The average age for claiming Social Security retirement benefits has been steadily rising. Older Americans are working longer, in part because full retirement age is increasing incrementally from 66 to 67. A worker may begin receiving Social Security retirement benefits as early as age 62, but monthly benefits will be permanently reduced by as much
Tax filing season is here again. If you haven’t done so already, you’ll want to start pulling things together — that includes getting your hands on a copy of your 2019 tax return and gathering W-2s, 1099s, and deduction records. You’ll need these records whether you’re preparing your own return or paying someone else to
The coronavirus pandemic has strained the finances of many U.S. households. In an August 2020 survey, 25% of adults said someone in their household had experienced the loss of a job due to the outbreak. Even among those who did not lose a job, 32% said someone in their household has had to reduce hours
The coronavirus pandemic has completely changed the corporate landscape. Many companies have transitioned to having a majority of their employees work from home. As a result, long commutes, office lunches, and face-to-face meetings could be a thing of the past. Even when the pandemic eventually subsides, working remotely may be here to stay. According to
During the holiday shopping season, your credit score is probably the last thing on your mind. But as you start your seasonal spending, remember to use credit wisely so you can start the new year with a healthy credit score. The following tips can help you maintain or potentially improve your credit score throughout the
If there is one thing the COVID-19 stay-at-home orders demonstrated, it was the need to find joy in simple pleasures. In fact, 43% of respondents to one survey said they had “changed their ways for the better” as a result of the lockdown. (1) By applying some of the lessons learned from pandemic purgatory to
Federal and state governments have spent extraordinary sums in response to the economic toll inflicted by the COVID-19 pandemic. At some point it is likely that governments will look for ways to increase revenue to compensate for this spending and increase income taxes as a result. That’s why it might be a good time to
Fraudsters and scam artists have always looked for new ways to prey on consumers. Many are now using their tactics to take advantage of consumers’ heightened financial and health concerns over the coronavirus pandemic. Federal, state, and local law enforcement have issued warnings on the surge in coronavirus scams and offer advice on how consumers
After a slow start, mobile payment usage is growing in the United States. In 2019, an estimated 64 million Americans (about 29% of smartphone users) made a point-of-sale proximity payment with their mobile phones at least once in the previous six months. Mobile peer-to-peer applications, which allow transactions between individuals, have been even more widely
Dramatic market turbulence has been common in 2020, and you can’t help but hear about the frequent ups and downs of the Dow Jones Industrial Average or the S&P 500 index. The performance of these major indexes is widely reported and analyzed in detail by financial news outlets around the nation. Both the Dow and
