MoneyWatch

Gold individual retirement accounts (IRAs) have become a hot topic, as these retirement accounts make it possible to invest in gold while enjoying the tax advantages associated with retirement investments. But, as an investor, reward often comes with risk. And with so many people touting the benefits of gold IRAs, is there risk involved? All investment vehicles – even cash …

If you need to borrow money, two popular options to consider are 401(k) loans and home equity lines of credit (HELOCs). These loans are secured — one by your retirement account and the other by your home — and are both low-cost alternatives to credit cards and personal loans. But which is better? As with most financial products, 401(k) loans …

Planning for retirement can be both exciting and overwhelming. While the idea of retirement is appealing to most people, the idea of saving enough to retire may not be. There’s a lot more to creating a solid retirement plan than just making sure thebalance in your retirement accounts lines up with your financial plan. When you add in the other …

Gold has long been a popular investment asset, and the commodity’s safe-haven properties continue to attract investors today. And, it’s no secret that the precious metal is a good tool for portfolio diversification, either. If you structure your investment as a gold individual retirement account (IRA), investing in gold can have benefits you may not have considered. In fact, there …

It’s tax time again – and that means you could receive extra money soon. That’s because the majority of Americans receive a tax refund according to the IRS. However, the size of the refund you receive depends on a wide range of factors. Things like how much money you earned, how much you paid into taxes and what expenses you …

Choosing the right method to increase your savings account balance can be difficult — especially right now. After all, there are numerous interest-bearing account options to choose from, like certificates of deposit (CDs), money market accounts and savings accounts. And, each option offers not just its own rates, but its own potential benefits and downsides to savers, so it’s important …

It’s tax season again. That means it’s time to compile your W2s and 1099s alongside your expense documents and file your taxes. Years ago, doing your taxes could be a major inconvenience, as it may have required a professional to guide you through the process. But that’s not necessarily true anymore. Today’s technology has simplified many complex tasks — and …

Despite an unexpected uptick in inflation that occurred in late 2023, the Federal Reserve announced todaythat it would leave interest rates unchanged for now. This is the fourth consecutive rate hike pause by the Fed — keeping its benchmark rate range at a 23-year high of between 5.25% and 5.50%. “The committee does not expect it will be appropriate to …

The mortgage rate environment has been turbulent in recent years. After hovering near record lows during the height of the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, rates surged as the Federal Reserve attempted to reign in inflation. The benchmark interest rate was raised so high that mortgage rates subsequently hit their highest point since 2000 last summer, leaving many buyers and …

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and four other leaders of social media companies were reprimanded by lawmakers in a congressional hearing on Wednesday for not doing enough to safeguard kids online. The Senate Judiciary Committee hearing opened with videos of people describing being sexually exploited on Facebook, Instagram and X, with Sen. Lindsey Graham telling Zuckerberg he had “blood on his …