Rockaa | E+ | Getty Images The IRS has unveiled higher capital gains tax brackets for 2026. In its announcement Thursday, the agency boosted the taxable income limits for the long-term capital gains brackets, which apply to assets owned for more than one year. It also increased figures for dozens of other provisions, including federal income tax brackets, […]
2026 tax brackets and income rates
Pra-chid | Istock | Getty Images The IRS has announced new federal income tax brackets and standard deductions for 2026. In its announcement Thursday, the agency raised the income thresholds for each bracket, which apply to tax year 2026 for returns filed in 2027. The IRS also boosted figures for other provisions, including long-term capital gains […]
Which investment wins long term?
Investors can’t help but notice the sparkle of gold’s record run. But they may want to think twice before adding more of it to their portfolios — over the long haul, it underperforms compared to stocks and other assets. “Gold glitters but earnings compound,” said Pat Beaird, a certified public accountant and co-founder of Beaird Harris […]
Furloughed workers face threat of no back pay
Commuters cross the street near the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) headquarters on October 1, 2025 in Washington, DC. Al Drago | Getty Images News | Getty Images Government shutdowns have historically been an precarious time for federal workers, both for those required to remain on the job without pay and those furloughed. This shutdown comes […]
Student loan forgiveness for IBR resumes under Trump administration
US President Donald Trump signs executive orders relating to higher education institutions, alongside US Secretary of Education Linda McMahon (R), in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on April 23, 2025. Saul Loeb | Afp | Getty Images The Trump administration has resumed forgiving student debt for some borrowers enrolled in […]
Trump’s tax changes for your charitable giving: What to know
New Year celebration concept. Front view. Close-up Anna Efetova | Moment | Getty Images President Donald Trump‘s “big beautiful bill” added trillions of dollars of tax breaks, some of which could impact your deduction for charitable giving. U.S. individual giving grew to $392.45 billion in 2024, up by about 5%, including inflation, from the previous year, according […]
Key financial steps for the end of the year
Strauss/curtis | The Image Bank | Getty Images Early in the fourth quarter is an ideal time to tackle some financial planning tasks that set you up for success for the rest of the year — and into 2026. “It’s absolutely a great time to do that,” said Dan Moisand, a certified financial planner and […]
CNBC wants to hear from you
Natalia Gdovskaia | Moment | Getty Images Health insurance is at the heart of the government shutdown. Without action from Congress, insurance premiums for people who buy coverage via the Affordable Care Act marketplace are poised to more than double for the average enrollee in 2026, according to research from KFF, a nonpartisan health policy […]
S&P 500 set-it-and-forget-it strategy due for a rethink: experts
Trevor Williams | DigitalVision | Getty Images The S&P 500 index closed at a new all-time high on Wednesday amid a federal government shutdown. It rose to a new intraday high early Thursday. Prior to that, the index — which is focused on large-cap U.S. equities — had risen almost 90% since the equity bull […]
What it means for Social Security checks
Richard Stephen | Istock | Getty Images Social Security services during the shutdown Local offices will remain open, but services will be reduced, according to the Social Security Administration. According to the agency, consumers can still: apply for benefits request an appeal change address or direct deposit information report a death verify or change citizenship […]