The bankrupt retailer is going out of business and will honor gift cards for Toys R Us and Babies R Us only until April 15. Getty Images By Bob Niedt, Online Editor March 16, 2018 If you’re carrying Toys R Us gift cards or Babies R Us gift cards, you only have a month left […]

State and local government workers can contribute $18,500 to 457 plans, up $500 from 2017. Some workers can make additional catch-up contributions. Employees of state and local governments can stash more money in their 457 plans this year, building bigger nest eggs for retirement. 457 Contribution Limits for 2018 The maximum amount you can contribute […]

If leaving a job means losing your health insurance, you can get coverage through a government health care exchange or another insurer, or you can stick with your employer’s plan for up to 18 months. Getty Images By Kimberly Lankford, Contributing Editor March 15, 2018 QI’m thinking about leaving my job and starting my own […]

Market value: $42.5 billion Dividend yield: 1.9% BB&T Corp. (BBT, $54.67) is a large regional bank headquartered in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Many of this bank’s deposits come from rural areas, where there is less competition and BB&T can offer lower rates. Analysts at Bank of America/Merrill Lynch expect the company’s efficiency ratio to improve, boosting […]

Teachers and nonprofit workers can contribute $18,500 to a 403(b) for 2018, but catch-up contributions and employer contributions can further boost retirement savings. Public school teachers, church staff, not-for-profit hospital workers and other employees of nonprofits are eligible to sock away thousands of dollars each year in a 403(b) retirement plan at work. 403(b) Contributiion […]

If it’s been a few years since you completed your estate plan, chances are your documents could need some serious updating. Here are some key areas of your estate where potentially perilous gaps can crop up. Most people hate reviewing their estate plan, and I can’t say I blame them. From tax law and complex […]

Location: Chapel Hill, N.C. Undergraduate enrollment: 18,523 Kiplinger’s 2018 ranking (all schools): #15 Kiplinger’s 2018 ranking (public colleges): #1 NCAA 2018 men’s basketball tournament seeding: #2 seed, West region UNC’s in-state sticker price is comparable to that of other public colleges, but need-based aid awards for in-state students who qualify average more than $17,000 a […]

Market value: $91.8 billion Dividend yield: 2.0% Analysts’ opinion: 8 strong buy, 2 buy, 10 hold, 0 sell, 0 strong sell Shares in Caterpillar (CAT, $153.69) have stumbled lately. The threat of a global trade war will do that to the world’s largest maker of construction and mining equipment. Free trade is critical to CAT, […]

Many women over 50 are discovering the rejuvenating properties of vacationing with female friends. By Beth Brophy, Contributing WriterMarch 14, 2018From Kiplinger’s Retirement Report Every June for the past four years, Barbara Klein, 66, of Bethesda, Md., has gone on a weeklong spa trip to Rancho La Puerta in Tecate, Mexico. Her companions consist of […]

The 401(k) contribution limit increased by $500 to $18,500 for 2018. Workers age 50 and older can save an extra $6,000 for retirement. It’s never too early to begin paving your road to a comfortable retirement by contributing to an employer-sponsored 401(k) account. 401(k) Contribution Limits for 2018 The maximum amount workers can contribute to […]

Here’s how to tell the difference … and when it’s actually OK to speculate in the stock market. Do you feel hesitant to put more of your money in the market because it feels like a gamble? Even seasoned investors can get nervous about investing their hard-earned money, because all investments come with risk. SEE […]

Percentage of buyers who want this feature: 92% Cost to install: $1,000 to $10,000 depending on scope of project More than anything else, homeowners want a room other than the guest bedroom to stack all the clean laundry in until it finally gets put away. A separate laundry room topped the National Association of Home […]

If you’re a parent with kids in their 20s or 30s — or any kids at all — you’re probably no stranger to worrying about their future, including their financial future. As you watch your now-adult children venture out into the real world, though, you may see them focusing almost entirely on their financial needs […]

Putting the right foot forward now will make all the difference later. Here’s how parents can point their adult children in the right direction. If you’re a parent with kids in their 20s or 30s — or any kids at all — you’re probably no stranger to worrying about their future, including their financial future. […]

From lavish spending to social withdrawal, what to look for to ensure an aging loved one isn’t a victim of elder financial abuse. Your elderly mother has a new best friend who accompanies her everywhere. She has always been frugal but now lavishes pricey gifts on her new pal. And although you used to speak […]

About nine in 10 women will have to go it alone, financially, at some point in their lives. When that happens, they need to be ready. As a financial adviser for nearly 20 years, I’ve met and consoled several women who were devastated by the loss of their husband or the end of their marriage. […]

If you’re rich, you need to be prepared for the day when your child asks you this question. Your ability to answer could be key to helping your family’s wealth last for generations. “Dad — are we wealthy?” That’s the exact question a seventh-grader recently asked of a client of mine. In the moment, poor […]

