Parents who missed out on the child tax credit of up to $3,600 have until Nov. 15 to claim it using a simple tool

Alexi Rosenfeld | Getty Images A more generous child tax credit provided qualifying parents with up to $3,600 per child last year. There’s good news for families who missed out on some or all of those payments: It’s not too late to file for the money. But to use a simplified tool — GetCTC.org —…

These are the best ways to give to charity for the ‘vast majority of people.’ Here’s how to pick the most tax-efficient strategy

Catherine Mcqueen | Moment | Getty Images It’s easy to transfer cash when a charity pulls at your heartstrings. But other giving strategies may provide a bigger tax break, financial experts say. Despite economic uncertainty, nearly 70% of Americans plan to donate a similar amount to charity in 2022 as last year, according to a…

‘The IRS is not the boogeyman.’ Here’s what to do if you still can’t pay your taxes

Srdjanpav | E+ | Getty Images The tax-extension deadline is approaching on Oct. 17, and a record 19 million Americans filed for more time to manage their 2021 returns, according to the IRS.  While unpaid tax balances for 2021 have racked up late payment penalties since April 18, filers with tax debt may have more…

‘We have to be defensive.’ Here are year-end strategies from advisors amid volatility, rate hikes, inflation

Ridofranz | Istock | Getty Images It’s been a nerve-wracking year for investors. With ongoing stock market volatility, high inflation and interest rate hikes, many wonder if we’re heading for a prolonged economic downturn.   “I think we have to be defensive,” said certified financial planner Ivory Johnson, founder of Delancey Wealth Management in Washington, D.C….

8 million student loan borrowers will get automatic forgiveness. Here’s what you need to know

Leopatrizi | E+ | Getty Images As part of President Joe Biden’s historic student loan forgiveness plan, up to 8 million people could get automatic debt relief, according to the White House. Across the board, most people with federal student debt will be eligible for some forgiveness: up to $10,000 if they didn’t receive a Pell Grant,…

From inflation to war, here are the 4 big factors impacting markets and the economy right now

Avalon_studio | E+ | Getty Images HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. — There are four big trends impacting the economy and stock market right now, and uncertainty around each is creating challenges for investors, market experts and investment strategists said Monday at the Future Proof wealth conference. Those high-levels trends are inflation, the Federal Reserve’s interest-rate policy,…

1 in 4 adults in the U.S. lives with a disability. Having a financial plan to address care is critical

Daniel Trush was just 12 years old when a brain aneurysm rupture changed the course of his entire life. “I went into a coma, and I was in a coma for 30 days — and I was in the hospital and rehab for a total of 341 days,” said Daniel, who is now 38 and…

Stressed about credit card debt? Take these steps to help trim high-interest account balances

london, uk Peter Muller | Image Source | Getty Images Few things cause more financial distress and anxiety than a large slug of high-interest rate credit card debt. Millions of Americans of all income levels carry large balances on credit cards that charge very high interest rates. According to Federal Reserve data, the average annual…

Despite recession fears, most 401(k) investors haven’t changed their portfolios. Here’s what advisors suggest

Morsa Images | E+ | Getty Images Many investors worry a recession is coming amid rising interest rates, high inflation and stock market volatility. But the majority haven’t changed their portfolios, according to research from Fidelity Investments. Only 5% of 401(k) and 403(b) investors shifted asset allocations during the second quarter of 2022, the report…

Inflation drives long-term care costs even higher. Here’s how planning ahead can help families afford it

Stan Horwitz and his family didn’t have any plans regarding long-term care until there was a crisis. His father, Martin, was in his late 80s and lived alone. He was reluctant to accept any assistance from his children. One day, Stan and his sister found their dad unconscious in his living room after a fall….

Borrowers could get up to $300 back in their monthly budget from student loan forgiveness. Here’s how to use that money

“It will be enough for us to start talking realistically about purchasing a home,” said Dara Zucker, 28, of student loan forgiveness. Zucker and her fiancé have been looking for a house in Tampa, Florida. They budgeted $250,000 for a 1,400-square foot home, but between the unpredictable housing market and her $38,877 student loan balance,…

3 tips for paying down your credit card balances as interest rates jump, according to a debt counselor

Sometimes a life raft can look a lot like a credit card. In an economy that has produced the highest inflation rate since the early 1980s, Americans are struggling to keep up with day-to-day expenses and are increasingly relying on credit cards to stay afloat. Amid a dramatic rise in the cost of living, credit card balances jumped 13% in…