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AT&T (T.N) shares dropped 10.4% after the wireless carrier missed market estimates for first-quarter revenue and free cash flow. The S&P 500's rally to start the year is set to be tested by a first-quarter earnings season that investors expect to show tepid results. “The market has been overbought for the last week or two," said Anthony Saglimbene, chief market strategist at Ameriprise Financial. In other earnings news, American Express Co (AXP.N) profit missed Wall Street estimates and its shares fell 1%. Shares of Lam Research (LRCX.O) rose 7.2% after the chip-making equipment supplier's revenue topped estimates, while shares of D.R.

☆ Trying to fund an individual retirement account ahead of the Tax Day deadline? Here's what you need to know
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The deadline to make IRA contributions generally coincides with Tax Day. Some residents of eight states have federal tax deadline postponements until May, July or October due to natural disasters, according to the IRS. Roth IRA contributions, on the other hand, consist of post-tax contributions. You may be able to get around these restrictions through a Roth conversion, where traditional IRA funds are moved to a Roth IRA. While funding a Roth IRA may not immediately affect your tax circumstances now, experts say it may be the better pick in the long run.

☆ As inflation starts to subside, a lower Social Security cost-of-living adjustment for 2024 may be on the horizon
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

New government inflation data shows inflation is cooling — and that could point to a lower cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, for Social Security beneficiaries next year. Yet another measure used to calculate the Social Security COLA each year — the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, or CPI-W — rose 4.5% over the last 12 months and 0.3% for the month prior to seasonal adjustment. To be sure, that is a very early estimate, according to Mary Johnson, Social Security and Medicare analyst at The Senior Citizens League. Gauging how much the increase for 2024 will be, if there is one, will be clearer toward the second half of the year, she said. In 2023, Social Security beneficiaries saw an 8.7% bump to their Social Security benefits, a four-decade record prompted by high inflation.

☆ 3 tips can help you save if you're living paycheck to paycheck, personal finance expert Suze Orman says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

watch nowWhen you're living paycheck to paycheck, it can be tough to find money to save. More than half, or 58%, of all Americans are living paycheck to paycheck, according to the March results. If you find setting money aside difficult, it's a sign that it's time to change your lifestyle, personal finance expert Suze Orman said. Automate your savingsTo get into the habit of setting money aside, it's best to automate the process, Orman said. Once you start to automate savings and you love savings as much as you love spending ... you will not be living paycheck to paycheck.

☆ Social Security is in the 'worst public service crisis in memory,' labor union says. What it may take for services to improve
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Social Security beneficiaries who call the agency's toll-free number may face hold times of more than 30 minutes. Long lines and shortened hours are common at many of the agency's field offices where beneficiaries may seek in-person assistance. Moreover, applicants for disability benefits face waits of more than six months for decisions from the agency, a panel of experts from the American Federation of Government Employees, which represents more than 40,000 Social Security Administration employees, said Monday. The service delays facing the program's approximately 67 million beneficiaries are signs of "an agency in crisis," according to Rich Couture, Council 215 president at the American Federation of Government Employees. AFGE leaders spoke out about the Social Security Administration's diminishing services amid funding constraints that have lasted for more than a decade.

☆ A frozen IPO market signals two positive things for stocks, CNBC's Jim Cramer says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A dry IPO market may be exacerbated by the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, and that signals two things that are "very positive for the stock market," CNBC's Jim Cramer said on Monday. Second, because there is no new competition for existing companies, that also means there will be no new competition for their stocks, Cramer said. "McDonald's is the ultimate example of the incumbent winning," Cramer said. Other established names that may see a benefit for their stocks include Amazon , Alphabet or Meta Platforms , according to Cramer. When there's no new competitors, no new stock and no new money, to the incumbent goes the spoils," Cramer said.

