Peter Cade | Getty Images To Roth or not to Roth? That may not be the question as William Shakespeare phrased it. But it is the question you should be asking yourself when saving retirement money in an individual retirement account. New research from TD Ameritrade finds that many individuals are confused when it comes
Personal finance
Kris Zaporteza / EyeEm The most significant retirement legislation in more than a decade is now law. Yet, it may fall short in one of its principal aims: expanding the pool of people who can save for retirement via a workplace plan. At least 25% of those working in the private sector can’t save in
SDI Productions There aren’t many days left in 2019. Yet it isn’t too late to make some moves to improve your finances before the new year starts. Instead of thinking of it as a resolution, use this time as an opportunity to form new, healthy money habits that will last throughout your life, said certified
There is such a thing as a gift that keeps on giving. While unwrapping a monetary present may not be as thrilling as getting this year’s hottest toy, it is not as unexciting as it sounds, according to Jill Fopiano, the CEO of O’Brien Wealth Partners in Boston. In fact, it’s what Americans hope to
Performance review season is upon us. Giving and receiving feedback can be daunting, particularly if you’re hoping your assessment will score you a raise or promotion. And it can be hard to have faith that filling out an online form or scheduling a cursory meeting with your manager will actually bring about significant change. Yet,
Image Source | Getty Images Student debt is leading job seekers to seriously consider positions at employers that offer loan repayment assistance as a benefit. Outstanding education debt has outpaced credit card and auto debt. The average college graduate leaves school $30,000 in the red today, up from $10,000 in the 1990s. Student loan assistance,
Jetta Productions Inc Entrepreneurs hoping to pocket some tax deductions for 2019 shouldn’t forget a new 20% break. The qualified business income or QBI deduction made its debut in 2018, a feature of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The new write-off allows owners of “pass-through” entities, including S-corporations and partnerships, to deduct up to
Jennifer Adolfie, 33, with a steeply discounted Louis Vuitton bag she found on Poshmark. Source: Jennifer Adolfie You can save a shocking amount of money when you ditch the mall and shop at an online reseller. There’s another reason to do this around the holidays. You can also spare the planet — at least a
Guido Mieth | DigitalVision | Getty Images You’ve saved for retirement for decades. Now what? Time to think about how to draw down your money in a smart way. The IRS currently requires savers to make withdrawals from their retirement accounts starting at age 70½. However, this week the Senate passed a bill that would
Colin Anderson Productions pty ltd More Americans may soon be able to buy into risky investments such as private equity funds, hedge funds and stock in start-up companies — and investors should be wary. The SEC this week proposed a rule that would loosen requirements around who can invest in so-called private securities, a move
If you’re hoping to snag the best-available terms on a loan, standard guidance about credit card usage could end up interfering with your plans. The common advice is to keep revolving debt below 30% of your available credit so your so-called utilization rate doesn’t hurt your credit score. Yet experts say your FICO score —
The biggest legislative changes to America’s retirement system in 13 years are on their way. On Thursday, the U.S. Senate approved a spending bill that includes the bipartisan Secure Act, which aims to increase the ranks of retirement savers and the amount they put away. The measure — which passed the House earlier this week
Getty Images Amid the political noise in Washington, D.C., wealthy investors are going with an asset class they know best: real estate. Members of TIGER 21, an investment club for high-net worth people, ticked up their holdings in real estate to 29% from 28% during the third quarter. This is the group’s highest allocation in
Wong Sze Fei / EyeEm The new year is fast approaching, and building an emergency fund for unexpected expenses should be at the top of your financial to-do list for 2020. Having fast cash at the ready for emergency situations — be it a surprise medical bill, necessary home repair, job loss or even a
Someone is having a good start to the holidays. A lottery player in Ohio won the $372 Mega Millions jackpot on Tuesday night, according to the lottery website. The ticket was purchased at the Giant Eagle supermarket in Mentor, a Cleveland suburb. We might not learn much about the lucky player: Ohio allows lottery winners
Some of the cash you’ve been accumulating all year is about to disappear for good. Health-care flexible spending accounts, or FSAs, are tax-advantaged accounts you may be able to find at work. You can save pretax dollars in these accounts and then use your money tax-free to pay for qualified medical costs. You can’t hold
Phil Roeder Americans are likely losing a popular retirement tax strategy next year that allows the wealthy to leave large inheritances in retirement accounts. Several retirement provisions were tucked into a bipartisan $1.4 trillion spending package that federal lawmakers must pass by Friday to avoid a government shutdown. Among the many items in the bill
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a roundtable on small business at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S, on Friday, Dec. 6, 2019. Kevin Dietsch | Bloomberg | Getty Images The Supreme Court will determine next year whether investigators may finally get a glimpse at President Donald Trump’s tax returns. The court said on
Jaireme Barrow has been the victim of “porch pirates” several times. Jaireme Barrow While you’re gearing up for the holidays, fraudsters may be trying to take advantage of you. Empty gift cards, bogus charitable solicitations, cyber attacks and thieves who steal packages from your porch aren’t necessarily unique to this time of year. However, because
Unexpected medical bills are doing more than driving up debt. For many Americans, those debts are also making it more difficult to get a mortgage. Buyers with medical debt are more likely than others to be denied a mortgage, according to a report on consumer housing trends by online real estate marketplace Zillow. Zillow’s survey