How you can add gold and silver exposure to your portfolio
The 2026 rally in precious metals offers the prospect of tempting returns, but investors ought to proceed carefully before they go along for the ride. Gold futures are up more than 15% year to date, while silver futures have popped 10% — but the gains have come with plenty of turbulence. Both suffered their worst […]
Income-generating investments could create a tax bill. How to prepare
The tax-filing season is officially underway, and investors – especially those who are holding income-generating assets – will want to prepare to pay the tax man. The Internal Revenue Service began accepting 2025’s individual income tax returns on Monday . Filers have until April 15 to submit their returns, unless they go on extension until […]
How to access your IRS online account before tax season opens
D3sign | Moment | Getty Images Read more CNBC personal finance coverage This is one of the ‘most important steps’ before tax season opens, IRS says How tax-efficient investing could boost your portfolio returns in 2026 and beyond For 2026, these new 401(k) details ‘matter more than ever,’ advisor says We’re in a ‘hiring recession,’ […]
Student loan forgiveness is taxable again: How to prepare
Songsak Rohprasit | Moment | Getty Images Student loan borrowers whose debt is canceled in 2026 or later may face a significant tax bill. A law that shielded student loan forgiveness from taxation at the federal level — part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 — expired on Dec. 31, 2025. President Donald Trump’s “big beautiful […]
Prediction markets are booming. How to tax winnings is anyone’s guess
Polymarket banner outside the New York Stock Exchange on Oct. 7th, 2025. Kevin Stankiewicz | CNBC Prediction markets are booming, with monthly trading in the billions and a recent estimate from a consulting firm saying that the relatively new phenomenon could grow to $1 trillion by the end of the decade. That’s a lot of […]
Mutual fund capital gains payouts are coming. Here’s how to avoid it
Violetastoimenova | E+ | Getty Images LAS VEGAS — As 2025 winds down, many investors are bracing for year-end mutual fund distributions, which can trigger a hefty tax bill for assets held in a taxable brokerage account. But there are strategies to avoid the payout, experts say. For 2025, “you’ve got some pretty eye-watering numbers,” […]
These inherited IRA mistakes could reduce your windfall, advisors say
Juanma Hache | Moment | Getty Images While many investors welcome a windfall, the rules for inherited individual retirement accounts are complicated — and mistakes can be costly. Since 2020, certain inherited accounts are subject to the “10-year rule,” and heirs must empty the balance by the 10th year after the original account owner’s death. […]
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 lower capital gains on home sales as Trump eyes ending the tax
Martin Barraud | Ojo Images | Getty Images As President Donald Trump weighs ending capital gains taxes on home sales to bolster the housing market, experts say it’s possible to lower your bill without legislative changes. When asked about the idea this week in the Oval Office, Trump told reporters, “we’re thinking about that.” Under […]
How to avoid these ‘tax torpedoes’ in retirement, per UBS
Uncle Sam can take a solid bite out of retirees’ savings once they begin drawing down their hard-earned dollars, and UBS has a way to mitigate the tax bite. Investors may be familiar with portfolio diversification, in which they ensure they have sufficient exposure to an array of asset classes to avoid concentration risk. But […]