphoto Question: I’m retiring in four years at $3,100 a month income, per my calculations. How can I stretch this amount as far as possible, and should I hire a professional planner ...
My wife and I live ‘an average life’ in the Bay Area making $320K. Last year, we bought a house for $200K over asking — now we don’t want to live in it. Should we get professional help?
Getty Images/iStockphoto Question: I was a victim of FOMO during the housing market craziness and bought a house for $200,000 over the asking price. Now house prices are coming back to reality, and I ...
These 15 Dividend Aristocrat stocks have been the best income builders
The S&P Dividend Aristocrats deserve more coverage. Those are companies that have raised their dividend payouts consistently over the years — they’re dividend royalty, as it were. As a group, they...