How the Fed’s rate increase may affect your bond portfolio

skynesher Bond investors are watching as the Federal Reserve raises interest rates for the first time since 2018 to combat surging prices. Annual inflation rose by 7.9% in February, a new 40-year high, affecting everyday costs like groceries, housing and gasoline. The central bank’s quarter-point increase on Wednesday may set the stage for future hikes,…

96% of travelers want their vacation dollars to positively impact the place they visit, survey finds

Forty-eight percent of respondents told Kind Traveler their greatest challenge in traveling sustainably is finding accommodations that are both “sustainable and socially conscious.” Klaus Vedfelt | Digitalvision | Getty Images Everyone likes a bargain when it comes to booking travel, but many also want the money they spend to do some good where they’re headed,…

Two years ago stocks dropped 12% in a single day. Here are lessons investors learned that can still apply

A woman wearing a protective mask walks past the New York Stock Exchange on March 12, 2020 in New York City. Pablo Monsalve | VIEWpress | Corbis via Getty Images Two years ago, on March 16, 2020, stock markets suffered a one-day 12% drop. From Feb. 19 to March 23 of that year, when the…

Work at a small employer? You likely pay high 401(k) fees

Yongyuan | E+ | Getty Images Workers who save in a 401(k) plan offered by a small business pay fees that are twice as high as those paid by employees who work at the largest companies in the U.S. The smallest workplace retirement plans (those with less than $25 million in aggregate savings) charge total…

Vanguard created big tax bills for target-date fund investors, lawsuit claims

In this article AVD Pixelfit | E+ | Getty Images Vanguard Group and its executives created big tax bills for some investors in its target-date funds, amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars in aggregate, according to a lawsuit filed Monday. The lawsuit, filed in a Pennsylvania federal court by three investors, claims the investment…

Cybersecurity attacks surge as Ukraine-Russia war rages on. Here’s how to protect yourself

In this article CHKP As the Russia-Ukraine war continues to escalate, cybersecurity attacks have become a very real threat around the world. The number of cyberattacks being waged by both countries since the outbreak of the conflict is “staggering,” according to the research arm of Check Point Software Technologies. “The problem is kinetic warfare is…

Inflation is costing U.S. households nearly $300 more a month. Here’s how to adjust your budget

In this article WFC A shopper bags fruit inside a supermarket in Chevy Chase, Maryland, on Feb. 7, 2022. Mandel Ngan | Afp | Getty Images Inflation is costing the average U.S. household an additional $296 per month, a Moody’s Analytics analysis found. The figure is based on the latest reading on consumer prices, which…

Tom Brady cut his retirement short. If other retirees take his cue, it may reduce the labor shortage

Tom Brady of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers waves to fans at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, on Sept. 9, 2021. Julio Aguilar | Getty Images Tom Brady sat on the sidelines for only 40 days before deciding to end his retirement from pro football. It is possible that more retired workers could do the…

Here’s a breakdown of how the Fed’s expected rate hike will impact your wallet

The Federal Reserve is expected to raise rates Wednesday as they look to contain soaring inflation. The first quarter-point increase in the federal funds rate in three years will likely lay the groundwork for additional hikes to follow. “The cumulative effect of rate hikes is what is really going to have an impact on the economy and…

Meet the company that lets you work remotely from anywhere in the world

Sevdha Thompson, digital producer of marketing for Coalition Technologies, spent a few weeks working in Costa Rica last year. Courtesy: Sevdha Thompson Millions of Americans are quitting their jobs and rethinking what they want when it comes to work and work-life balance. Companies are responding, meeting their employees’ needs in areas like remote work, flexible hours,…

IRS plans to hire 10,000 workers to tackle backlog of 20 million unprocessed returns

Signage outside the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) headquarters in Washington, D.C. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images The IRS plans to hire 10,000 workers to tackle a massive backlog of more than 20 million unprocessed returns, including filings from previous years. They hope to fill 5,000 open positions in the coming months, with another 5,000…

Cash-rich states create ‘competitive environment’ with flurry of tax cuts

Anchiy | E+ | Getty Images There’s been a wave of state-level tax cuts spurred by budget surpluses, and more breaks may be coming, according to policy experts. “States have a lot of revenue on hand and they are looking to return it to taxpayers,” said Katherine Loughead, senior policy analyst at the Tax Foundation….