Tax filing season is here again. If you haven't done so already, you'll want to start pulling things together — that includes getting your hands on a copy of your 2021 tax return and gathering W-2s, 1099s, and deduction records. You'll need these records whether you're preparing your own return or paying someone else [...]

The bulk of Social Security benefits go to retirees, but Social Security is much more than a retirement program. Most Americans are protected by the Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI)program — the official name of Social Security —throughout their lives. At the Beginning of Your Career Your first [...]

The IRS warns that although scams are especially prevalent during tax season, they also take place throughout the year.1 As a result, it's important to always be on the lookout for suspicious activity so that you don't end up becoming the victim of a scam. One of the more common IRS scams involves phishing [...]

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 help put a few more dollars back in your pocket. American Opportunity Credit The American Opportunity tax [...]

If you are age 50 or older and still working, you have a valuable opportunity to super-charge your retirement savings while managing your income tax liability. Catch-up contributions offer the chance to invest amounts over and above the standard annual limits in IRAs and workplace retirement plans. 2023 Limits In 2023, [...]

The arrival of spring is always a good time to dust off the cobwebs that have built up in your home during the winter. It's also a good time to clean out and organize your financial records so you can quickly locate something if you need it. Keep Only What You Need [...]

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 specified rate of return. A fixed annuity maintains its value regardless of market conditions, and yields on these products have risen in response [...]

To help improve your financial situation, you might consider reducing your debt. Before starting any debt payoff strategy (or combination of strategies), be sure you understand the terms of your debts, including interest rates, payment requirements, and any prepayment or other penalties. Start with Understanding Minimum Payments You are generally required to [...]

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 adjustments for 2023. Estate, Gift, and Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax The annual gift tax exclusion (and annual generation-skipping transfer tax exclusion) for [...]