Personal finance
Amazon, Apple, Google and Tesla have all done it. Here’s why companies split their stock
Google is just one of dozens of companies recently making its stock more affordable. The tech giant’s parent company, Alphabet (GOOGL), split its two classes of shares (GOOG) by a 20-to1 ratio in July. Amazon (AMZN) made the same 20-for-1 move in June while Tesla (TSLA) announced around the same time that it’s going with […]
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Here’s how advisors are shifting clients’ portfolios as the Federal Reserve again hikes rates by 75 basis points
The Good Brigade | DigitalVision | Getty Images Here’s how portfolio allocations have shifted “We’re attempting to address both inflation and recession concerns,” said certified financial planner John Middleton, owner of Brighton Financial Planning in Flemington, New Jersey. For stock allocations, he likes companies paying a high dividend, and value stocks, which typically trade for […]
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The Mega Millions jackpot has now surged to $1.02 billion. Here’s the tax bill if you win
MARK RALSTON | AFP | Getty Images One way to reduce your tax bill is to think charitably, according to the American Institute of CPAs: You can contribute cash, up to 60% of your adjusted gross income, to a public charity or a donor-advised fund and get a tax deduction for the amount in the […]
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The Mega Millions jackpot is now $790 million. Here’s how much would go to taxes if there’s a winner
Scott Olson | Getty Images If you manage to beat the odds and land the next Mega Millions jackpot, don’t forget that Uncle Sam will snatch a slice of the windfall. The top prize has surged to $790 million for Tuesday night’s drawing after no ticket matched all six numbers pulled Friday night. If won […]
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Travelers should act now to capitalize on a strong dollar for trips abroad, says travel editor: ‘Don’t be too greedy’
Glowimages | Glowimages | Getty Images It’s a good time to be an American traveling abroad. The value of the U.S. dollar has been at its strongest in years relative to many major global currencies of late— meaning travelers can buy more overseas than in the recent past. Put another way, Americans are effectively getting […]
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More advisors turn to alternative investments to further diversify their clients in volatile market
Marko Geber | DigitalVision | Getty Images After battling downturns in the stock and bond markets, more financial advisors looking to further diversify their clients are turning to alternative investments, according to a recent survey from Cerulli Associates. Falling outside of traditional asset classes, alternative investments are typically added to portfolios for more diversification, income and the […]
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The 8 best options for small business funding
For many small businesses, access to funding can be a matter of life and death. The stakes are especially high given that 18.4% of U.S. businesses fail within the first year, 49.7% after five years and 65.5% after 10 years, according to a LendingTree analysis of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. One […]
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The wealthy now have more time to avoid estate taxes, thanks to an IRS change
If your family has significant wealth, it’s now easier to avoid federal estate taxes, thanks to recent changes from the IRS. The IRS improved a strategy known as “portability,” used by high-net-worth married couples expecting to owe federal estate taxes when the second spouse dies. Here’s how it works: While a spouse may inherit all […]
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Consumers are shelling out an average $10,000 more for used cars than if prices were ‘normal,’ research shows
Jim Watson | AFP | Getty Images It’s no secret that used-car prices have skyrocketed over the last two years amid an industry turned upside down by supply-chain issues and reduced new-car inventory. But how much extra are consumers paying? An average of $10,046 more — 43% — than if typical depreciation expectations were in […]
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32% of travelers overspend to earn credit-card sign-on bonuses. Here’s how to avoid that ‘siren song,’ says industry analyst
Virojt Changyencham | Moment | Getty Images Nearly half of consumers holding a credit card with travel perks opened the card to chase the rewards — and a big share of them blew their budgets in the pursuit, according to a new survey. Specifically, 45% travel credit cardholders opened a card solely for its sign-up […]
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