Personal Finance

The Internal Revenue Services offices in Washington, D.C. Adam Jeffery | CNBC The IRS is giving taxpayers extra relief on upcoming deadlines, pushing the due date for more  returns and payments to July 15. Taxpayers have three more months to submit their 2019 income tax returns and payments, and now the IRS is granting additional

As more than 16 million Americans have lost their jobs in the last three weeks, many have scrambled to apply for unemployment insurance to help cover their expenses. And some workers age 62 and up may also consider tapping another source: Social Security retirement benefits. During the financial crisis, more people decided to file for

Thomas Barwick This year, the coronavirus relief law is letting savers bypass mandatory distributions from their retirement accounts. While that’s good news, it’s still generating plenty of questions from account holders. Generally, savers who turn 70½ must begin annual required minimum withdrawals, or RMDs, from their retirement accounts and pay taxes on those distributions. However,

With most Americans under stay-at-home orders due to the coronavirus outbreak, the roads are quieter – and safer – than usual. So why should you keep paying your regular auto insurance premium?  Many insurers have a perhaps surprising answer to that question: You shouldn’t.  Allstate announced this week that it would slash April and May’s

MoMo Productions You may be wondering how secure your job is. Don’t give into the negative feelings for too long, though. “You have to stay ahead of the game,” said Claire Bissot, managing director of CBIZ Human Resources Services in Roanoke, Virginia. “Ditch your ‘woe is me’ mindset and declare, ‘I can survive anything.’ “

Steven Mnuchin, U.S. Treasury secretary, speaks during a Coronavirus Task Force news conference at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Thursday, April 2, 2020. Kevin Dietsch | Bloomberg | Getty Images The Treasury Department changed the terms on some loans it’s offering to small businesses during the coronavirus pandemic, making them less favorable

If you already are paying on a loan from your 401(k) account and lose your job amid the coronavirus pandemic, that borrowed money could generate a tax bill you weren’t expecting. Although the latest round of economic rescue legislation provides relief for coronavirus-related withdrawals from 401(k) plans, loans that already have been in repayment are subject

Victor Maffe | iStock / 360 | Getty Images The government is just getting started in sending out $1,200 in stimulus relief money it promised to millions of Americans. Many already say it won’t be enough. A recent survey from SimplyWise, a retirement income technology company, found that 63% of respondents said they will need

A framing art gallery is closed in Venice Beach, California’ during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus. APU GOMES/AFP via Getty Images Some small-business owners are growing increasingly worried that loan money being distributed as part of the coronavirus relief package will run out before they can access funds. The Paycheck Protection Program, which is being overseen

Weddings are largely considered recession-proof.  From flowers to photography, celebrations of marriage are a $74 billion industry, according to market research firm IBISWorld. Even as more millennials delay marriage, those who do decide to tie the knot are spending more on their big day. Until now. Amid a global pandemic, tens of thousands of couples have

damircudic Stay … Assuming there’s no outstanding loan, ask yourself if there’s a chance you’ll return to this employer. “If yes, leave it alone,” Parks said. “There are provisions to let you rejoin the plan, and you will get credit for time served.” You could stay in the plan, most likely, if your account balance

Tara Moore | Getty Images You may want to brush up on your knowledge of the ins and outs of Social Security before you claim benefits. MassMutual posed 12 questions to 1,500 Americans approaching retirement via an online poll. More than half — 52% — either failed or barely passed.  Of those respondents, 33% failed

EmirMemedovski Homeowners whose finances have been battered by coronavirus might want to think again before postponing their mortgage payments. Congress has offered some relief to mortgage borrowers who are experiencing financial strain from the coronavirus pandemic, which has left a flood of layoffs in its wake. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act –

A Japanese male businessman typing on a laptop computer. kazuma seki Whether you were looking for a new job before the coronavirus pandemic hit or have lost your job because of it, one thing is clear: Getting hired now isn’t going to be so easy.  “We’re seeing a lot of interviews rescheduled or canceled,” said Emily