Prepare for an evolution in consumer technology. If it’s got a screen, it’s about to get a much better screen… and that’s saying something, considering how vivid and vibrant the most recent generation of 4K display screens have been. That evolution, of course, is the mainstreaming of OLED (organic light-emitting diode) screens. Universal Display Corporation […]

Market value: $913.2 billion Dividend yield: 1.4% 3-year annual dividend growth rate: 10% Warren Buffett first bit into Apple (AAPL, $179.98) during the first quarter of 2016, acquiring a stake worth approximately $1 billion at the time. Since then, Berkshire Hathaway has very aggressively added to its position. In fact, the firm’s stake in Apple […]

The Roth IRA contribution limit is $5,500. If you are 50 or older, you can save $6,500 including a $1,000 catch-up contribution. Income limits apply. If you haven’t made a 2017 contribution to a Roth IRA, it’s not too late. You have until this year’s April 17 tax deadline to contribute to this tax-friendly individual […]

The IRA contribution limit is $5,500. If you are age 50 or over, you can contribute an extra $1,000 as a catch-up contribution, for a total of $6,500. You still have time before this year’s April 17 tax deadline to contribute to a traditional IRA for 2017—and possibly get a tax deduction for the money […]

Medicare premiums for Part B and Part D can increase significantly for beneficiaries with high earnings. Here’s how to avoid income-based Medicare surcharges. A big question every year at open enrollment for employer health insurance is how much will the premium rise? That doesn’t change once you’re on Medicare–Part B and Part D premiums typically […]

Who can use it: Most taxpayers, including those with self-employment or investment income State tax return included Yes Website: Credit Karma Tax Unlike many other free tax-prep programs, Credit Karma Tax isn’t restricted to users with simple tax returns. Taxpayers with income from investments or self-employment can use this program. You can import information from […]

Using a new measure of inflation, the IRS has reduced the amount that people with family medical coverage can contribute to a health savings account in 2018. QI just saw that the 2018 HSA contribution limit for people with family coverage was reduced to $6,850, after the IRS had already announced it would be $6,900 […]

Only 17 states, plus Washington, D.C., still have estate taxes or inheritance taxes (or both) on the books. Dying is getting cheaper. While the latest federal tax overhaul doubles the estate-tax exemption, the trend of states loosening their own grip on estates continues in 2018. SEE ALSO: 13 States That Tax Social Security Benefits Delaware […]

If you have assets you want to protect from lawsuits, you might want to try something other than a DAPT in the wake of a recent court ruling. A foreign asset protection trust will be safer, instead. Over 15 million lawsuits are filed in the U.S. each year, so protecting your assets from a financially […]

My Schwab account ballooned to $100,000. That’s when the greed and day-trader mentality took over. Back in June 2000, this magazine ran an article titled “True Confessions,” which related the tale of one editor’s foray into the dark excesses of the dot-com-era stock market. The author, who chose to remain anonymous, confessed not only to […]

Kiplinger readers share how they managed to bounce back from a major financial mistake. We received lots of responses to our “Crowdsourcing” question asking you what’s the biggest financial mistake you’ve made and how were you able to recover. Most of your regrets revolve around racking up credit card debt, botching investments and missing retirement-saving […]

Many retailers have annual sales for particular items, typically when they’re clearing out inventory to make room for the coming year’s new lines. You can score big savings by marking your calendar for the best months to buy the following gear. January: linens and bedding, exercise equipment, winter clothing February: TVs, tax-filing software, cookware and […]

Market value: $4.1 billion Dividend yield: 7.3% Industry: Entertainment and education real estate While most real estate investment trusts specialize in broad asset classes such as apartments or office buildings, EPR Properties (EPR, $56.13) has a very specific niche, focusing mostly on entertainment. In fact, EPR is an abbreviation for “Entertainment Properties.” EPR’s holdings include […]

This is may be your last chance to claim some tax deductions. We help you make the most of them. Excited about the new tax law? Well, keep calm as you sit down to do your 2017 return. With just a couple of exceptions, neither the promising nor the threatening changes will affect the bottom […]

By avoiding homeownership, you’re actually committing to something — spending more money on rent, not building equity. For most of us, our home is the biggest ticket item we’ll ever buy. The amount of time, labor, and money this single transaction represents demands a clear head and clear motivations. Since we already know there are […]

Corrections like the one in early February made plenty of investors nervous, but they can offer a good time to reset your investing strategy. Illustration by Joe Anderson By Anne Kates Smith, Senior Editor March 8, 2018From Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Following a stock market correction that seemed to come and go in the blink of […]

