Tax return backlog will ‘absolutely’ clear by end of 2022, says IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig

IRS commissioner Charles Rettig testifies during the Senate Finance Committee hearing on June 8, 2021. Tom Williams | Pool | Reuters The IRS is still digging through tens of millions of unprocessed tax returns with roughly four weeks until the 2021 filing deadline. But Commissioner Charles Rettig expects the backlog to clear by year-end. The…

GM to buy SoftBank’s stake in Cruise self-driving unit

In this article GM A robot car of the General Motors subsidiary Cruise is on a test drive. Andrej Sokolow | picture alliance | Getty Images DETROIT – General Motors is acquiring SoftBank Vision Fund 1’s equity ownership stake in its majority-owned Cruise autonomous vehicle unit for $2.1 billion, the automaker announced Friday afternoon. Softbank…

Why high gas prices fall harder on lower earners

Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg High gasoline prices are impacting all American drivers — but low-income households bear the brunt of it. That’s because low earners funnel a bigger share of their budgets to transportation costs and other staples, like food and energy, relative to wealthier households. U.S. gas prices had jumped to $4.32 a gallon, on average,…

Mark Zuckerberg’s advice for young people: Focus more on building relationships than being ‘objective focused’

Most people know Facebook’s dorm-room origin story. But according to Mark Zuckerberg, you might have learned the wrong lesson from it. On a recent episode of the “Lex Fridman Podcast,” hosted by MIT computer scientist Lex Fridman, Zuckerberg said his initial ability to launch Facebook back in 2004 wasn’t because he dropped out of college…

The IRS has delivered more than 45 million tax refunds. This is the average payment

Bill Oxford | E+ | Getty Images The IRS has issued more than 45 million tax refunds worth almost $152 billion in total, as of March 11, the agency reported Friday. Nearly half of Americans expect refunds this season, according to a Capital One report, providing a needed financial boost for a large percentage of…

A record number of weddings are expected this year. How to save if you’re planning a trip down the aisle

Fg Trade | E+ | Getty Images If you’re planning a wedding this year, you’re in good company. A record number of weddings — about 2.5 million — are expected in 2022, the most since 1984, according to wedding market research firm The Wedding Report. That’s up from 1.9 million in 2021 and 1.3 million…

Main Street’s minority owners need loans to grow, but access to capital remains inequitable

As main street businesses are continuing to make a comeback post-pandemic, they’re facing down the triple threat of supply chain headwinds, labor constraints and historic inflation. For some, borrowing to invest, grow, or simply stay afloat, is top of mind. Data from Goldman Sachs’ 10,000 Small Business Voices “Small Businesses on the Brink” survey finds…

Reduce speed limits and car-free Sundays: The IEA has a 10-point plan to cut oil use

Cyclists photographed in Lisbon, Portugal, in October 2018. Kamisoka | Istock Unreleased | Getty Images Speed limits on highways should be cut by at least 10 kilometers per hour (6.2 mph) to help lower oil demand, the International Energy Agency said Friday. The recommendation is part of a wider 10-point plan published by the Paris-based…

Fed Governor Waller says half-point rate hikes could be needed as ‘inflation is raging’

Christopher Waller, U.S. President Donald Trump’s nominee for governor of the Federal Reserve, speaks during a Senate Banking Committee confirmation hearing in Washington, D.C., U.S, on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2020. Andrew Harrer | Bloomberg | Getty Images Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller told CNBC on Friday that the central bank may need to enact one…

The 4 types of vacations that may be hard to book in 2022

After two years of living with Covid-19, travelers are making big vacation plans again. But not every type of trip may be available this year, travel professionals said. That’s because many people postponed more ambitious vacations during the pandemic — in some cases two years in a row — leaving little room for new bookings…