☆ These features may 'set you ahead of the competition' when selling your home, research finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Certain luxury features may help sell your home for more money or faster than expected, according to new research from Zillow. "If you have these features in your home already, you should definitely flaunt them in your listing description," said Amanda Pendleton, Zillow's home trends expert. "That is going to set you ahead of the competition." The real estate website evaluated 271 design terms and features included in almost 2 million home sales in 2022. Doorbell cameras topped that list, helping to sell homes 5.1 days faster.

☆ Insolvency is on the horizon for Social Security, Medicare funds, expert says. These changes may help
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The research finds 37.8% of adults 65 and over would have incomes below the official poverty line without Social Security benefits. With Social Security benefits, 9% of older adults have incomes below the poverty line. But reducing poverty through and outside of Social Security beyond a sliding scale minimum benefit may be a better approach, she said. Moreover, the maximum Social Security retirement benefit is two to three times higher than what countries like the United Kingdom, Canada or Australia pay. "We're going way, way beyond a pure safety net program," Biggs said.

☆ You may face a 'stealth tax' on Social Security benefits, expert warns. These steps can help
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The reason: More of their Social Security benefits may be taxed following a higher 5.9% cost-of-living adjustment in 2022. Unlike other tax thresholds, the Social Security income levels have not been adjusted for inflation since taxation of benefits began in 1984. Not moving the brackets or indexing them gradually exposes more and more people to income taxes on their Social Security benefits, according to David Freitag, a financial planning consultant and Social Security expert at MassMutual. The result is a "stealth tax," Freitag said. How Social Security benefits are taxedUp to 85% of Social Security benefits may be taxed, based on current tax rules.

☆ Just 22% of savers are earning 3% or more on their cash. Here’s how to find better interest rates
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Aaronamat | Istock | Getty ImagesOver the last 15 years or so, the interest rates you could earn on your cash were very low. Just 22% of savers are earning interest of 3% or more on their accounts, a recent survey conducted by Bankrate. Most savers are earning far less, with 24% of respondents earning between 1% to 2.99%, and another 24% earning less than 1%. Some savers — 16% — are not earning any interest at all, while 14% said they don't know if they are earning any returns on their cash. You may be able to find a better deal elsewhere for your cash as banks jockey to provide the most competitive rates.

☆ A post-Covid spending hangover means you have to be more selective with pet plays, Cramer says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A Covid hangover is upon us, which means we just don't do things we did during lockdown, CNBC's Jim Cramer said on Friday. Pets may be subtle casualties of the current "long on money, short on time" spending mode, Cramer said. "Now you have to be more selective with the pet plays," Cramer said. Pure pet plays like Petco and Chewy have become "two of the most controversial stocks in the entire market," Cramer said. Smucker is also "another good safety play with a pet food kicker" that can work its way higher, Cramer said.

☆ Social Security trust funds depletion date moves one year earlier to 2034, Treasury says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The Social Security trust funds that about 67 million Americans rely on for benefits are scheduled to be depleted in 2034, one year earlier than was projected last year, according to the annual trustees' report released by the Treasury Department on Friday. Unless Congress takes action, at that time, 80% of scheduled benefits will be payable from the combined funds for old age and survivors insurance and disability insurance. The new depletion date comes as the trustees updated their projections for the U.S. economy to include recent output and inflation. Meanwhile, Medicare's hospital insurance trust fund will be able to pay 100% of scheduled benefits until 2031, three years later than projected last year. The White House earlier this month laid out a plan to extend the solvency of Medicare's hospital insurance trust fund, also known as Medicare Part A, which covers hospital, nursing facility and hospice services for eligible beneficiaries.

☆ A recession may be coming, but Jim Cramer says he's not seeing the early signs yet
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

CNBC's Jim Cramer said Thursday that he's still searching for the first sign of a recession, even though it's all anyone seems to be talking about. Meanwhile, timeshare company Marriott Vacations Worldwide has racked up 12% contract sales growth for the quarter and is predicting a "very solid" 2023, according to Cramer. Competing timeshare company Travel + Leisure has said it is not seeing a slowdown. In retail, aside from Party City, there aren't many bankruptcies and somehow "deeply troubled" Bed Bath & Beyond is still alive, Cramer noted. "We've had red-hot economies in the past with more retail closures than we're seeing right now," Cramer said.

