Wealth
Japan is about to welcome back foreign travelers, but domestic tourism remains its priority
After more than two years of closed border policies, Japan is set to welcome back international travelers this week. Come June 10, foreign tourists traveling via packaged tours can enter Japan. However, the government’s priority still lies in boosting domestic tourism numbers, said Tadashi Shimura, president of Japan Association of Travel Agents. Even before the […]
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Retirement tax breaks benefit higher earners, leaving middle-class savers behind, report finds
Fstop123 | E+ | Getty Images Tax breaks designed to boost retirement savings may primarily benefit higher earners, leaving middle-class workers behind, according to a report from the National Institute on Retirement Security. With most Americans receiving less than half of preretirement income from Social Security, many rely on employer-sponsored savings plans and individual retirement […]
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That socially responsible fund may not be as ‘green’ as you think. Here’s how to pick one
Tetra Images – Erik Isakson | Brand X Pictures | Getty Images Investment funds that promote values like the environment and social good have become more popular. But trying to pick a so-called ESG fund — especially one that aligns well with your interests — may seem about as easy as drying a towel in […]
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House Democrats push Treasury, IRS for repeal of rule blocking state and local taxes cap workaround
Rep. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., speaks during a news conference announcing the State and Local Taxes (SALT) Caucus outside the U.S. Capitol on April 15, 2021. Sarah Silbiger | Bloomberg | Getty Images Three House Democrats are still pushing for relief on the $10,000 limit on the federal deduction for state and local taxes, known as […]
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The IRS is working to increase its audit rates for higher earners
Jeffrey Coolidge | Photodisc | Getty Images The IRS is working to boost its audit rates for the wealthiest Americans, according to a statement recently released with the agency’s annual Data Book, covering activities for the 2021 fiscal year. While plummeting audits have drawn scrutiny from Congress, percentages have doubled for filers making over $100,000 to more […]
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First time on a yacht? Avoid these 7 amateur mistakes
While most of the travel industry struggled to get back on its feet, the yachting industry had a different problem during the pandemic: serving everyone wanting to charter a boat. Like the rise in private jet travel during the pandemic, charter demand remains “extremely strong,” said Crom Littlejohn, chief commercial officer of the yacht brokerage […]
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Investors revisit muni bonds amid higher yields and strong credit
David Jakle | Image Source | Getty Images It’s been a tough year for municipal bonds, with investors cashing out amid rising interest rates. However, higher yields and strong credit may be sparking a shift, experts say. While investors piled a record-breaking $96.8 billion of net money into U.S. muni mutual and exchange-traded funds in […]
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California’s unprecedented reparations report details 150 years of anti-Black harm
A demonstrator raises a fist during a “Sit Out the Curfew” protest against the death of George Floyd who died on May 25 in Minneapolis whilst in police custody, along a street in Oakland, California on June 3, 2020. Philip Pacheco | AFP | Getty Images A new report from California’s first-in-the-country reparations task force […]
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Need to tap your 529 college savings plan soon? Here’s how to handle a stock market downturn
Klaus Vedfelt | DigitalVision | Getty Images Months of stock market volatility may deliver a costly surprise to parents sending children to school this fall: smaller-than-expected 529 college savings plan balances. The average 529 account size was $30,287 in 2021, according to the College Savings Plans Network, but families may now have lower balances, financial […]
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