Witthaya Prasongsin | Moment | Getty Images Interest rates may be going up in 2022 — and a bond ladder is one way for investors to manage the risk. Prices for existing bonds generally fall as interest rates (or yields) rise, since the yields on new bonds look more attractive by comparison. That dynamic played
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Cabania | iStock | Getty Images Plus You can start filing individual income tax returns on Jan. 24, but there may be refund delays as the IRS combats a backlog and limited staffing, according to Treasury officials. However, there may be ways to get your money faster, financial experts say. Although refunds are typically sent
Tara Moore | Getty Images Anyone facing required minimum withdrawals from retirement accounts should note there’s been a change to calculating those amounts. Starting this year, new IRS life expectancy tables — which are used to determine required minimum distributions, or RMDs — are in effect. While using the modified tables should be generally straightforward
Marko Geber | DigitalVision | Getty Images Many retirees rely on bonds for income, lower risk and portfolio growth. However, as the Federal Reserve prepares to raise interest rates, some worry about the effects on their nest egg. The cost of living has swelled for months, with the Consumer Price Index, the key measure of
MoMo Productions | DigitalVision | Getty Images If you bought or “exercised” company stock options in 2021, you need to watch for tax pitfalls when filing, according to financial experts. A stock option is the chance to buy stock in the company that employs you at a specific price, with profit potential if the value
FatCamera | E+ | Getty Images Last year’s child-care expenses may be worth more at tax time than you realize. The child and dependent care tax credit, as it’s called, was expanded in several ways for 2021 alongside other tax changes. This means many families will get a bigger tax break and the credit could
“Taxes” engraved at IRS headquarters in Washington, D.C. Andrew Kelly | Reuters Next week may be the last chance for some filers to avoid a tax penalty and reduce their bill in April. The deadline for fourth-quarter estimated tax payments is Jan. 18, applying to income from self-employment, small businesses, gig economy work, investments and
lisegagne | E+ | Getty Images If you received monthly advance child tax credit payments in 2021, there may be a costly surprise when filing your return. The American Rescue Plan, enacted in last March, increased the tax break to $3,000 from $2,000 per child under age 17, with $600 more for kids under age
A woman looks at an NFT titled “CURIO CARDS (EST. 2017)” on Sept. 28, 2021, at Christie’s auction house in New York. TIMOTHY A. CLARY | AFP | Getty Images In the digital realm, all taxes aren’t necessarily equal. Amid a cryptocurrency and non-fungible token (NFT) boom, wealthy owners may pay a different tax rate
The crypto ecosystem has expanded significantly in recent years. While institutions such as the IMF are starting to embrace its innovation, they are also calling for investors to exercise caution. Jakub Porzycki | NurPhoto via Getty Images After a record-breaking year for cryptocurrency in 2021, many investors may soon face a hefty tax bill for
NicolasMcComber | E+ | Getty Images Tax season is fast approaching — and recipients of unemployment benefits in 2021 don’t appear to be getting a tax break like they did for 2020. Unemployment benefits generally count as taxable income. The American Rescue Plan Act, a relief law Democrats passed in March last year, authorized a
Bill Oxford | E+ | Getty Images If you’re banking on a tax refund, it may be smaller, or you may owe money this season, according to financial experts. Typically, you get a federal tax refund when you’ve paid or withheld more than the amount you owe, based on taxable income. The IRS subtracts the