Advisors

Westend61 | Westend61 | Getty Images Stocks are booming and seniors are struggling with long-term unemployment. Taken together, poor job prospects and a healthy nest egg may make it seem like a good time to retire. In fact, it may be a particularly dangerous time for Americans to do so, according to financial experts. More

Luis Alvarez | DigitalVision | Getty Images Ivory Johnson was one of the many financial advisors who were forced to pivot quickly when the pandemic hit the U.S. more than a year ago. In a business that is often relationship-driven, Covid largely put a halt to in-person meetings for advisors, including Johnson. However, the shift

Jose Luis Pelaez Inc | DigitalVision | Getty Images Ever wonder how your nest egg fares in comparison to your neighbors’? From state to state, the median amount — half fall above, half below — that retirement savers have earmarked for their golden years ranges from about $83,500 in Mississippi to $177,500 in Washington, according

Getty Images A fourth batch of more than 25 million $1,400 stimulus payments has been sent, and this time Social Security beneficiaries received most of the money. The IRS announced on Wednesday that new stimulus checks totaling more than $36 billion had been issued. Those payments began processing on Friday, April 2, and had an

Win McNamee | Getty Images News | Getty Images Taxes on retirement savings are inevitable — it’s really a question of now or later. President Joe Biden’s tax plan may make it better to pay Uncle Sam now. Taxpayers can do that by saving in a Roth account or converting a traditional, pre-tax account to

bymuratdeniz | iStock | Getty Images That early withdrawal from your retirement account last year may have been a life saver. Now, it’s time to start paying the taxman. Most retirement savers did not take a distribution under legislation that authorized penalty-free early withdrawals amid the pandemic. However, for those who did, the majority (69%)

Jim McGuire | Getty Images When faced with a quiz on Social Security claiming rules, many people who are on the brink of retirement fail. MassMutual recently gave a 12-question true/false quiz to 1,500 people ages 55 to 65 who have not yet claimed their benefits. Just 3% of the respondents were able to answer

aldomurillo | E+ | Getty Images Retired, vaccinated and ready to hit the road? Don’t forget to check whether your Medicare plan will travel with you. While coverage when you’re away from home depends partly on where you’re headed, it also hinges on the specifics of your coverage. Whether the care you receive is routine

Constantine Johnny | Moment | Getty Images The IRS may be extending the deadline to file your annual taxes for 2020 to May 17, but there’s no time like now to get started on them — no matter your circumstances. Perhaps you owe money that you don’t currently have. Maybe your life has been turned

Getty Images Between stimulus checks and expanded tax credits in the latest Covid-relief package, most U.S. households are poised to get some extra cash. The amount? An average of $3,450 for the bottom 60% of earners ($65,000 or less), according to research from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. The number reflects direct stimulus

Supoj Buranaprapapong | Getty Images It’s always nice getting a raise, but it could affect your ability to save for retirement through your 401(k) plan. Highly compensated employees — those making more than $130,000 annually — may not be able to contribute the maximum to their tax-deferred retirement plan if their lower-paid colleagues aren’t diligently

Rosamund Pike accepts the Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical/Comedy, award for “I Care a Lot” via video from Ben Stiller at the 78th Annual Golden Globe Awards on Feb. 28, 2021 in New York. Peter Kramer/NBC | NBCUniversal | Getty Images The Netflix movie “I Care A Lot” provides insight on how to

recep-bg | E+ | Getty Images Spring typically represents a new beginning, a fresh start and a bright outlook for the future. This also indicates that the time is approaching for hundreds of thousands of high school seniors to decide on what college they will be attending. As a wealth advisor and parent of one

Tetra Images | Tetra images | Getty Images A few years ago, I had a client tell me he invested in a fancy bowling alley — the new party hot spot in town. It’s since shut down. Another client shared that he joined the board of a start-up and they’re looking to raise capital. He

fstop123 | E+ | Getty Images If you pulled money from your 401(k) plan or individual retirement account last year to get through tough times, now is the time to consider next steps. The federal CARES Act that was passed in March 2020 put in place very favorable terms for qualified retirement plan participants under

Democratic candidates for Senate Jon Ossoff (L), Raphael Warnock (C) and US President-elect Joe Biden (R) bump elbows on stage during a rally outside Center Parc Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on January 4, 2021. Jim Watson | AFP | Getty Images Wealthy Americans worried about the prospect of higher estate and gift taxes might have

US President-elect Joe Biden speaks at The Queen theater in Wilmington, Delaware on January 7, 2021, to announce key nominees for the Justice Department. Jim Watson | AFP | Getty Images President-elect Joe Biden’s stimulus proposal includes a bevy of tax credits aimed at stabilizing the finances for American families. Biden’s pandemic aid plan, to

LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers at a game against the LA Clippers at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on July 30, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Mike Ehrmann | Getty Images In a search for revenue, state tax departments have set their sights on a tempting target: professional athletes. “If you’re

Oranut Fankhaenel / EyeEm | EyeEm | Getty Images Sustainability ratings are useful tools for assessing the environmental, sustainability and corporate governance-worthiness of mutual funds and exchange-traded funds. But how do you navigate between different ratings providers, especially when they can have different results for the same fund? CNBC looked under the hood at some

Getty Images Sitting on a growing bitcoin fortune? Consider giving away some of it to charity. As 2020 draws to a close, the cryptocurrency has seen a massive surge in appreciation. The value of a single unit of bitcoin is now hovering around $27,000. Though long-time holders of the virtual currency are rejoicing, they run