Key takeaways If your annual income is less than the standard deduction, you likely aren’t required to file a tax return. But exceptions apply to self-employed people, taxpayers who file as married filing separately and others. The standard deduction for the 2025 tax year, for tax returns filed in 2026,…
Tax credits are a powerful way to save money on taxes. Each dollar of a tax credit is subtracted directly from the amount of tax you owe the IRS. And some tax credits are refundable, meaning even if you don’t owe any tax, the credit is paid out to you…
2. Coaching and Tutoring Take stock of your areas of expertise – maybe you speak a second language or solving math equations comes naturally to you. Make use of your knowledge about a certain topic and tutor students – or adults – who need to brush up on the subject. …
Key takeaways Investing in an S&P 500 index fund is an easy way to get instant exposure to hundreds of the largest companies in the U.S. in one investment vehicle. All S&P 500 funds are fundamentally invested in the same stocks, so choosing the “cheapest” one (the one with the…
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The nation’s 75 million Social Security recipients will receive a 2.8% cost of living adjustment (COLA) increase in their benefits…
Historically Black colleges and universities are on the frontlines of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s new limits on parent…
The big new fees JPMorgan Chase is planning to charge some financial technology companies may well trickle down to consumers,…
With artificial intelligence beginning to eat away at many white-collar entry-level jobs, and the unemployment rate for recent college graduates…
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“I’m standing there watching my house burn, and I’m like, oh my goodness, this is everything that I worked for.” When Rahkim Sabree, AFC followed a gut feeling to return home early from an outing in October, he didn’t expect to find his living room…
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How Long Does Collections Stay on My Credit Report? Also keep in mind that just because a lender or agency loses the ability…
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These entrepreneurs, traders and investors are making an outsized impact in fintech, crypto and traditional financial services.By Jeff Kauflin, Hank Tucker and Nina…
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Key takeaways In 2026, employees can defer up to $24,500 of their salary to fund their 401(k), an increase from $23,500 in 2025. When including employer matches and after-tax contributions, you can amass up to $72,000 in total in 2026. Workers aged 50 and older can make catch-up contributions on…
Financial stress is the mental and emotional strain caused by money worries, and it often spikes after the holidays due to accumulated credit card debt. Creating a clear plan that includes budgeting, debt repayment, and emotional self-care can help you regain control and reduce overwhelm. With the right strategies and…
Opening a Roth IRA might be the single best retirement decision you can make. While Roth IRAs don’t offer immediate tax gratification like other types of retirement accounts, they do give you tax-free growth and you’ll never have to pay any taxes on withdrawals if you follow the rules. In…
Image: Getty Images; Illustration: Bankrate Mixed action for home equity rates in the latest week, with both products landing at their lowest level in three years. The benchmark five-year $30,000 home equity loan fell six basis points to 7.92%, according to Bankrate’s national survey of lenders. At the same time,…
Getting behind the wheel without car insurance can quickly turn into an expensive mistake. If you are caught driving without coverage, you run the risk of facing penalties, including fines, loss of your driver’s license and potentially jail time. If you cause an accident while driving uninsured, you may have…
Key takeaways A mortgage preapproval is a statement of how much money a lender is willing to let you borrow to pay for a home. There are several important steps in the mortgage preapproval process, such as shopping around for lenders and gathering financial documents. Getting preapproved makes it more…
For workers who are used to receiving their paycheck every other week, the calendar is aligned in January to give some biweekly wage earners “bonus” third paychecks during the year. For 2026, the bonus months are either January and July (if the first paycheck was paid on Jan. 2), or…
Oleksandra Yagello/Getty Images The average credit card interest rate is 19.62%, down from a record-high 20.79% set on Aug. 14, 2024. Current credit card interest rates Weekly national averages Variable 01/21/2026 19.62% 01/14/2026 19.64% 01/07/2026 19.65% 12/31/2025 19.72% 12/24/2025 19.73% 12/17/2025 19.75% 12/10/2025 19.80% 12/3/2025 19.83% 11/26/2025 19.86% 11/19/2025 19.87%…
sarayut Thaneerat/Getty Images Growth stocks are routinely some of the market’s hottest stocks, and it’s not unusual to have the market’s top performers double or even triple inside of a year. But finding those outperformers takes a lot of time and analysis. What if you could find winners with much…
State Department of Insurance contact information Alabama Department of Insurance201 Monroe St, Ste 502, P.O. Box 303351Montgomery, AL 36104 Phone: 334-269-3550Email: [email protected] https://www.aldoi.gov/ Alaska Department of Community and Economic Development, Division of Insurance Anchorage office: 550 W 7th Ave, Ste 1560, Anchorage, AK 99501Juneau office: 333 Willoughby Ave, 9th Fl,…
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