Tax filing season just opened for 2022 returns, and the IRS is already warning that average refunds may be lower since most pandemic economic relief measures are finished. That means careful tax plann...
Tag: Retirement planning
Here’s where the 60/40 could really fail you. But a better option may be under your nose.
Only once in the past 100 years have America’s long-term savers done worse than they did last year. Only in 1974 — the year of Watergate, OPEC embargoes, gas lines and recession — did the standard, be...
I’ll inherit $40,000 from my grandmother. Should my husband and I boost our kids’ college savings accounts, or pay off credit cards and student loans?
After a terrible battle with dementia, my grandmother died a few weeks ago. She did not leave much, but I will — along with my siblings — receive about $40,000 in life insurance. I am trying to figure...
Here come the 5% CDs
Don’t touch that dial. If you’re looking for certificates of deposit, the interest rates on offer should be—here’s hoping—heading higher following the latest inflation numbers out Tuesday morning. Rea...
Most couples financially incompatible. Having a money talk could help
Talking about money with your romantic partner or spouse can be tough — especially when you don’t understand or know much about how they think about money. A new survey finds that 64% of couples...
Will you regret that Roth conversion when you get a huge tax bill?
If you took advantage of the down market in 2022 to convert some of your IRA to a Roth, you’re about to get a reality check of how much that will cost you when you file your tax return. Tax-saving str...
Where and how to charge an electric car for free, and will the IRS give me a tax break on my Super Bowl gambling losses?
Hi, MarketWatchers. Don’t miss these top stories. Skip the candy and flowers on Valentine’s Day for this valuable gift that won’t cost you a penny Your time and attention is much more meaningful and b...
How to decide between pre-tax and Roth 401(k) contributions
Prathanchorruangsak | Istock | Getty Images Whether you’re starting a new job or updating retirement savings goals, you may need to choose between pre-tax or Roth 401(k) contributions — and the ...
‘Is my financial planner crazy?’ We’re 55 and 60, five years from retirement and were told we should invest more aggressively
Dear MarketWatch, Is my financial planner crazy? I recently saw a MarketWatch article that recommended that one’s retirement portfolio should be 100 minus their age in stocks or perhaps even more co...
Older workers are fooling themselves when it comes to work, money and caregiving
Denial runs deep when it comes to money and retirement. Older adults are working longer, but at first blush they contend they are working because they want to. Only when pressed do they admit they nee...
We are in our early 60s and have a $750K portfolio that is ‘sinking fast.’ But we want to pay for our daughter’s medical school. Who can help us figure this out?
Have an issue with your financial adviser or looking for a new one? Email [email protected]. Getty Images Question: We are in our early 60s and have a roughly $750,000 portfolio that is sinking fa...
Weigh these 7 factors first
Halfpoint Images | Moment | Getty Images 1. Investment fees Investment fees are a big consideration for rollovers, advisors said. Investment funds in 401(k) plans are generally less costly than their ...
How to retire rich — even if you just got wiped out
The Wall Street Journal published an article over the weekend about all the millennials and Generation Z “zoomers” who have fled the markets after getting crushed in the 2022 rout. One was 25-year-old...
‘I really need help.’ I have $580K in retirement savings, but can’t find a financial adviser because the ones I spoke to want clients to be richer than me. What should I do?
Have a question about your financial adviser or looking for a new one? Email [email protected]. Getty Images/iStockphoto Question: I’m in Maryland and could use a financial planner for my Roth IRA...
‘I am watching my inheritance evaporate’: My brother and sister constantly hit our parents up for money. What can I do to stop this?
I am 46 and single. I have a good job and own my own home but live modestly. I have been fortunate not to have had to ask my parents for anything over the years. My brother and sister, by contrast, ha...
Retiring in a bear market can be catastrophic — working one more year can make a huge difference
Timing, apparently, is everything. Especially when it comes to retirement. Retiring in a bear market can harm your portfolio for the long-term, even if the market eventually recovers, according to a n...
We make $140K in Raleigh and hope to retire in about a year with $1 million. Is there a certain type of financial adviser we should be looking for?
Raleigh, North Carolina Getty Images/iStockphoto Question: I live in Raleigh, North Carolina. I’m about to turn 65 and looking to work maybe one more year. Our combined income is approximately $140,00...
Jobs report tells markets what Fed chairman Powell tried to tell them
Oh dear. A lot of investors just learned again, the hard way, the old rule: When someone tries to tell you something about themselves, listen. On Wednesday afternoon Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Po...
Annuity sales hit record in 2022 amid higher interest rates and fear
Tim Bieber | Photodisc | Getty Images Amid stock market gyrations, recession fears and loftier payouts, consumers last year pumped a record sum of money into annuities, a type of insurance that offers...
Wall Street to Jerome Powell: We don’t believe you
Do you want the good news about the Federal Reserve and its chairman Jerome Powell, the other good news…or the bad news? Let’s start with the first bit of good news. Powell and his fellow Fed committe...
As Fed raises rates by a quarter point, here’s where financial advisers are telling their clients to invest — and store — their money
The Federal Reserve boosted its influential interest rate yet again Wednesday, even as more signs indicate that inflation is cooling. It hiked the benchmark’s key rate by a quarter of a basis point, b...
What will the Fed and Jerome Powell do next week?
Jittery U.S. investors are still in “bad news is good news” mode because they want to see interest rates decline. And they expect to get what they want, as shown by the inverse yield curve. Two-year U...
My job is being eliminated and I will get a severance package. Is that considered income for IRS limits on Roth IRA contributions?
I know my job is being eliminated at the end of March 2023. I will receive a severance package paid out over a period of almost one year. I understand I will not be able to make 401(k) deductions from...
This 72-year-old is hoping to fund her retirement on GoFundMe
GoFundMe campaigns have been raising piles of cash for older Walmart workers who want to retire — but the heartwarming stories about sudden windfalls mask a dark reality about economic security and gr...
14 dividend stocks that rose 100% or more in 5 years as the payouts doubled
In basketball, a double-double is a combination of at least 10 or more of the following in a game: points scored, rebounds, assists, blocked shots or steals. For dividend stocks, you might find a scre...