Oliver Contreras/Sipa/Bloomberg via Getty Images The U.S. would tax capital gains and dividends for the rich at among the highest rates in the developed world if President Joe Biden’s proposal were enacted. The top rate high-earning Americans pay on dividends and the sale of appreciated assets would jump to nearly 49%, when combining all federal
Personal finance
Peter Cade | Getty Images Many people know about their 401(k) perks, but their plan may have a hidden feature that allows for even more savings. When someone maxes out their 401(k) — $19,500 in annual contributions for those under 50 in 2021 — some plans may permit them to stash more money into their
Image Source | Getty Images It’s not uncommon to want to return to work after retiring. Whether for financial reasons or personal fulfillment, many older Americans find that retirement isn’t working for them. Yet before you make the leap, it’s worth considering how that extra income could affect other parts of your financial life. Of
Tom Werner | DigitalVision | Getty Images Retailers are making it easier than ever to make purchases with “buy now, pay later” loans. Also known as point-of-sale installment loans, they are a type of short-term financing that allow you to divide your purchases into monthly installments. Services that offer them, like Affirm, Klarna, Afterpay and
Getty Images The other day I did something I haven’t done in over a year: I signed into my student loan account. Or, at least that’s what I tried to do. Turns out I’d forgotten my password and couldn’t get in. Instead of going through the steps to change it, I closed the browser and
ljubaphoto | E+ | Getty Images Like much of the travel and hospitality industry, travel agents took a huge hit when the pandemic struck in March 2020. However, after months of struggle and setbacks, a potential silver lining has emerged: Travel advisors’ effective advocacy for clients stranded or stymied during the global lockdown has now
Pedestrians wearing protective masks carry shopping bags in San Francisco, California, on Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021. David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images For many Americans, the post-pandemic normal is exciting. After more than a year stuck inside and forgoing travel, entertainment and more to curb the spread of Covid-19, many people are ready
Ungureanu Vadim | EyeEm | Getty Images In January, Anna Brekken had finally made 120 student loan payments, the number at which borrowers are supposed to get the rest of their debt cancelled under the public service loan forgiveness program. When she submitted her request for forgiveness, she looked forward to walking away from her
In this article AMZN Amazon driver Shawndu Stackhouse delivers packages in Northeast Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, April 6, 2021. Tom Williams | CQ-Roll Call, Inc. | Getty Images It’s typically one of the biggest sales of the year. And in 2021, Amazon Prime Day could be even bigger. The annual two-day shopping event is set
Two views of the Hopper app’s new Price Freeze feature, showing (left) a step in the search process and (right) a list of active freezes. Hopper After a year of lockdown and limited travel, Americans want flexibility and freedom when planning trips. They got used to it during the coronavirus pandemic, as travel suppliers scrambled
For long-term investors, daily headlines are distractions. Westend61 / Josep Rovirosa | Getty Images It’s no secret that Social Security is underfunded, and many Americans are struggling to scrape by on their monthly benefit checks. Now, congressional leaders have raised a key question on reforming the program. “Should we vote now or should we kick
Anchiy | E+ | Getty Images The age when older Americans must start making withdrawals from retirement accounts could change yet again. Under a provision in proposed retirement legislation pending in Congress, required minimum distributions, or RMDs, would start at age 75 by 2032, up from age 72 — which only took effect last year
A car drives north to escape the Bond Fire as it crosses Santiago Canyon Road near Southern California’s Silverado Canyon on Dec. 3, 2020. Leonard Ortiz | Getty Images Climate change is a growing concern for many retirees. As extreme weather threatens communities across the country, some investors are shifting their retirement portfolios. “This is
New York schoolchildren study at home during the coronavirus lockdown on April 6, 2020. Peter Titmuss | Education Images | Getty Images Parents without bank accounts, take note: The IRS will not send any of the upcoming enhanced child tax credit payments via debit cards, according to a Treasury spokesperson. The payments, which are set
Zoom In IconArrows pointing outwards Rising consumer costs have helped push the latest estimate for next year’s Social Security cost-of-living adjustment to 5.3%. Whether that will actually be the bump retirees see to their monthly checks in 2022 depends a lot on the economy, including whether the Federal Reserve decides to raise interest rates. The
In this article DFS Fifty-six percent of travelers told Discover they’ll use contactless payment methods more often while on trips this year. martin-dm | E+ | Getty Images Most news about travel may have focused on health and safety since the pandemic hit over a year ago. However, cost and booking flexibility are now even
maybefalse | E+ | Getty Images You probably can come up with many things you’d rather do than spend time planning for your own death. However, there’s part of creating an estate plan that experts say deserves thoughtful consideration: choosing the individuals who will carry out the wishes in your will and who will make
Ariel Skelley | DigitalVision | Getty Many consider 529 college savings plans to be for education, but these accounts also offer a flexible way to transfer wealth. There’s currently an estate tax exemption of $11.7 million per person. Although President Joe Biden campaigned on slashing the write-off to $3.5 million, it hasn’t been part of
shapecharge | E+ | Getty Images For workers who lose track of their 401(k) savings accounts, help may be on the way. Proposed retirement legislation that’s pending in Congress would create an online “lost and found” database to help locate those accounts, among a variety of other provisions. While lawmakers are in the early stages
Personal finance expert Suze Orman likes bitcoin. Not as a currency, but as a long-term investment, the best-selling author told CNBC’s “Power Lunch” Monday. Back in April, she said she told listeners of her podcast, Women & Money (And Everyone Smart Enough To Listen), “Any money that you can afford to lose, then I don’t