How much money Americans in their 40s have in their 401(k)s
If you’re in your 40s and have over $40,000 saved for retirement, you’re ahead of most people in your age bracket. However, you may need to take some proactive steps in order to retire comfortably. The median 401(k) balance for Americans ages 40 to 49 is $38,600 as of the fourth quarter of 2023, according […]
How to manage your money in your 40s, according to CFPs
In your 40s, financial priorities can range from taking care of aging parents to funding the activities and futures of your kids. You probably feel more settled than you did in your 20s or 30s, but may not know which money moves you should be making as you coast closer to 50. Here are four […]
How to Get the Student Loan Interest Tax Deduction
A tax deduction is an amount you subtract from your income when filing taxes. It allows you to reduce your taxable income — and with it, how much you owe in taxes. If you’re a student, your student loan interest payments may be deductible, so it’s a good idea to check if you qualify for […]
How To File Your Taxes At The Last Minute
Tax season is now in full swing and millions of Americans are scrambling to file their taxes before the Apr. 15 deadline (or April 17 if you live in Maine or Massachusetts). A 2022 NBC News analysis of IRS data showed that on average about 29% of individual tax returns were received in the three […]
Are you overpaying your taxes for 2024? How to check
We may be in the middle of the 2023 tax season, but it’s not too early to check if you’re setting aside enough for next season’s filing. That’s because tax withholdings are estimates, which can end up being too much or too little money depending on your income and tax status, which may have changed since […]
How to check your Social Security benefit
Millions of Americans will file their taxes between now and April 15 — an annual practice in looking backward. For many, this time of year is the only time they take stock of things like their salary, tax withholding and annual contributions to retirement accounts. With all of that information top of mind, tax season […]
How to Check the Status of Your 2023 Tax Refund
The IRS phone lines can be very busy during the spring season and there’s still a lot of work to do to modernize the agency. If you’re waiting for your tax return to arrive, either through direct deposit to your bank or as a paper check, don’t file a second tax return or call the […]
How to Convert Paper Bonds to Electronic Bonds
From taking out a loan to investing in stocks and bonds, most money moves can be done online nowadays. If you’re like me and still have paper savings bonds, you can make your life easier and better protect your funds by converting them to electronic form. Traditionally issued in physical form, the U.S. Treasury offers […]
How to Bulletproof Your Tax Return – Your Money Briefing
This transcript was prepared by a transcription service. This version may not be in its final form and may be updated. J.R. Whalen: Here’s Your Money Briefing for Wednesday, February 7th. I’m J.R. Whalen, for The Wall Street Journal. It’s that time of year to gather up all your paperwork and fill out your tax […]
What It Is, How To Detect and Prevent It
The phone rings and a recording says you owe the IRS back taxes and have to share your credit card number to settle the balance. Or it’s the bank, warning you that your account has been compromised. These are just two examples of “vishing,” or voice phishing, a popular scam that can take place over […]