If you hate paying taxes, at least it’s a reason to pretend you’re glad you never win big in the lottery. So far this year, the 12 winners who have hit Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots — worth an advertised $3.3 billion in all — have collectively fed roughly $505.5 million to the IRS. And
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The Federal Reserve‘s decision to cut interest rates by a quarter point for the third time this year is meant to bolster the economy. Everyday Americans may lose some ground. On the one hand, lower rates often mean cheaper loans, which can impact your mortgage, home equity loan, credit card, student loan tab and car
Move over, pumpkin spice latte. You’re no longer the only budget-crusher in town. Unconscious spending is the next Starbucks-like personal finance cliché, says Chris Kampitsis, a certified financial planner at the Barnum Financial Group in Elmsford, New York. “An overuse or overreliance on subscriptions, everything from Netflix to different delivery services, like monthly boxes, all
If Valentine’s Day is a Hallmark holiday, Halloween was made for Instagram. When it comes to spending, nearly half, or 48%, of millennials said they purchased items strictly for the social media posts, compared to less than a third of those in Generation X, according to a new report from CompareCards by LendingTree. About 4
Medicare beneficiaries would get dental, vision and hearing coverage if several bills now before Congress pass. In addition, the government would get authority to negotiate prices with drugmakers and create a cap for Medicare out-of-pocket spending on prescription drugs. All have cleared the necessary committees over the last couple of weeks and now await full
Getty Images ‘Tis the season to spend a lot of money. Between buying gifts, booking travel and attending holiday parties, there are plenty of ways to splurge in the months ahead, regardless of whether Americans can afford it. The National Retail Federation said it expects holiday retail sales to rise between 3.8% and 4.2% over
100 years old birthday cake to old woman elderly celebration funny humor MEDITERRANEAN | E+ | Getty Images You can never be too old for a surprise tax bill from the IRS. Whether you’re a business owner or an individual with an elaborate estate, you may use cash value life insurance to solve any complex
Camille Wood walks dogs as a side hustle. Source: Camille Wood Camille Wood is a personal assistant, dog sitter and host at The Second City, a comedy club in Chicago. “During a typical week, I’m doing something for pay pretty much every day,” she said. “I needed the extra money for student loans and city
A long-running index shows that financial happiness in the U.S. is slipping, despite continued economic strength. The American Institute of CPA’s quarterly Personal Financial Satisfaction Index, released Thursday, shows a 3.6% decline from the previous reading — which also had posted a slight dip. At the same time, however, the latest reading of 37.3 remains
If you’re going to make Medicare coverage changes that include dropping or buying a supplemental plan — aka, Medigap — make sure you know the rules that come along with it. Medicare’s annual open enrollment period — now underway through Dec. 7 — allows you to switch various parts of your coverage for next year.