Personal finance

Jaque Silva/ | Nurphoto | Getty Images With the price of bitcoin down from a record high in January, there’s a chance for some investors to score a tax break, experts say.   Following a post-election rally, the flagship digital currency touched $109,000 on inauguration day before falling in February. As of midday Friday, the price

Pra-chid | Istock | Getty Images With tax season well underway, you may be eager for strategies to reduce your 2024 taxes or boost your refund. However, there are limited options, especially for so-called “W-2 employees” who earn wages, experts say. After Dec. 31, there are “very few” tax moves left for the previous year,

Westend61 | Westend61 | Getty Images Some states have stopped disbursing funds to consumers via Biden-era rebate programs tied to home energy efficiency, due to a Trump administration freeze on federal funding enacted in January. The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in 2022, had earmarked $8.8 billion of federal funds for consumers through two home energy

The average tax refund is 10.4% lower than last year according to the latest Internal Revenue Service data, and inflation is taking more of those dollars. Bill Oxford | E+ | Getty Images The average tax refund this year is down 32.4% compared to last year, according to early filing data from the IRS.  Tax

Westend61 | Westend61 | Getty Images There’s a lesser-known tax break for low- to moderate-income Americans who save for retirement. However, most eligible taxpayers don’t claim it, experts say. The retirement savings contributions credit, or saver’s credit, helps offset funds added to an individual retirement account, 401(k) plan or another workplace plan. The tax break

Protestors in New York City demonstrate against the push by President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, who leads the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, to gut federal services and impose mass layoffs, Feb. 19, 2025. Michael Nigro/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images The Trump administration’s purge of federal workers may ultimately amount to the biggest job

Damircudic | E+ | Getty Images Student loan borrowers who expected smaller monthly payments under the new Saving on a Valuable Education, or SAVE, plan received some bad news on Feb. 18, when a U.S. appeals court blocked the program. As a result, millions of people will need to switch to a new repayment plan

Images By Tang Ming Tung | Digitalvision | Getty Images Whether you’re expecting a refund or balance due this tax season, there’s a key reason to file your return promptly, experts say: thwarting tax-related identity theft.     Nearly 33% of Americans procrastinate filing their taxes, according to a survey from real estate company IPX1031, which polled

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) speaks to a crowd gathered in front of the U.S. Treasury Department in protest of Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency on Feb. 4, 2025 in Washington, DC. Anna Rose Layden | Getty Images In response to a request from Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.

Busà Photography | Moment | Getty Images There’s no shortage of social media influencers sharing real estate advice, and some make renting out your home seem like a clear “yes” when you move elsewhere. Managing a rental property, however, can be complicated — and changing your primary residence could impact your taxes later, experts say. 

Traders on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange at the opening bell in New York City on Feb. 12, 2025.  Angela Weiss | Afp | Getty Images Stock market investors enjoyed lofty annual returns over the past two years. However, 2025 may not offer a “three-peat,” investment analysts say. The S&P 500 stock

Sanja Radin | E+ | Getty Images It seems that love is in the air, and so is the spending as more people are apparently getting into the Valentine’s Day spirit this year. Americans shopping for their significant others are expected to spend $14.6 billion this year, according to the latest annual survey by the