Wealth
With 87,000 new agents, here’s who the IRS may target for audits
Jeffrey Coolidge | Photodisc | Getty Images As the Democrats’ spending plan moves closer to a House vote, one of the more controversial provisions — nearly $80 billion in IRS funding, with $45.6 billion for “enforcement” — has raised questions about who the agency may target for audits. IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig said these resources […]
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On rare days, the market rises 5% — or even 10%, Wells Fargo finds. How to make sure you’re there for it
Gzorgz | Istock | Getty Images “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” With those classic words, author Charles Dickens famously opened his historical novel “A Tale of Two Cities.” He could easily have been describing the stock market. A new Wells Fargo analysis looked at the best 20 days […]
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As climate change threatens more homes, some properties are getting too costly to insure
Firefighters pull up to a burning house during the Kincade fire in Healdsburg, California, on Oct. 27, 2019. Josh Edelson | Afp | Getty Images As climate change threatens the U.S. with more natural disasters, it’s becoming increasingly costly for Americans to insure their homes — and it’s only expected to get worse, according to […]
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Embryos can count as dependents on Georgia state tax returns: For many families ‘there is no benefit at all,’ says analyst
Anti-abortion activists demonstrate outside the Supreme Court of the United States in Washington, June 13, 2022. Evelyn Hockstein | Reuters Residents of Georgia may now claim embryos as dependents on their state income tax returns. Any “unborn child with a detectable human heartbeat” may qualify for a $3,000 state income tax deduction for 2022, effective […]
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Employee stock purchase plans can carry ‘a big risk,’ says advisor. What to know before buying in
How employee stock purchase plans works Typically offered to all employees, ESPPs may allow you to purchase company stock at a discount of up to 15%, capped at $25,000 per year for tax-qualified plans. The plan collects after-tax contributions from each paycheck during an “offering period,” and uses the funds to buy company stock on […]
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House Democrats push for Biden’s billionaire minimum income tax
Erik McGregor | LightRocket | Getty Images As Democrats plow forward with a slimmed-down reconciliation package, House lawmakers are separately pushing another piece of President Joe Biden’s agenda: taxing the ultra-wealthy. Reps. Don Beyer, D-Va., and Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., have introduced the Billionaire Minimum Income Tax Act, calling for a 20% levy on households worth […]
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Here are 4 key things to consider if you actually hit the $1.1 billion Mega Millions jackpot
1. Breathe Instead of impulsively rushing to lottery headquarters to claim your prize, take a deep breath. You have some time to claim your prize — anywhere from three months to a year, depending on where you bought the ticket. “Take a pause before you make any big decisions,” Irwin said. “This is the quiet […]
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New Zealand had one of the world’s strictest Covid lockdowns. Now its borders are fully reopening
After more than two years, New Zealand is fully reopening its borders and welcoming back all international travelers. The country is reopening on July 31, some three months earlier than previously announced. Earlier this year, New Zealand’s borders were opened to Australians and citizens of 60 places that do not need visas to enter, including […]
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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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