A customer pays with cash at a Best Buy store in Texas, United States, on November 26, 2010. Aaron M. Sprecher | Bloomberg | Getty Images If you’re counting the days until you receive your stimulus money from the government, hold tight: It could take up to five months. A House Ways and Means Committee

shot of social security card Kameleon007 People who receive Social Security benefits and who do not submit tax returns will not have to file in order to get a government stimulus check. The announcement by the Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service on Wednesday night reverses earlier guidance that said those people would have to

NoDerog | iStock | Getty Images There may be a catch for individuals who typically don’t file a tax return but are expecting to receive a stimulus check. They may have to send a return to the government in order to get paid. New guidance was released on Monday by the IRS, which said there

Don’t be surprised if your employer pauses its contributions to your 401(k) plan during the U.S. economic downturn. As the coronavirus pandemic wallops the economy, and businesses deal with dropping revenue and limited cash flow, employers are exploring how to trim their obligations to those plans without violating federal regulations. Companies commonly give to worker’s

NoDerog | E+ | Getty Images Those government stimulus checks should be on their way soon to millions of Americans. Many people have still have a lot of questions about them. Last week, Washington lawmakers approved a $2 trillion relief bill in response to the coronavirus outbreak that includes a payment of $1,200 for single taxpayers

I drafted a notice to my firm’s clients so they can have a clear understanding of the provisions in the CARES Act, the $2 trillion economic rescue bill that President Trump signed into law last week. I wanted to share some of this information. I am only including information about how the act actually impacts

US President Donald Trump participates in a meeting with Supply Chain Distributors to discuss the response to COVID-19 at the White House in Washington, DC, on March 29, 2020. Jim Watson | AFP | Getty Images This year, heirs of retirement accounts can bypass mandatory withdrawals from those IRAs. The coronavirus relief bill, which President

The pandemic affects everyone — even cats and dogs that are clearly surprised at the change in routine. Younger children might not understand everything that’s going on, and older ones might realize life has changed but not know how to get clarity from their parents. The current situation is different from anything anyone’s experienced in

College acceptance letters are already in the mail. Now high school seniors must decide their fate for September. Up until now, National College Decision Day, the deadline for high school seniors to choose which college they will attend, has always been May 1. This year, however, the global coronavirus pandemic and extreme economic uncertainty have pushed many

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy speaks after taking the oath of office in Trenton, New Jersey, January 16, 2018. Lucas Jackson | Reuters New Jersey homeowners whose finances have been affected by the novel coronavirus will get a 90-day reprieve on their mortgage payments, said Gov. Phil Murphy on Saturday. Lenders will also waive late

Andrew Cuomo, governor of New York, speaks during a news conference at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York, U.S., on Friday, March 27, 2020. Angus Mordant | Bloomberg | Getty Images New Yorkers are getting more time to submit their 2019 income tax returns to the Empire State. Individuals filing a New York

Yellow Dog Productions  What does the legislation do? The bill — the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act — expands unemployment insurance, a program enacted in 1935 to provide temporary income support for workers who lose their jobs. The legislation does three primary things: offers bigger unemployment checks, increases the duration of those payments and extends

Cabania | iStock | Getty Images Plus Congress has passed a $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus bill, and you’re probably already counting up the money you could receive in relief checks — if you’re eligible. Generally, individuals who earn $75,000 or less qualify for $1,200 one-time payments, while couples making $150,000 or less may receive $2,400.

Small businesses are getting a potential lifeline from Congress. The massive $2 trillion economic rescue package — expected to get final approval from Congress on Friday — includes provisions aimed at helping smaller employers weather the economic storm brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. “We are cautiously optimistic that this will provide the cash flow

White flag blowing in the wind Derek Brumby After weeks of steep market declines, you may feel you’ve had enough, that you want your hard-earned money during these uncertain times with you, under quarantine. And who could blame you? Headlines warn us that we’re careening toward a global financial crisis uglier than 2008, and the

NoDerog | iStock | Getty Images As Congress pushes through a $2 trillion stimulus bill, some Americans can expect checks from the government to help them cope with the economic devastation stemming from the coronavirus crisis. Those payments are expected to be $1,200 for individuals, or $2,400 for those who are married and file income