Here’s how to maximize your tax breaks for charitable giving

Mixetto | E+ | Getty Images As year-end approaches, you may be eyeing a donation to charity — and certain gifting strategies can boost your tax break, experts say.   In 2023, U.S. charitable giving hit $557.16 billion, up roughly 2% compared to 2022, according to Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy’s annual report released […]

How to invest $500,000 for the year ahead, according to 2 wealth managers

As investors position their portfolios for 2025, wealth managers are advocating for a diversified approach with selective bets on undervalued sectors. CNBC Pro spoke to Ollie Clark, deputy head of research at WH Ireland, and Mark Preskett, senior portfolio manager at Morningstar Wealth, about how investors with roughly $500,000 could look to allocate their portfolio. […]

How to capitalize on the November dip-buying opportunity in gold

The SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) has shown remarkable strength in 2024, soaring 40% between January and October. For those who missed the rally, November offers a potential opportunity as GLD has pulled back 8% from its all-time highs, creating a dip-buying scenario. To validate a bullish outlook on GLD, I rely on specific technical indicators […]

How to optimize your holiday travel budget on ‘Travel Tuesday’

If you still haven’t booked your holiday travel plans, take note: Prices tend to rise the closer you get to the days you’re looking to travel.  To afford holiday trips, about 50% of respondents are cutting back on other expenses while 49% are picking up discounts and deals, according to the 2024 Holiday Travel Outlook […]

How to leverage the 0% capital gains bracket as bitcoin surges

Hispanolistic | E+ | Getty Images Crypto investors could face higher taxes amid the surging price of bitcoin. But if you’re in the 0% capital gains bracket, you can reduce future taxes with a lesser-known strategy, experts say.  The tactic, known as tax-gain harvesting, is selling profitable crypto in a lower-income year. You can leverage the […]

The inherent danger of parabolic stock moves and how to handle

People always ask me why I dislike parabolic moves. The answer is simple: When a stock rises significantly in a short period — resulting in a price chart that resembles the curve of a parabola — it goes down far faster than it can creep up, for whatever reason. Consider a parabolic move from a […]

2025-26 FAFSA will open on Dec. 1 — Here’s how to prepare

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid for 2025-26 will be available for all students and contributors on or before Dec. 1, the Education Department says. Typically, students have access to the coming academic year’s form in October, but this year’s delayed release follows a “phased rollout” meant to address reported issues from the 2024-25 […]

How to profit if rates keep rising, going against the Fed and stock investors

U.S. stocks soared to record highs after Donald Trump’s election win and a quarter-point rate cut from the Federal Reserve. U.S. government bond yields have surged too, puzzling many market participants. I am going to stick with the contrarian view and bet on rates continuing to move higher. I’ll express that through a bearish bet […]