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 […]
How to claim money from ‘Trump accounts’ program
Tech CEO Michael Dell and his wife Susan pledged Tuesday to contribute $6.25 billion to so-called Trump accounts, a type of tax-advantaged savings account for children. The commitment will expand access to seed money for eligible children too old to qualify for the $1,000 grants that are set to come from the Department of the Treasury. With the additional funds, […]
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,” […]
How to pick a plan as health insurance premiums rise
A poster reads “Affordable Care Act Premiums Will Rise More Than 75%” as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) (2nd-L), accompanied by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) (L), speaks at a news conference to call on Republicans to pass Affordable Care Act tax breaks on Capitol Hill on Sept. 16, 2025 in Washington, DC. Andrew Harnik […]
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 […]
How to turn your stock market losses into a tax-savings windfall
Even sharp market sell-offs can have a silver lining for investors. Beyond today’s dollar losses, they may offer an opportunity to boost tax savings tomorrow. President Donald Trump’s April 2 announcement of “reciprocal” tariffs sent the major averages on a wild ride, spurring worries of stubborn inflation on one hand and heightened recession risk on […]