Tag: personal finance

NSW Government Announces Ambitious Cashless Gambling Machine Reform

The New South Wales (NSW) government has unveiled an ambitious plan to turn all poker machines in the state cashless by 2028 as it seeks to stamp down on money laundering and reduce the negative impact of gambling. NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said it was the largest social, community and law enforcement reform in the…


Closing Prices for Crude Oil, Gold and Other Commodities (Feb. 6)

Benchmark U.S. crude oil for March delivery rose 72 cents to $74.11 a barrel Monday. Brent crude for April delivery rose $1.05 to $80.99 a barrel. Wholesale gasoline for March delivery rose 5 cents to $2.37 a gallon. March heating oil fell 1 cent $2.77 a gallon. March natural gas rose 5 cents to $2.46…


Spending: Where Travelers Go for Cosmetic Surgery

By Emma Patch From Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Traveling abroad for lower-cost cosmetic procedures remains a burgeoning industry, and hundreds of thousands of Americans do so each year. Most cosmetic surgery is elective and not covered by insurance, and it costs a pretty penny. Travelers having cosmetic surgery should heed the advice of their doctors regarding…


Ask Kip: Factors That Increase Your Chance of an Audit

By Joy Taylor From Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Question: With the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) getting billions added to its budget, does that mean the chance of being audited rises substantially? Answer: Most of the enforcement effects from the IRS’ $80 billion windfall won’t be felt by taxpayers for at least a couple of years. And…


Closing Prices for Crude Oil, Gold and Other Commodities (Feb. 3)

Benchmark U.S. crude oil for March delivery fell $2.49 to $73.39 a barrel Friday. Brent crude for April delivery fell $2.23 to $79.94 a barrel. Wholesale gasoline for March delivery fell 13 cents to $2.32 a gallon. March heating oil fell 12 cents $2.78 a gallon. March natural gas fell 5 cents to $2.41 per…


Strong Jobs Report Revives Fears of Inflation and More Aggressive Fed

Positive jobs reports can be bad news for the market. The latest strong jobs report, for example, revived Wall Street fears of continued inflation and a more aggressive Federal Reserve as markets were volatile on the news. Stocks opened lower following the jobs report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a brief rally…


IRS Changes Definition of ‘SUV,’ Making More Vehicles Eligible for Tax Credits

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) modified the regulatory definition of a sport utility vehicle (SUV) to make more vehicles eligible for an electric vehicle (EV) tax credit of up to $7,500. In a notice issued on Feb. 3, the IRS and the Department of the Treasury jointly changed the vehicle classification standard by which vans,…


Hardship Withdrawals From Retirement Accounts Surge as Americans Battle Rising Prices

Last year, a higher proportion of Americans with 401(k) accounts carried out hardship withdrawals—emergency removal of funds from a retirement plan—as many people financially struggled under decades-high inflation rates. “A record 2.8 percent of the 5 million people in 401(k) plans run by Vanguard tapped their retirement savings in 2022 to cope with hardships such…


How to Get Your Credit Score Above 800

One of the best things you can do for your finances is to have a good credit score. Having a good score will help you get some good deals on credit, but the best deals come to those with credit scores of 800 or more. Along with it, you can enjoy the 800 credit score…


Single Women Own More Homes Than Single Men in Most US States

Single women now own more homes than single men in most U.S. states for the first time in the nation’s history, according to a recent study. In an analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data from 2021, LendingTree released a report that found that single women who lived by themselves were outpacing single men in homeownership in 48 out…