Personal Finance

Tetra Images | Getty Images If you want to get your refund as quickly as possible, you’d better hustle that tax return out the door. The IRS has received 28.6 million tax returns for the 2019 tax year as of Feb. 7, and it anticipates receiving more than 150 million returns in total. Filers are

Jhanilka and Anthony Hartzog say they could have saved an extra $5,000 or $6,000 if they’d hired an accountant in their first year. Source: Jhanilka and Anthony Hartzog If only you could go back in time, but with today’s 20/20 vision. Starting a business is a little like that. You’re fired up with enthusiasm for

Even though it’s still early to file your taxes, the sooner you crunch the numbers on your return, the better off you could be. The IRS issued more than 111.8 million refunds for the 2018 tax year, with taxpayers receiving an average payment of $2,869. This year could bring an even bigger windfall, for those

Democratic presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg gives the thumbs up as he embarks on his bus after speaking to supporters at the Viva Villa restaurant in San Antonio, Texas on January 11, 2020. Mark Felix | AFP | Getty Images Mike Bloomberg released plans to shore up Americans’ retirement on Sunday, promising to increase Social Security

Even though February isn’t known as a big sales month for cars, you’ll likely find some decent deals if you head to the dealership over this three-day holiday weekend. While some advertised specials may be pegged to Presidents Day, many deals last for the month. And with more of last year’s models still hanging around

Adrian Peterson #26 of the Washington Redskins looks on after being tackled by the Philadelphia Eagles during the first half at FedExField on Dec. 30, 2018 in Landover, Maryland. Scott Taetsch | Getty Images Sport | Getty Images Adrian Peterson is heading to arbitration against Morgan Stanley Wealth Management over an investment dispute, the latest

Goodboy Picture Company A hot tax-advantaged opportunity is making the rounds among financial advisors. Just make sure you don’t overlook the risks. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which went into effect in 2018, established so-called qualified opportunity zones — economically disadvantaged areas across the country. Funds specializing in qualified opportunity zones allow people to

Many Americans seem to be addicted to income tax refunds, even though financial planners often advise having less tax withheld from your pay throughout the year as the better way to manage your cash flow. Nearly two-thirds of taxpayers — more than 111 million Americans — received a refund from the Internal Revenue Service last

Netflix, Apple TV and Prime Video. egadolfo I signed up recently for a clothing subscription service called NUULY. The company lets you wear six items a month for $88. But what the service provides me feels deeper. For that fee, I can arrive to a date in a $860 designer coat, which wouldn’t normally be

As taxpayers roll into the second tax-filing season under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, one question remains: “Will I come out ahead in 2019?” The IRS began accepting 2019 tax returns on Jan. 27 and anticipates it will receive more than 150 million individual returns this year. Thus far, the agency has delivered 4.3

Tetra Images | Getty Images In a world where much of consumer banking has gone high-tech, the most costly scams involve an old-school tool: checks. At about $2,000 a pop, fake-check scams cheated consumers out of more than $28 million in 2019, according to the Federal Trade Commission. That per-instance amount is more than six

About 115 pages into President Trump’s proposed 2021 budget are two line items that Medicare beneficiaries might want to take note of. While the president’s proposals pertaining to Medicare are largely aimed at behind-the-scenes shifts — i.e., lowering reimbursement rates to providers and rooting out waste or fraud — the budget also includes changes that

Getting into college is one thing. Figuring out how to pay for it is another. Price has become a growing consideration among students and parents. Now, financial concerns govern decision-making for nearly 8 in 10 families, according to education lender Sallie Mae, outweighing even academics when choosing a school. At the same time, most students

Once you reach age 65 and are eligible for Medicare, sorting through your options can be tricky. Add in any layer of complexity to the maze — i.e., jumping in and out of the workforce, dropping and picking up coverage — and look out. The program comes with rules — lots of them. And if

Aline Maurice | Image Bank | Getty Images Valentine’s Day is perfect time to tell your partner how much they mean to you — and come clean about a secret you may be keeping. Chances are, that has something to do with money. Nearly half, or 44%, of those in a relationship admit to committing

Kang-ho Song, Hye-jin Jang, Woo-sik Choi, So-dam Park in the movie “Parasite.” Source: Parasite In “Parasite,” the South Korean thriller that took home four Oscars Sunday night, including the award for best picture, the tension between rich and poor is on full display, juxtaposing the luxury and abundance of the haves with the hardship and

The lure of remote work is obvious. In addition to sleeping an hour or so later, depending on your commute, you can save a lot of money. For instance, the costs of a formal work wardrobe, lunch out and traveling to an office. More than 4 million employees — just a fraction of the U.S.

