Personal finance
What is a VPN and do you need one?
Almost nothing you do on the internet is private. Whether it’s your internet service provider tracking your browsing activity or a company collecting data for targeted ads, your digital footprint is constantly under scrutiny. That’s where VPNs come in. A VPN, short for virtual private network, is a tool that can help shield your internet […]
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Your money habits trace back to childhood, financial psychotherapist says. Here’s how to fix them
Child saving money in a glass jar at home Pinstock | E+ | Getty Images Your relationship with money might seem random, but one expert says it offers clues about your childhood — and understanding this could help overcome toxic spending habits. Vicky Reynal, a financial psychotherapist and author of “Money on Your Mind,” told […]
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Treasury delays deadline for small businesses to file new form to avoid risk of fines for noncompliance
Key Points The U.S. Treasury Department delayed a Jan. 1, 2025, deadline to file a new “beneficial ownership information” report by about two weeks, to Jan. 13. It delayed the BOI reporting requirement following recent federal court rulings. The requirement was created by the Corporate Transparency Act, which aims to curb illicit finance. Source
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An options strategy to generate income on this ‘Dog of the S&P 500’ – and perhaps buy it cheap
The “Dogs of the Dow” and the slightly less well-known “Dogs of the S & P” are stock-picking strategies focused on the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S & P 500 . At the start of each year, investors select the highest-yielding dividend stocks — usually the top 10 — allocate an equal amount of […]
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More than 90% of 401(k) plans now offer Roth contributions – but only 21% of workers take advantage
Key Points About 93% of 401(k) plans offer a Roth savings option to workers, up from 62% a decade ago, according to the Plan Sponsor Council of America. A law known as Secure 2.0 is expected to make Roth 401(k) accounts more prevalent. Choosing between Roth and pretax savings is essentially a tax bet. Source
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Why the ‘great resignation’ became the ‘great stay,’ according to labor economists
Key Points The “great resignation” of 2021 and 2022 saw unprecedented numbers of workers quit their jobs amid ample and better-paying job opportunities. Today, it’s the “great stay.” Businesses pulled back on hiring due to higher interest rates. Fewer job openings hindered the prevalence of quitting. Employers aren’t laying off many workers, however, due to […]
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I interviewed 70 parents who raised highly successful adults: 4 things they wish they had known
Over 15 years, I interviewed hundreds of entrepreneurs and their parents to learn how they were raised. On the whole, these families are very happy with how their kids turned out. The parents say their grown children are not only accomplished and financially successful, but generous and kind. But looking back now, so many of […]
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How much money does Mariah Carey make from ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’? ‘It’s a lot,’ music expert says
Key Points The 1994 holiday hit “All I Want for Christmas Is You” rakes in millions of dollars a year, experts said. The law firm Manatt, Phelps & Phillips estimates the yuletide jingle has earned $103 million globally since its debut, from sources like streaming, album sales and song downloads. Mariah Carey, the song’s performer, […]
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What tariffs mean for car prices: ‘There’s no such thing as a 100% American vehicle,’ auto expert says
Professionalstudioimages | E+ | Getty Images President-elect Donald Trump has been vocal about potentially raising tariffs on imported goods, which experts say could bump up car prices. Trump has talked about implementing an additional 10% tariff on Chinese imported goods, as well as adding tariffs of 25% on all products from Mexico and Canada. On […]
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How the Federal Reserve’s rate policy affects mortgages
The Federal Reserve lowered its interest rate target three times in 2024. This has many Americans waiting for mortgage rates to fall. But that may not happen for some time. “I think the best case scenario is we’re going to continue to see mortgage rates hover around six and a half to 7%,” said Jordan […]
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