financial planner

Americans are expected to shell out $184 billion dollars this holiday shopping season, according to a recent report from online financial website, NerdWallet.com. According to the report, the average American will spend $825 on gifts this holiday shopping season, up $50 from last year and more than $300 from just five years ago. And while shoppers will soon be queuing…

Student loan debt in America has now surpassed the $1.5 trillion dollar mark. Studies show that 70 percent of college students are already in “significant” debt by the time they order their cap and gown.

Voters narrowly made Denver the first U.S. city to decriminalize psilocybin, the psychoactive ingredient in “magic mushrooms.” Decriminalization led by a slim 51%, according to preliminary figures on Tuesday’s election released by Denver’s Election Division. As many as 1,300 votes still remain to be counted, but that figure was not enough to swing the vote the other way, division spokesman...

Hoping to avoid a tax surprise for 2019? Talk to your accountant before you use the IRS tax withholding calculator. That’s because user error and failure to consider state and local taxes could result in incorrect adjustments to the income taxes you have withheld at work. The 2018 tax year brought in a host of changes for filers as they...

The Powerball jackpot just won’t quit. After no one hit all winning numbers in Saturday night’s drawing, the top prize has jumped to a whopping $750 million. And while players daydream about what they’d do with such a windfall, they should remember they wouldn’t really end up with the advertised amount. Whether you take the prize as an annuity spread...

Are you looking to boost your credit score but don’t have enough credit history to do so? If so, you may be in luck. Consumers can now use monthly utility, cellphone, and cable bills to give their credit scores an extra boost. Experian, one of the top three credit rating agencies, has launched Experian Boost. Consumers that sign up...

Tax preparation is rarely easy, but this filing season comes with a unique set of complications. It’s the first year people are filing under the massive overhaul to tax law put in place by Congress in late 2017. Tax season also kicked off days after a partial government shutdown. Still, some taxpayers are feeling a bit confused. The Associated Press...

The first tax filing season under the new federal tax law is proving to be surprising for many Americans. Here’s a look at how some of the changes are playing out.

The first tax filing season under the new federal tax law is proving to be surprising, confusing — and occasionally frightening — for some Americans, especially those accustomed to getting money back from the government. Take Andy Kraft and Amy Elias of Portland, Oregon. The couple had grown comfortable getting a small refund each year, a few hundred dollars or...

The internet has changed the way we handle money whether that’s shopping online, paying bills, or investing money.

Winning the $970 million Mega Millions jackpot may sound like a dream come true. But if you purchase a lottery ticket, buyer beware: Coming into that much wealth can easily become a nightmare, NBC News reported. “You assume money makes you happy or takes care of all your problems. But money doesn’t do that,” warned financial planner Jim Shagawat, president...

Despite the terrible odds — one in 302.5 million for those keeping score at home — someone will eventually match all six numbers and win the Mega Millions jackpot, now at $900 million. It could happen as soon as Friday night, when the next drawing is held, leaving most of us disappointed but some lucky winner beset by a host...

Between the country’s two biggest lottery games, nearly $500 million in jackpot money is on the table this week. The Mega Millions jackpot has grown to $303 million and Powerball’s top prize is now $193 million, following weekend drawings that yielded no tickets hitting all winning numbers.

It’s one of the most common questions financial advisers hear: should I prioritize paying down debt or building up savings? Americans have a cozy relationship with debt — student loans, credit cards and car loans are commonplace. The Federal Reserve said that consumer borrowing rose $24.5 billion in May alone to hit almost $3.9 trillion. And that doesn’t include mortgage...

A New Jersey man was so bothered by his growing gut — something friends, family and even doctors dismissed as a natural “beer belly” — that he persisted in getting it checked out, and eventually made the shocking discovery of what was actually in his stomach.

While the economy continues to look strong, shoppers are racking up debt on their credit cards.

Too many workers are passing on employment related retirement accounts.