How to invest in gold as bullion surges to record highs above $3,700

As a safe-haven investment, gold tends to perform well in low-interest-rate environments and during periods of political and financial uncertainty. Investors see gold as protective against “bad economic times,” according to research by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. “Gold checks all of those boxes,” Sameer Samana, head of global equities and real assets at the […]
How to maximize the $40,000 limit for 2025

Milan Markovic | E+ | Getty Images President Donald Trump‘s “big beautiful bill” raised the limit on the federal deduction for state and local taxes, known as SALT, and there are ways to maximize it for 2025, experts say. If you itemize tax breaks, you can claim the SALT deduction, which includes state and local […]
How to recover financially as school year ends

Jose Luis Pelaez Inc | DigitalVision | Getty Images It’s officially “Maycember,” a term making the rounds on social media to sum up the chaos and high costs of May — which mimic those of December, minus the holiday cheer. Although May is typically a month of endings and new beginnings, inflation and social pressure […]
Here’s how to pay for taxes on your Roth IRA conversion, advisors say

Srdjanpav | E+ | Getty Images More from FA Playbook: Here’s a look at other stories impacting the financial advisor business. When a Roth conversion is completed, you’ll owe regular income taxes on the converted balance, based on your current-year taxable income. Ideally, you’re “managing the tax bracket,” said CFP Jim Guarino, managing director at […]
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 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 […]
We’re in a ‘vibecession,’ experts say. Here’s how to invest

The U.S. economy has remained remarkably strong. Boosted by a strong labor market, the country has continued to expand since the Covid-19 pandemic, sidestepping earlier recessionary forecasts even after a series of Federal Reserve interest rate increases. And yet, consumer sentiment recently sank to a six-month low. That disconnect is what Joyce Chang, JPMorgan’s chair of global research, calls a “vibecession.” […]