The managers of this Kiplinger 25 fund prefer to stay out of the limelight. Getty Images By Nellie S. Huang, Senior Associate Editor March 8, 2018From Kiplinger’s Personal Finance The managers who run Primecap Odyssey Growth (POGRX)—a member of the Kiplinger 25—are some of the best stock pickers in the country. But you won’t see […]

Many of you wanted to know what kind of coverage I chose. That’s still a work in progress. Whew! Thanks for your overwhelming response to my column on the challenges of signing up for Medicare). Some of you sympathized with my situation—often in colorful terms. “Thus began a journey into the bowels of bureaucratic mayhem,” […]

Home prices are just one factor you should consider when choosing a city. Orlando, Fla. Photo by Miosotis Jade via Wikimedia Commons By Rivan V. Stinson, ReporterMarch 8, 2018From Kiplinger’s Personal Finance If you’re a retiree looking for a change of scenery, or you’ve been offered a job in another city, you may want to […]

Home buyers are being tricked into wiring their money to crooks. Getty Images By Thomas H. Blanton, Reporter March 8, 2018From Kiplinger’s Personal Finance You’ve found your dream house and made a winning offer on it. Now all that’s left is a transfer of funds to get you in the door. That’s when the closing-cost […]

The entrance fee to some popular national park locations will jump by 50%. Grand Canyon Tuxyso via Wikimedia Commons By Kaitlin Pitsker, Staff Writer March 8, 2018From Kiplinger’s Personal Finance The National Park Service plans to more than double the peak-season entrance fees at 17 of its most popular parks, including Grand Canyon, Sequoia and […]

Why you might want to hold on to that account. Getty Images By Kimberly Lankford, Contributing Editor March 8, 2018From Kiplinger’s Personal Finance QIf I get a rewards credit card that waives the annual fee for the first year and cancel the card before it charges the fee, will that affect my credit score? –J.B., […]

How you can use the money at colleges in the plan, and even at those who aren’t. Getty Images By Kimberly Lankford, Contributing Editor March 8, 2018From Kiplinger’s Personal Finance QWhat is the Private College 529 Plan, and who should invest in one? What happens to the money if you don’t go to one of […]

Keep your cool, create a paper trail and take it all the way to the top if you need to. Christopher Elliott, founder of Elliott.org. Courtesy of Christopher Elliott By Lisa Gerstner, Contributing Editor March 8, 2018From Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Christopher Elliott is the founder of elliott.org, which helps consumers resolve disputes with businesses, free […]

Here’s some guidance on whether to be a part of the lawsuit or go solo. Illustration by Dave Urban If you’re upset about the Equifax data breach and want to get in on a class-action lawsuit against the company, you don’t have to do anything at this point. You—along with nearly 148 million others affected […]

You probably don’t think about the packaging when you buy a box of Cheerios. But the colorful box was made with some high-tech equipment, including a sophisticated adhesive-dispensing system. Nordson makes that equipment, along with other products to apply materials such as coatings and sealants on assembly lines for everything from cereal boxes to computer […]

Making your decision on the type of payout you receive in retirement requires considering these four factors. Pension decisions aren’t clear-cut, and they can have serious consequences for you and your family. SEE ALSO: Lower Your Expectations on Pension-Plan Promises Take some clients of mine, for example. The husband, age 65, wanted the highest monthly […]

State Income Tax Range Low: 5% (on up to $3,300 of taxable income for single filers and up to $6,600 for married couples filing jointly) High: 9.9% (on taxable income over $125,000 for single filers and over $250,000 for married couples filing jointly). Residents can deduct some of their federal income tax from state taxable […]

Congratulations! Now get busy. From health insurance to car seats, here’s what expectant parents should do to get ready for their new arrival. As you prepare to welcome a baby into the world, the excitement and anticipation of meeting your child for the first time can be overwhelming. Although you have nine months to prepare, […]

A crash in this and other cryptocurrencies is inevitable. Usually I have a fairly strong opinion about the stocks, bonds and funds I write about. I know I can be wrong — my less-than-flawless track record demonstrates that. And I can’t recall a time when I had such a strong opinion on an investment that […]

A donor advised fund is my go-to charitable giving vehicle for many reasons, but there are a few other ways to gift to charities and do the most good … for them and for you, too. I’ll never forget the time I stepped down from a junior board position. It was a difficult decision, because […]

Kiplinger’s latest forecast on housing starts and home sales iStockphoto By Rodrigo Sermeño, Reporter March 2, 2018 Residential construction started 2018 on a good note. Total housing starts jumped 9.7% in January to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.326 million. With the January rise, residential construction regained the ground it had lost in the […]

Medicare and most health insurance don’t cover hearing aids, but alternatives including over-the-counter devices can be less expensive.

The new federal tax law allows families to use 529 college plans to pay tuition for kindergarten through high school. But doing so before state laws are revised to reflect the new rules could trigger a tax and a penalty.

