Investing
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When workers are an employer’s No. 1 priority, stockholders benefit too
The deep uncertainty that the COVID pandemic created in the workforce hasn’t waned. U.S. workers are struggling with inflation, burnout, and fresh waves of layoffs. This comes as people expect more from employers — more leadership, more urgency, more action, and better jobs. The public’s perspective is clear and consistent: companies need to prioritize their employees.…
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Gensler’s meme-stock reforms are meant to help retail traders. Some investor protection advocates aren’t so sure.
The meme-stock frenzy of 2021 focused the public’s attention on market structure with unprecedented intensity. Flush with COVID stimulus funds and hemmed indoors by pandemic restrictions, Americans took advantage of no-commission trading services like Robinhood HOOD, +2.67% to gobble up high-flying stocks made famous on social media. It was a wild ride, until the intensity…
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We are retired with ‘substantial’ pensions and very little debt — how much do I need in a ‘rainy day fund’?
Good morning, I recently retired with a substantial teacher’s pension. My take-home pay (after federal taxes and health insurance) is now more than when I was teaching due to no state taxes on teacher pensions and no retirement contributions being deducted. My wife is in the same position, so retirement income is not going to…
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Student loan ‘train wreck’: As return of regular payments loom, servicers have less staff to field expected deluge of calls  Â
Borrowers are slated to resume student loan payments in a few months and if they need help, it may be harder to get someone on the phone than in the recent past. In documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Nelnet NNI, -0.18%, a publicly traded company that owns two major student loan servicers,…
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Big bank earnings in spotlight following historic failures: ‘Every income statement line item is in flux’.
JPMorgan Chase & Co. JPM, -0.11%, Citigroup Inc. C, +0.20% and Wells Fargo & Co. WFC, +2.74% — along with PNC Financial Services Group Inc. PNC, +0.37% and BlackRock Inc. BLK, +0.05% — report earnings Friday as Wall Street’s fixation on a recession continues to run deep. And following the implosion of Silicon Valley Bank…
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This restaurant chain offers the worst bang for your buck, customers say — and it’s not even the most expensive
When it comes to dining out, customers say Shake Shack SHAK, +0.55% has gotten far too pricey for what it’s dishing out. And that’s despite the fact that it’s even not the most expensive of the fast-casual and fast-food restaurant chains. That’s the big takeaway from a study by Stifel SF, +0.82%, the wealth-management and…
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My single, 80-year-old mother is thinking of selling her Berkeley house to get some cash. How can she avoid capital gains tax?
My mother is 80, unmarried, and owns two homes on one lot in Berkeley, Calif. The property consists of one single-family home and one cottage. She lives in one and rents the other. She has never really worked and has no savings. She rents one of the houses and lives in the other, getting by…
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Your tax return can tell you a lot about how to manage your investments
After last year’s disruptive tax season full of temporary Covid-19 rule changes and other complications, the 2022 filing season is almost sleepy in comparison, especially for investors. “Activity is minimal – just a small amount of dividends and very few trades. Last year, everyone decided they wanted to be traders, but this year, people didn’t…
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What will happen to your pets after you die? Make a plan for your furry friends.
Most people consider their pet a member of the family. And as for any family member, caring for that loved one includes thinking about what will happen to them after you die. Every year, about 500,000 pets are surrendered to shelters because their owner dies or becomes disabled without a long-term care plan for their…
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Justice Clarence Thomas controversy explained: what he’s accused of doing, and why it raises ethical concerns
A bombshell report this week alleged that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has been accepting lavish gifts from Republican megadonor Harlan Crow for decades without disclosing them, such as trips on Crow’s superyacht and private plane. Some Americans are wondering whether Thomas, 74, could lose his spot on the Supreme Court over not disclosing these…