☆ With a recession looming, it's an important time to have an emergency savings account, finance expert Suze Orman says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

watch now"There has never been a time that as much as right here and right now in the recent past that an emergency savings account is vital, absolutely vital," Orman said. In 2020, she co-founded SecureSave, a company working with employers to provide emergency savings accounts to employees. "If you go back through my entire history of almost 40 years now, I've been [saying] emergency savings, emergency savings, emergency savings," Orman said. How your emergency fund deposits are insuredAn important part of emergency savings is easy access, which means most people are looking at some kind of high-yield savings account. Generally, deposit accounts are eligible for $250,000 coverage for the sum of accounts at an institution in this category, which includes checking accounts, savings accounts, certificates of deposit or money market deposit accounts.

☆ Raise retirement age, or hike payroll taxes? New tool lets you decide how to fix Social Security
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

You may have heard that Social Security's funds are running low. Now, a new virtual tool from the American Academy of Actuaries lets you explore Social Security's woes and decide exactly what changes you would make to restore its solvency. Based on the Social Security Administration Board of Trustees' annual 2022 report, the funds may be depleted in 2035. The urgency of Social Security's issues has caught lawmakers' attention recently. During the State of the Union address in February, President Joe Biden prompted leaders from both sides of the aisle to stand to show their support for protecting Social Security and Medicare.

☆ FDIC coverage limits may be raised above $250,000 again. How experts say you can have more of your deposits insured
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Experts say there are still ways to gain FDIC coverage even if you are over that $250,000 limit. Citizens Bank of Edmond offers additional coverage, with a limit of $150 million per depositor, through IntraFi Network. "If you're able to use IntraFi, then you don't necessarily have to go to another bank to get another $250,000," Castilla said. Jill Castilla CEO of Citizens Bank of EdmondBecause the bank's average deposit is typically $25,000, Citizens Bank of Edmond does not use the amplified coverage often, Castilla said. Add beneficiaries to your accountAnother way of getting more than $250,000 in coverage for your deposits is to add beneficiaries.

☆ How women answer 5 questions may be a financial wake-up call, personal finance expert Suze Orman says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-26 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

At the end of each episode of her long-running eponymous CNBC show, Suze Orman would close out with the phrase, "People first, then money, then things." Women took that to mean they should give to other people and be generous, according to Orman. Years after those episodes aired, there is still a distinct difference between how women and men handle their finances, Orman told CNBC.com in an interview. The message is one Orman has been working to get across through her "Women & Money" podcast. The tagline for the show is "and everybody smart enough to listen," and the show has a "tremendous" male following, according to Orman.

☆ The market's initial reaction to a Fed rate hike is 'almost always a head fake,' Jim Cramer says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The initial reaction to the Fed's moves is "almost always a head fake," Cramer said. Following the central bank's quarter percentage point rate hike on Wednesday, we have now had nine rate hikes in just over a year. Following the market's initial move in the first three days following a Fed decision, it will usually go in the opposite direction in the following month, Cramer said. When looking at the previous eight rate hikes this cycle, the market reversed direction over the following month seven out of eight times. "So take a deep breath, drink some tea and remember that the initial reaction to the Fed's rate hikes was been wrong every time over the past year," Cramer said.

☆ 'Staying the course is the play,' advisor says. 4 tips to help weather market volatility
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

"In the months ahead, volatility may come and go," Vanguard global chief economist Joe Davis said last week. "And for all of us, I think it's important to remember to focus on what we can control," he said. By staying invested in the markets, investors have a better chance of success when it comes to achieving their long-term goals, Davis said. There are a few things to keep in mind that can help you stick through market turbulence, advisors say. "It's important to remember that by staying invested, you're playing the game of compounding your returns," Boneparth said.

