If you’ve been ducking sales taxes for your online purchases, it’s game over. The Supreme Court is about to make it easier for your state to collect its share. In a 5-4 ruling in favor of South Dakota and against online retailer Wayfair, the court decided that states can require merchants to collect sales taxes

A rule that would require that all financial advisors to act in their clients’ best interests with regard to their retirement accounts has been killed. The U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals confirmed on Thursday its decision to vacate the Department of Labor’s so-called fiduciary rule. The decision comes after a complete implementation of the

San Francisco is home to beautiful vistas, yet retirees may want to resist settling down in the Bay Area. That’s because it’s the worst city in the country to retire if you’d like to keep more of your cash in your pocket, according to an analysis from GoBankingRates. The personal finance website looked at major

It’s a pretty common question heard from college students who work during school or over the summer: “Will my income affect my eligibility for scholarships or aid?” For most students, the answer is no. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, the form that colleges and universities use to determine a student’s need

Most people feel like an adult at age 18, but these days they might not become financially independent until almost a decade later. In fact, more than half, or 53 percent, of millennials over 21 are receiving financial help from a parent or guardian, according to a new report by Country Financial. One-third of the

Credit scores greatly impact a consumer’s financial moves — and how much they’ll pay along the way — yet many don’t even know how the rating works. Around 40 percent believe, incorrectly, that age and marital status play a role in their three-digit score, according to the Consumer Federation of America’s credit card survey, which

The Federal Reserve’s decision to hike short-term interest rates is big news for investors. The Fed raised the federal funds rate a quarter percentage point — to 2 percent, from 1.75 percent — last week and signaled that it plans another two hikes this year. The change brings the rate — which sets the terms

When people reach their 50s, it’s not uncommon for them to realize that retirement — or whatever they choose to call the phase of life that comes after full-time work — is no longer such a distant concept. If you’re in that age group and haven’t yet focused on that looming reality, it’s a perfect

Most taxpayers who filed their return in April can breathe easy for a year before facing another Internal Revenue Service deadline. The self-employed aren’t so fortunate. If you have income from a side gig or from full-time freelancing and contract work — i.e., no company is withholding taxes from your paycheck — it’s time to

Americans are up to their ears in high-interest credit card debt, but there is a way out. The typical American has a credit card balance of $6,375, up nearly 3 percent from last year, according to Experian’s annual study on the state of credit and debt in America. Total credit card debt has reached its

When Ruth B., now 26, graduated from college in May 2014, she already had a few months of student loan payments under her belt. Ruth, who asked that her last name not be used, had taken out federal loans to help cover her tuition and living expenses every year. But in her senior year her

If your future retirement plans include relocating to a smaller home, don’t assume the move will mean downsizing your costs, as well. With housing inventory tight and competition fierce for smaller homes, retirees who hope to reduce their housing expenses could be in for a surprise. “Downsizing in both cost and square feet … doesn’t

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act made a big change to 529 plans, the tax-advantaged investment funds that can be used for education costs. People can now use them to save not just for college, but for K-12 private school expenses, as well. It was considered a windfall for affluent families. But fewer than 1

As the tax advantages of alimony payments disappear in 2019, expect the individual retirement account to feature more prominently in divorce discussions. That’s a prediction from Ed Slott, CPA and founder of Ed Slott and Co. He hosted a discussion on IRA planning at the American Institute of CPA’s Engage conference in Las Vegas. Today,

A few days after Lacey Patterson adopted Chloe, a two-month old kitten, from a local shelter near her home in Clearwater, Florida, the kitten started showing signs of a cold. At first, the symptoms were mild: sneezing, a runny nose and watery eyes. But when the kitten started bleeding through her nose, Patterson knew it

With the Federal Reserve‘s latest quarter-point interest rate increase, the seventh such hike in two years, some consumers may need a life jacket. “Over time, that cumulative effect is growing,” said Greg McBride, the chief financial analyst at Bankrate.com. For the average American, recent signs of rising inflation, which pushed the central bank into hiking

Amazon may be expanding its insurance game: After working on a project to disrupt health insurance, the tech giant is considering offering home insurance as a complement to its growing line of smart home devices powered by Alexa, according to tech news website The Information. Smart homes are becoming more common in general. At the

Most people don’t intend to raid their retirement accounts — and that’s just the problem. Tapping your retirement dollars early is almost always considered taboo, although, at times, it can seem unavoidable. By far, the majority of Americans said they dipped into their retirement funds to pay off debt or bills, according to a recent

When it comes to managing health-care expenses, having insurance is only part of the battle. That’s because, even with coverage, individuals run into higher costs in the form of high deductibles, out-of-network fees and additional expenses related to testing that may not be useful. Carolyn McClanahan, an M.D. and director of financial planning at Life

Rebecca Schulte, 24, was at her apartment in West Hollywood when she received a call from a familiar area code. She picked up. “I’m on the side of the road, there’s been a really bad car accident,” a man said. He told her he’d found her number in the injured man’s phone. Rebecca knew her

A week after Delaware rolled out legal sports betting, New Jersey now also has cleared the way for such wagers. Uncle Sam will be chomping at the bit for some of your winnings, though. “The amount of gambling winnings, less any losses, gets tacked on to all other income you have … and is taxed

If you’re planning on gifting millions of dollars to organizations and family members while you’re alive, do it now. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act raised the gift and estate tax exemption — also known as the unified credit — to $11.18 million per person in 2018, more than doubling the limit under the old

Chances are, this year’s crop of college grads are entering the world with a newly minted degree and a hefty student loan bill. Seven in 10 seniors graduate with debt, owing about $29,650 per borrower, according to the most recent data from the Institute for College Access & Success. All in, student debt reached a

If your child’s thinking of withdrawing from that organic chemistry class he hates, tell him to hang in there and do the best he can — thousands of dollars in financial aid may depend on it. That’s because college students must meet a series of requirements, including maintaining a minimum C average and successfully completing

For most aging Americans, there is no place like home. Sure, some people plan to spend their retirement in a new country, or even at sea. The vast majority of Americans, though, plan to age in place. Three-quarters of those who are ages 50 to 64 say they want to spend their golden years in

The shocking deaths of iconic fashion designer Kate Spade, 55, and gifted chef and storyteller Anthony Bourdain, 61, are spurring important discussions about mental health. They are also a chilling reminder that a sudden death can affect any family. A number of the leading causes of death in the United States are events that could

If you still haven’t filed your 2017 federal tax return after missing the April 18 deadline and you owe Uncle Sam, here’s another date you should be aware of: June 14. After that day, most taxpayers who are in that boat will face a minimum penalty of $210. “You can avoid some penalties by at

With the summer travel season heating up, many vacation-home owners get to look forward to some extra income from renting out their slice of paradise. These part-time landlords need to remember that in many cases, the Internal Revenue Service expects to hear about that extra cash. Generally speaking, if you rent your vacation home for

Do you use the same password for multiple accounts? Have you ever lost a phone or laptop? Do you skip installing malware or antivirus software? If you do, you have poor “cyber hygiene” — the steps you should take to maintain device health and improve online security. It also could make you a target for

Lately, when an airline is in the news, it’s not all good. This month, Delta said it was investigating the death of a Pomeranian, which didn’t survive one of its flights. Last year, authorities were caught on video dragging a doctor off a United Airlines flight. If all of the drama has you wavering about