Here’s how to take a sabbatical, even if your company doesn’t offer one

Katherine Ullman spent part of her sabbatical in Colombia. Courtesy: Katherine Ullman Katherine Ullman was burned out from working intensely during the Covid-19 pandemic and was questioning her next career move. A two-month sabbatical from her job was just what she needed to reevaluate her life. In December, Ullman, who is 33 years old and…

The pandemic has widened the gap between women and men’s retirement savings. What to know about catching up

Chris Whitehead | Image Source | Getty Images The two years since the coronavirus pandemic led to sweeping lockdowns across the U.S. have hit women in the workforce especially hard. Now, the gap between their retirement savings as those of their male counterparts has widened further. Only 19% of women are confident they’re on track…

Some lawmakers want to ease the pain of high gas prices with direct payments to Americans

David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images High gas prices have put a strain on many Americans’ budgets. Now some Democratic lawmakers are proposing a possible solution: direct rebate payments to Americans. Three congressional leaders have proposed $100 energy rebate payments that would be sent to Americans during any month where the national average…

How to avoid a 6-figure tax penalty on foreign bank accounts

Chuyn | Istock | Getty Images Whether you’re an expat or U.S.-based, you may need to report your foreign accounts to the U.S. Department of the Treasury by April 15 — or face costly tax penalties. The anti-money laundering Bank Secrecy Act of 1970 requires Americans with overseas assets to disclose holdings via a Report…

Consumers felt the pinch at the pump with rising gas prices in February. Here’s who was affected the most

Gas prices stay high as people line up for discounted prices at Costco. Regular at $5.39 per gallon. Robert Gauthier | Los Angeles Times | Getty Images Low-earners bore the brunt of the economic fallout after the initial onset of Covid-19. Now, as gas prices have spiked and historic high inflation drives consumer costs up,…

Higher-education expert proposes new way for Biden to cancel student debt without Congress

Bloodua | Istock | Getty Images Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., are among those calling on President Joe Biden to bypass Congress and forgive student debt through executive order. “You just need the flick of a pen,” Schumer has often been quoted saying on the matter. Yet there…

There’s a tricky cryptocurrency question on your tax return. ‘You’re playing with fire if you don’t report it.’

Marko Geber | DigitalVision | Getty Images The IRS has issued a warning about how to answer the cryptocurrency question on the front page of your tax return. You’ll need to respond to a yes-or-no question about virtual currency, regardless of whether you “engaged in a transaction” in 2021, according to the agency. And the wrong…

Investing in the stock market is more important than ever amid rising inflation

Chris Ryan | Getty Images Prices are rising, squeezing consumer budgets more than they’ve seen in the last 40 years. It also means that for many investors, it may be more important than ever to continue to put their long-term savings in the stock market. That’s because over time, investing in equities is generally a…

Two states are temporarily suspending their gas taxes and others could follow. But don’t expect big savings

A sign reflects the price per gallon of fuel at a gas station on March 10, 2022 in Miami, Florida. Joe Raedle | Getty Images Americans are feeling the pinch of rising gas prices. Now two states — Maryland and Georgia — are temporarily suspending their gas taxes in order to help their residents save…

What to do when your monthly Social Security check isn’t enough

Fstop123 | E+ | Getty Images As the cost of everyday goods swell, retirees living on a fixed income are likely feeling especially squeezed. The recent cost-of-living adjustment to Social Security checks of around 6% this year isn’t enough of a shield for many with grocery and energy, including gasoline, prices seeing their biggest jump…

There are 4 weeks until the tax deadline. What filers need to know

Tom Werner | DigitalVision | Getty Images If you haven’t filed your taxes, there are four weeks until the federal deadline, which is April 18 for most Americans.   Some 63.5 million payers have sent returns through March 11, according to the latest IRS filing data, with an average refund of $3,352. However, millions of Americans have…

Financial advisors are still reluctant to use cryptocurrencies. Investor demand may change that

A man walks past a bitcoin symbol in the window of a company that offers blockchain application services on Dec. 21, 2021 in Berlin, Germany. Bitcoin and other virtual currencies rose strongly in value in 2021. Sean Gallup | Getty Images News | Getty Images Financial advisors have been reluctant to integrate cryptocurrency into client…