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College students and parents deserve all the help they can get when paying for college or repaying student loans. If you're in this situation, here are three federal tax benefits that might…

Municipal bonds are issued by public entities such as state and local governments, health systems, universities, and school districts to help finance the building and maintenance of infrastructure projects such as roads,…

In the past, trusts were often used to avoid estate taxes, but that purpose has become less important for most people with current high exemption amounts ($12.92 million in 2023, $25.84 million…

If you and your spouse are looking for a way to build your retirement savings but one of you is not working, you might consider funding a spousal IRA. This could be…

With stock and bond markets both faltering over the past year, it’s easy to see why more near retirees have a newfound appreciation for fixed annuities : insurance contracts that guarantee a…

As young adults embark on their first real job, get married, or start a family, retirement might be the last thing on their minds. Even so, they might want to make it…

The $1.7 trillion appropriations bill passed by Congress at the end of last year included some notable provisions affecting workplace retirement plans and IRAs. Dubbed the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022, the…

Inflation is a sustained increase in prices that reduces the purchasing power of your money over time. According to the Consumer Price Index (CPI), inflation peaked at an annual rate of 9.1%…

If you own an IRA and all your contributions were made with pre-tax funds, your withdrawals will be taxed as ordinary income in the year of the distribution. But if you also…

Over time, finances tend to get complicated, especially when you’re juggling multiple goals and accounts. Simplifying your finances requires a bit of effort up front, but making just a few changes may…

“London Bridge is down.” On September 8, 2022, those words were reportedly used to launch what were arguably the most complex end-of-life proceedings the world had ever witnessed: the funeral arrangements for…

Every year, the Internal Revenue Service announces cost-of-living adjustments that affect contribution limits for retirement plans and various tax deduction, exclusion, exemption, and threshold amounts. Here are a few of the key…

On January 19, 2023, the outstanding debt of the U.S. government reached its statutory limit, commonly called the debt ceiling. The current limit was set by Congress at about $31.4 trillion in…

The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 is providing the IRS with an influx of about $80 billion to modernize outdated technology and rebuild a depleted workforce, which is expected to improve enforcement…

Maintaining an appropriate balance of stocks and bonds is one of the most fundamental concepts in constructing an investment portfolio. Stocks provide greater growth potential with higher risk and relatively low income;…

When you leave your job or retire, you have an opportunity to manage your funds in an employer-sponsored retirement plan such as a 401(k), 403(b), or government 457(b) plan. Depending on the…

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), 2.8 million people lost $5.8 billion to fraud in 2021, a 70% increase in losses over 2020. Imposter scams topped the list of fraud types,…

You may donate money to charitable organizations throughout the year, for no other reason than your heart-felt desire to support causes that you care about. But if philanthropy is important to you,…