Did you receive a tax refund this year? Recent data released by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) shows the average tax refund amount is up $178 at the end of March 2024 compared to the same time last year.
Charitable giving can play an important role in many estate plans. Philanthropy cannot only give you great personal satisfaction, it can also give you a current income tax deduction, let you avoid capital gains tax, and reduce the amount of taxes your estate may owe when you die.
A fixed annuity is a contract between you and an annuity issuer, usually an insurance company. In its simplest form, you pay money to the annuity issuer; the issuer invests the funds and pays the principal and its earnings back to you or to your named beneficiary. What's fixed about a fixed annuity? The issuer guarantees (subject to its claims-paying ability) a minimum rate of interest on your investment and a fixed benefit amount if you elect to annuitize.
Saving money, borrowing money, and financial aid are the most obvious ways to pay for college. But none of these methods attempt to lower the actual cost of college. There are several creative ways to lower the cost of college, which, in turn, will lower your own costs.
For most parents, paying for a child's college or graduate school education is a major event. For some parents, it rivals only the purchase of a home in number of dollars spent. As the cost of college continues to rise, it's little wonder that parents view their ability to pay college costs with some apprehension.
Americans are working hard to save money and plan for the future. While there is some value to socking cash away under the mattress or burying gold in the backyard, Americans have access to sophisticated savings tools that offer numerous advantages in saving for specific goals.