If you’re feverishly worrying and wondering, then you’ve got a big problem: You aren’t an investor. You’re a gambler. And a bad one at that. Here’s how you should be thinking about the markets instead.

Source: Kiplinger This article was originally published on Kiplinger – https://www.kiplinger.com/   Kiplinger’s latest forecast on interest rates

But market corrections are surprisingly common and surprisingly short-lived. Bear markets are another story. Here’s what you need to know.

No one knows when we’re headed for an official bear market (you can only learn that in hindsight, unfortunately), so here’s what investors should do today, no matter what’s happening on Wall Street.

It’s a delicate dance amping up a side hustle while staying true to your current employer.

Kiplinger’s latest forecast for the GDP growth rate

It’s natural to try to compare the car you drive, the vacations you take and the home you live in to that of your neighbors, friends and co-workers, but it won’t give you the accurate picture you need to tell where you stand.

Looking at what’s going on in the economy reveals the reasons why the markets have entered a period of wide swings.

Following a brutal two-day plunge, the Dow Jones industrial average regained ground on Tuesday to the delight of stock market bulls.

Passing down to your heirs your intentions for your money is just as important as passing down the money itself. Writing one letter can make all the difference. Here’s how.

Still want to tap your home equity and deduct the interest? Options remain.

Robos have come a long way, and they do serve a purpose for many investors. But when the markets are going crazy, there’s a distinct downside to consider.

Popular thinking is that you’ll spend less once you retire, but that’s not what I’ve seen in my own clients, at least in the first few years.

Kiplinger’s latest forecast on business equipment spending

Identity thieves are getting more sophisticated at tricking taxpayers into revealing their personal information. Here are some scams you may encounter this tax season and ways to tell fact from fraud.

Kiplinger’s latest forecast on the direction of the trade deficit.

The focus: Companies in foreign countries that trade at a bargain. The process: David Herro and his comanager Michael Manelli seek firm with executives who act like owners, that generate positive free cash flow (cash earnings after capital expenditures) and that reinvest profits wisely. But they only buy if the stock sells for at least […]

At one point last fall, the House of Representatives voted to abolish the deduction for medical expenses. In the end, though, the new law actually sweetens this break, and does so retroactively. For 2017 and 2018, you can write off medical expenses to the extent they exceed 7.5% of your adjusted gross income. But note, […]

Don’t discount the financial advantages of taking on a roommate. By letting out a spare bedroom and applying the rent you collect to your mortgage, you can knock years off the time it’ll take to repay the loan. An extra $250 a month toward a $150,000, 30-year mortgage at 5% will erase the debt 12 […]

Romance aside, you may want to delay your wedding date (or divorce, if that’s the case) to get the best Social Security benefit possible. You may want to push the pause button before taking that walk down the aisle if you’re close to retirement and counting on income from Social Security. There are some important […]

You have up to three years to file an amended return and other paperwork with the IRS to claim missed tax deductions or credits. Getty Images By Kimberly Lankford, Contributing Editor February 28, 2018 QI read your column on An Overlooked Tax Break for Part-Timers — about semiretired people and the retirement savers’ tax credit […]

Hedge funds don’t always live up to their high fees and hype, but it’s worth keeping tabs on what they’re doing nonetheless. After all, they comprise a large swath of institutional investor dollars. They’re the supposed “smart money,” and often act like it. It matters what they buy, sell and hold. As the good folks […]

Defense giant Raytheon (RTN) is the world’s largest producer of guided missiles. “Strong broad order momentum, a large Patriot backlog, and untapped financial firepower give RTN extended EPS and cash flow per share growth potential” cheers five-star Cowen & Co. analyst Cai Rumohr. Foreign sales are booming, with sales increasing for the last 14 years. […]

It’s not fun to think about, but if you boil down your choices a bit, making a plan for what could easily cost several thousand per month becomes less daunting. For many retirees, the term “long-term care” is typically associated with a nursing home. As we age, there is a greater chance we will need […]

Unlike working people, retirees have a lot of options to determine how much they’ll pay in taxes. Knowing which income buckets to pull from can mean a difference of thousands on your tax bill. While we all must pay our fair share of taxes, being tax efficient simply means not making simple mistakes that can […]

Filing your return electronically and using direct deposit can speed up the process by weeks. Getty Images By Kimberly Lankford, Contributing Editor February 27, 2018 QI just filed my income tax return. How soon can I expect to receive my refund? AIt depends on how you filed and how you’re getting your refund. You’ll get […]

After Connie Henderson’s husband, Eugene, was diagnosed with a rare genetic condition that causes lung problems, a doctor gave the rural Minnesota couple a bit of good news: Medicare’s home health benefit would pay for a nurse to come to their home and administer the weekly plasma infusions that Eugene would need to treat the […]