From the beginning, questions have swirled around the future tax standing of retirement savings. In an age of soaring deficits, would Congress really be able to keep its hands off hundreds of billions of dollars of tax-advantaged …
Parents have been paying their kids an allowance since the Industrial Revolution on the theory that it will help kids better understand budgets and spending choices as adults. Now a prominent academic says it’s all been a waste of time
Say goodbye to the much-loathed Alternative Minimum Tax and hello to the Buffett Rule. Sweet relief. The AMT has perplexed taxpayers and agonized accountants for decades. But wait: Are the AMT and the Buffett Rule really so different?
The concept of a practice retirement has been around for many years, and it has been especially topical since the Great Recession took a toll on so many nest eggs. But practicing retirement before you take the plunge isn’t just …
In an always-on wired world, much has been made of the flexible work schedule. It let’s young people get their job done from the beach, or at midnight; allows middle-aged employees to take a leave to, say, care for an ailing …
The search for retirement income in today’s low-yield environment inevitably comes back to dividend paying stocks. How could it not? Money market funds and short-term bank CDs pay about .5%; the 10-year Treasury bond pays only about 2%.
Say goodbye to the iconic Walmart greeter, who came to symbolize the plight of under-saved retirees in need of a lifeline.
With traditional pensions disappearing, securing reliable low-cost lifetime income for retirees has emerged as a top issue among financial planners and policymakers. Finally, a solution is in sight. The federal government has issued new regulations designed to encourage two important changes:
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As if we needed another reminder that our safety net is threadbare, AMR Corp., the American Airlines parent company, says it will shut down pensions covering 130,000 employees and retirees as part of a reorganization in …
Financial education advocates point to three primary places to reach those who need help with their money: in schools, the point of sale, and at work. A debate rages over the first two. But efforts to educate employees at the …
Following the Great Recession many young people have become not merely respectful of debt, as we would wish; but fearful of it, which could set them back.
Americans will miss out on millions of refund dollars this tax season, as they do every year, simply because they fail to claim the Earned Income Tax Credit. This credit has been around since 1975, when it was installed to help families of low and moderate wage earners offset the burden of Social Security taxes. Over the years, it has …