☆ After an 8.7% Social Security cost-of-living adjustment for 2023, next year's increase may not be as large
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Pascal Broze | Onoky | Getty ImagesAn 8.7% Social Security cost-of-living adjustment for 2023 means beneficiaries received on average $140 per month more starting in January. The Social Security COLA for 2023 was the highest bump in monthly checks beneficiaries have received in four decades. About 70 million beneficiaries receive Social Security or Supplemental Security Income payments. watch nowWhile the Social Security COLA for this year may help ease beneficiaries' budgets, next year's increase may not be as large. Social Security COLA for 2024 may be far lessBased on current projections, the Social Security COLA for 2024 will likely be much lower than this year's 8.7% due to cooling inflation, according to the league.

WASHINGTON, March 20 - The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear a traveling Christian evangelist's free-speech challenge to a University of Alabama requirement that he obtain a permit before handing out religious pamphlets and preaching from a sidewalk adjacent to its campus. Keister, founder of a Pennsylvania-based group called Evangelism Mission, regularly visits U.S. university campuses in hopes of spreading his Christian message to students, according to court filings. School officials told Keister he needed a permit for a public-speaking event, prompting him and his companion to leave. Following losses in lower courts, Keister's appeal in 2018 was turned away by the U.S. Supreme Court, prompting him to file an amended civil rights suit against school officials the next year. The Supreme Court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, in recent years has taken an expansive view of religious rights, though this case came to the justices as a free speech dispute.

☆ Yellen says uninsured deposits may be at risk in future bank failures. Here’s how FDIC coverage works
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

How FDIC coverage worksThe limit for FDIC coverage is $250,000 per depositor, per bank, in each account ownership category. The majority of Americans are going to be covered by FDIC insurance. For example, a married couple with a business may have up to $250,000 insured in an account in one spouse's name, up to $250,000 insured in an account in the other spouse's name and up to $250,000 insured in a business account. How to check, boost FDIC protectionIf you want to know whether your deposits are FDIC-insured, check your bank statement, Jenkin said. Not all accounts provide FDIC coverage, Jenkin noted.

☆ 41% of adults are preparing for a recession. It's time to stress-test your income, advisors say
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Yet many Americans — 41% — have taken steps to prepare for a possible economic downturn, according to a survey by Morning Consult. Still, there are a few steps advisors say you should take now to make sure you are prepared to weather a downturn. Barry Glassman president of Glassman Wealth Services"Stress-test your income against your ongoing obligations," Glassman said. The upside for conservative investors is they are now able to get higher interest rates on their cash. Reduce your debtsHigher interest rates mean consumer debts are climbing higher.

☆ 84% of recent first-time home sellers have regrets. Here are 4 mistakes to avoid
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Brandon Bell | Getty Imageswatch now"Even in a really strong seller's market, people still have regrets," said Amanda Pendleton, Zillow home trends expert. Here are four regrets from recent sellers that homeowners ought to be aware of before listing their homes this spring. "If you price it competitively, you're going to be able to sell it a lot quicker," Jenkin said. Homes that get more saves and views on Zillow have virtual, three-dimensional home tours and interactive floor plans, Pendleton said. Bad timingA quarter of recent sellers felt they got their timing wrong, Zillow found.

☆ Investing in 2023 is 'definitely going to be rocky,' advisor says. How to stay the course
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

In the latest example, the failure of Silicon Valley Bank rattled investors and sent stocks lower on Friday. By midday Monday, the markets had moved upwards, though certain bank stocks were still hurting. "This is going to be a great year, and it's definitely going to be rocky," Francis told CNBC.com in February. Likewise, grim market results in December were followed by some of the best upswings in decades in January. This is going to be a great year, and it's definitely going to be rocky.

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