Author: Press Room

I’ve heard no less than two anguished stories from two people I know in the past week who are steaming over not getting tax refunds. Ensuring that your federal tax return gets to the IRS and you receive a refund — if you’re owed one — is a matter of following a simple process. Here are five easy steps the IRS recommends: * Get Your Docs in One Place. Taxpayers should gather all documents, such as Forms W-2 and 1099, and any documents to support tax deductions or credits like education credits or mortgage interest payments. * File electronically. You…

By Laurence J. Kotlikoff, Next Avenue Social Security’s Earnings Test tops my list for our government’s most senseless and personally financially destructive policy. The Earnings Test is a massive tax that isn’t. It’s a tax that’s levied and then secretly returned making no money on balance for the government (as measured on an actuarial present value basis). Its sole purpose is to con Social Security beneficiaries below age 67 into thinking that earning money beyond a di minimis amount will come at a huge loss in current net income as well as lifetime benefits. Here’s how Social Security describes the…

The IRS has announced it will open several Taxpayer Assistance Centers (TACs) around the country this Saturday, April 8, for face-to-face help available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. An additional Saturday opening is planned for May 13. “During these special openings, taxpayers can get walk-in service for in-person help on many tax matters,” said IRS Wage & Investment Division Commissioner and Taxpayer Experience Officer Ken Corbin. “These extra weekend hours are to enable the nation’s taxpayers to effectively resolve their tax account concerns in ways that are most convenient for them.” No Appointment Needed Normally, TACs require taxpayers to…

The recent bank crisis stemmed from the loss of confidence in the banking system following the sudden collapse and seizure of Silicon Valley Bank (SIVB VB ) by the FDIC on March 10. While analysis shows U.S. banks to be solvent overall, the concern about banks has spread globally. The challenge of analyzing bank safety is that a severe loss of confidence can actually cause an otherwise functioning financial institution to come under duress. This analysis uses a systematic methodology to monitor the strains on the banking system weekly via the U.S. Banking System Stress Monitor. Aside from the market…

Low inventory and rising interest rates will likely be a factor in the spring real estate market in North Central New Jersey. The recently released February 2023 market report from Turpin Realtors, which covers Essex, Hunterdon, Morris, Somerset and Union counties, is a predictor of the upcoming prime season. “February typically is when we begin to see spring trends percolate,” said John Turpin, president of Turpin Realtors. Here are some takeaways from the report. Tight Inventory The number of new listings at all price points is down more than 32% compared to February 2022, from 1,435 to 975. Turpin doesn’t…

Our goal here at Credible Operations, Inc., NMLS Number 1681276, referred to as “Credible” below, is to give you the tools and confidence you need to improve your finances. Although we do promote products from our partner lenders who compensate us for our services, all opinions are our own. Based on data compiled by Credible, mortgage rates for home purchases have risen for two key terms, remained unchanged for one term, and fallen for another term since yesterday. Rates last updated on March 30, 2023. These rates are based on the assumptions shown here. Actual rates may vary. Credible, a…

Our goal here at Credible Operations, Inc., NMLS Number 1681276, referred to as “Credible” below, is to give you the tools and confidence you need to improve your finances. Although we do promote products from our partner lenders who compensate us for our services, all opinions are our own. Private student loans make up just about 7.6% of the trillion-dollar student loan market, according to data exchange platform MeasureOne. But private student loan borrowers carry a total $123 billion-plus share of Americans’ total student loan debt. The broad student loan forgiveness which President Joe Biden announced on Aug. 24 doesn’t…

Americans are drowning in credit card debt as uncomfortably high inflation makes the cost of everyday necessities more expensive.  In the last three months of 2022, credit card balances increased by $61 billion to $986 billion, according to the New York Federal Reserve Bank’s Quarterly Report on Household Debt and Credit published Thursday. That smashed the previous high of $927 billion, recorded before the COVID-19 pandemic began.Total U.S. household debt, meanwhile, climbed to a record $16.9 trillion during the fourth quarter, an increase of 2.4% from the prior three-month period.  The latest data marks a major reversal from just two…

Our goal here at Credible Operations, Inc., NMLS Number 1681276, referred to as “Credible” below, is to give you the tools and confidence you need to improve your finances. Although we do promote products from our partner lenders who compensate us for our services, all opinions are our own. You can use personal loans for various purposes, from consolidating debt or making home improvements to paying for a wedding. But before signing any paperwork, it’s wise to consider the potential tax implications of your loan. While a personal loan generally doesn’t affect taxes, defaulting on the loan can.  Let’s dive…

Many Americans are putting off medical care, in some cases for serious conditions, because they don’t have the funds to cover rising costs, a recent survey said. Thirty-eight percent of respondents said they or a family member had to delay medical care because of cost in 2022, a 12-point increase from the year before and the highest in the 22-year history of Gallup’s survey.The sharp uptick in respondents saying they put off medical care is tied to the higher costs of medical care. High inflation has impacted consumers’ costs across the board, but it is showing signs of easing. January’s Consumer…