A pedestrian wears a face mask while pushing a stroller past the Tiffany & Co. luxury goods store at Times Square in the Causeway Bay district of Hong Kong, China, on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2020. Bloomberg Here’s a comforting fact as the market grapples with the coronavirus: Your 401(k) plan is pretty resilient. The alarming

Getty | Westend61 Everyone has to save for retirement. If you have a job with a company that offers retirement savings, you are in luck. You sign up (or you might be enrolled automatically) and then contribute through your paycheck. You don’t have to do a thing. But when you’re an independent entrepreneur, you have

Queen Elizabeth II, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex watch a flypast to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force from the balcony of Buckingham Palace on July 10, 2018 in London, England. Max Mumby | Indigo | Getty Images Royals aren’t the only ones leaning on family. As Prince

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) (R) participate in the Democratic presidential primary debate at Drake University on January 14, 2020 in Des Moines, Iowa. Scott Olson | Getty Images Social Security policy has already prompted some presidential contenders to resort to fighting words. But for many

Aimstock | Getty Images It’s the gift that everybody wants: the ability to get a do-over when you make a mistake. In golf, it’s called a mulligan, or the chance to redo a stroke. With Social Security, it’s called a withdrawal of application. However, the circumstances under which you can exercise this option are limited.

Former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, a democratic presidential candidate, attends the U.S Conference of Mayors 88th Winter Meeting in Washington, D.C, January 22, 2020. Yasin Ozturk | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images Democratic presidential candidates are taking aim at a new tax break for small businesses. Billionaire Michael Bloomberg last week pitched a

Low-angle view of the facade of Tesla Motors dealership with logo and sign in Pleasanton, California, July 23, 2018. (Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images) Smith Collection/Gado This week’s mania around Tesla stock, which saw the share price of the automaker and sustainable energy company hit its biggest one-day gain in six years, likely has some

Sirinarth Mekvorawuth / EyeEm LendEDU, a website that compares loans, credit cards and insurance for consumers, engaged in a pay-to-play scheme that saw the online marketplace accept money from financial firms in exchange for higher ratings and post fake customer reviews, according to the Federal Trade Commission. LendEDU and three company officers deceived the public

Young female barista has a disappointed expression on her face as she counts her tips at the end of the day. Steve Debenport | E+ | Getty Images When it comes to tipping, most Americans believe they are better than average. But some may be overestimating just how generous they are. A new survey from

Thomas Barwick Health savings accounts can be a great tool for retirement medical costs — if you don’t make any mistakes using them. These accounts work alongside high-deductible health plans and they offer three major tax benefits. First, you can make pretax or tax-deductible contributions to your HSA. Second, your funds will grow tax free

Rob Daly | OJO Images | Getty Images The last decade has seen a surge in the number of gig workers, indicating broad economic and demographic shifts and raising concerns around long-term financial security for a growing share of the workforce, according to some experts. “We’re just going to keep seeing more of it,” Kerry

The Burj Khalifa looms over Dubai, United Arab Emirates. owngarden Back in early 2012, I bounded up to the ticket booth at the then-new, 2,722-foot Burj Khalifa in Dubai, hoping to snag a last-minute elevator ride to the top of the world’s tallest skyscraper. Taking a seven-hour tourist detour from a business stay in neighboring

Foreign travelers wearing masks walk past a departures information board at Beijing International Airport in Beijing, China as the country is hit by an outbreak of the new coronavirus, February 1, 2020. Jason Lee | Reuters When the market makes big moves, you might be tempted to make big decisions. However, having a one-size-fits-all approach