Personal finance

In this article TREE Follow your favorite stocksCREATE FREE ACCOUNT monkeybusinessimages | Getty Most U.S. homebuyers taking out a mortgage opt for a 30-year fixed-rate — but they may not realize how unusual that offering is. “The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is a uniquely American construct,” said Greg McBride, chief financial analyst for Bankrate. True to

Laylabird | E+ | Getty Images Inherited individual retirement accounts can be a financial boost for heirs, but the windfall can trigger tax issues, experts say. Withdrawals from pretax inherited IRAs incur regular income taxes. Since 2020, certain heirs can no longer “stretch” retirement account distributions over their lifetime to reduce yearly taxes. Now, certain

People leave a Social Security Administration building in Burbank, California.  Valerie Macon | Afp | Getty Images The trust funds the Social Security Administration relies on to pay benefits are now projected to run out in 2035, one year later than previously projected, according to the annual trustees’ report released on Monday. At the projected

Spending more to save more is an all-too common pitfall. The opportunities for so-called “spaving” are nearly everywhere, whether it’s the lure of a “limited-time deal” or “buy one, get one free” or tacking on additional items to get a bigger discount or simply to reach the free shipping threshold. But spending to save can lead

Rebekah Alstede Modery, left, and Sarah Alstede, sisters and co-owners of Alstede Farms in Chester, New Jersey. Courtesy: Alstede Farms Sisters Rebekah Alstede Modery and Sarah Alstede were raised on a New Jersey farm. This year, they decided to spend their careers there, too. Rebekah graduated in 2023 with a double major in agricultural business

The US Department of Education sign hangs over the entrance to the federal building housing the agency’s headquarters on February 9, 2024, in Washington, DC.  J. David Ake | Getty Images If your current federal student loan servicer is Mohela, or the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority, the U.S. Department of Education said it will

Prasit photo | Moment | Getty Images As employers compete to attract and retain talent, equity compensation — or an ownership stake in the company — has become a key workplace benefit. Some 72% of companies offer some form of equity compensation to certain employees, a 2023 survey from Morgan Stanley found. That’s up from

JGI/Jamie Grill If you’ve opted into your employer’s matching 401(k) Roth contributions this year, it could trigger a tax surprise without proper planning, experts say.  Enacted in 2022, Secure 2.0 ushered in sweeping changes for retirement savers, including the option for employers to offer 401(k) matches in Roth accounts. These accounts are after-tax, meaning employees

Teacher teaching her students in art class at school. Fg Trade | E+ | Getty Images The popular Public Service Loan Forgiveness program began a partial processing pause on May 1, which will likely run through July, the U.S. Department of Education recently said. The temporary suspension comes as the Biden administration overhauls the once-troubled

In this article BRK.A Follow your favorite stocksCREATE FREE ACCOUNT Warren Buffett, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, smiles as he plays bridge following the annual Berkshire Hathaway shareholders meeting in Omaha, Nebraska, on May 5, 2019. Nati Harnik | AP Warren Buffett is widely praised for his investment acumen. But one of the biggest

The Federal Reserve held rates steady Wednesday — again deciding not to cut — which means anyone who carries a balance on their credit card isn’t getting a break from sky-high interest charges. “It is becoming clearer and clearer that the Fed isn’t going to lower interest rates anytime soon,” said Matt Schulz, chief credit

Internal Revenue Commissioner Danny Werfel speaks during his swearing in ceremony at the IRS in Washington, D.C., on April 4, 2023. Bonnie Cash | Getty Images News | Getty Images The IRS has released an update on its strategic operating plan, which outlines “major accomplishments” in taxpayer service, technology and enforcement since its infusion of