Personal finance

Rockaa | E+ | Getty Images There’s less than a week until tax season kicks off on Jan. 27 — and investors may have more options to file returns for free than in previous years. Typically, investors need certain tax forms to file returns, including Form 1099-B for capital gains and losses and Form 1099-DIV

Jaap Arriens | Nurphoto | Getty Images TikTok’s fate is still uncertain. While the Supreme Court last week upheld the law that effectively bans TikTok from the U.S., one of Trump’s first actions as president was an executive order to pause the ban for 75 days, starting Jan. 20. The app’s future may shift how

The rich are getting richer. The combined wealth of the world’s most wealthy rose to $15 trillion from $13 trillion in just 12 months, according to Oxfam’s latest annual inequality report — notching the second largest annual increase in billionaire wealth since the global charity began tracking this data. Last year alone, roughly 204 new

Hispanolistic | E+ | Getty Images When it comes to retirement savings, surveys often point to a big magic number you will need to have set aside to live well. Yet retirement experts say to focus on another number — your personal savings rate — to make sure you achieve your retirement savings goals. “Early

Greg Hinsdale | The Image Bank | Getty Images Inheriting an individual retirement account is a windfall for many investors. However, a lesser-known change for 2025 could trigger a costly surprise penalty, financial experts say. Starting in 2025, certain heirs with inherited IRAs must take yearly required withdrawals while emptying accounts over 10 years, known

Damircudic | E+ | Getty Images By now, you’ve probably seen the green badges splashed all over LinkedIn, advertising that person is #opentowork. Whether unemployed and actively seeking a new position, or quiet quitting in their current role, more people are choosing to make their job-seeking status known on the career site. Globally, more than

D3sign | Moment | Getty Images There’s an important lesson for investors in Vanguard Group’s recent $106 million settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission over its target-date funds: Being mindful of your investment account type can save you from a big tax bill in certain cases. Vanguard, the largest target-date fund manager, agreed to

Justin Paget | Digitalvision | Getty Images Many workers hate the prospect of returning to the office five days a week — so much so that they’d quit their jobs if told to come in full-time. To that point, 46% of workers who currently work from home at least sometimes would be somewhat or very

Djelics | E+ | Getty Images Retirees can expect to see some big changes in 2025 when it comes to their Social Security and Medicare benefits. President Joe Biden is expected to sign a bill that will increase Social Security benefits for certain pensioners. Additionally, the annual Social Security cost-of-living adjustment goes into effect for

Lordhenrivoton | E+ | Getty Images If you’re eager to save more for retirement, you could be overlooking ways to maximize your 401(k) plan, including key changes for 2025. Some 40% of Americans are behind on retirement planning and savings, according to a CNBC poll conducted by SurveyMonkey, which polled 6,657 U.S. adults in August.

 U.S. President Joe Biden speaks as he participates in a bill signing ceremony for the “Social Security Fairness Act” in the East Room of the White House, in Washington, U.S. on Jan. 5, 2025. Nathan Howard | Reuters President Joe Biden on Sunday signed the Social Security Fairness Act, bipartisan legislation that clears the way

Israel Sebastian | Moment | Getty Images Investors who hold exchange-traded funds can often escape a tax bill incurred by those with mutual funds, which are generally less tax efficient, according to investment experts. ETFs and mutual funds are baskets of stocks, bonds and other financial assets overseen by professional money managers. But they have

Pedestrians walk in front of the New York Stock Exchange, decorated with a giant U.S. flag, in New York City, Nov. 6, 2024. China News Service | China News Service | Getty Images Assets in U.S. exchange-traded funds in November topped $10 trillion for the first time, according to the latest data from Cerulli Associates.

Hobo_018 | E+ | Getty Images The U.S. Department of Education recently announced that it was reopening two student loan repayment plans, leaving borrowers with more choices to tackle their debt. Those options are: the Pay As You Earn Repayment Plan and the Income-Contingent Repayment Plan. They’re both income-driven repayment plans, which means they set

Getty Images Personal finances are top of mind for many households as they get set to ring in the new year. About 38% of Americans ranked financial stability as their No. 1 focus area for 2025, according to a recent Allianz Life survey. CNBC reached out to certified financial planners on its Financial Advisor Council

Ezra Bailey | Stone | Getty Images Opening presents during the holidays is of course a lot of fun. But for many, opening those credit card statements will be just the opposite. Months before the holidays hit, consumers were already bracing for the anticipated costs. More than half of 2024 holiday shoppers, or 55%, felt

From left, Elon Musk, House Speaker Mike Johnson and Vivek Ramaswamy arrive for a meeting on Capitol Hill on Dec. 5, 2024. Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images When Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy laid out their vision for slashing the size of the federal government, they touted plans to bring workers back to the office

U.S. President Joe Biden shakes hands with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House on November 13, 2024 in Washington, DC.  Alex Wong | Getty Images The country’s roughly 40 million federal student loan borrowers should brace for changes related to their debt when President Joe Biden exits office toward

D3sign | Moment | Getty Images Stocks soared in 2024. Congratulations! After taking a victory lap, it may be time to adjust your portfolio — because those heady returns likely threw your investment allocations out of whack. The S&P 500, a stock index of the largest public U.S. companies by market capitalization, gained 23% in

Getty Images While the Biden administration withdrew its plans to forgive student loan debt for millions of people, borrowers should look into the many other existing debt cancellation opportunities, experts say. The U.S. Department of Education posted notices in the Federal Register in December that it was pulling its wide-scale loan forgiveness plans. The Department cited “operational