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If you're bracing for year-end mutual fund distributions, swapping assets for exchange-traded funds could sidestep the capital gains payout for 2024 and beyond. Some mutual funds distribute yearly capital gains to shareholders, typically in November and December. By comparison, most ETFs don't have an annual payout, which helps reduce ongoing taxes. Typically, investors incur capital gains when trading profitable mutual funds for ETFs in a brokerage account. Depending on their income, certain investors can "capital gain harvest" — strategically selling profitable assets while in a lower tax bracket — to swap mutual funds for ETFs, said Tommy Lucas, a certified financial planner and enrolled agent at Moisand Fitzgerald Tamayo in Orlando, Florida.

Persons: Tommy Lucas, Moisand Fitzgerald Tamayo Locations: Orlando , Florida

And bitcoin IRAs overall may not be the best way to get exposure to digital assets into your retirement portfolio, he adds. Read on for more on the pros and cons of bitcoin IRAs, and which investors they may make sense for. Self-directed bitcoin IRAs offer many of the same tax benefits as regular IRAs, like tax-deferred growth in traditional IRAs and tax-free withdrawals from Roth IRAs. Supports IRA rollovers, traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs, SEP IRAs, and 401(k)sCheck mark icon A check mark. Supports IRA rollovers, traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs, SEP IRAs, and 401(k)sCheck mark icon A check mark.

Persons: Bitcoin, Rollovers, Roth, bitcoin IRAs, Chris Chen, Read, Chen, Roth IRAs, they've, bitcoin, it's, Bitcoin IRAs Organizations: BitcoinIRA, Insight Financial, IRA, Better, Pew Research, SEC, CFTC Locations: cryptocurrency, U.S, bitcoin

☆ 37% of couples use cash wedding gifts for the down payment on a new home, report says
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-30 | by ( Aditi Shrikant | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

More couples than ever before, 87%, reported including cash funds in their wedding registry, according to recent data from Zola. Of couples collecting cash, 37% are putting that money toward purchasing a house. With today's housing market, it's clear why couples are funneling wedding gifts into a down payment. If you're coming into a substantial financial windfall due to a wedding, or any other scenario, here's the best place to stash your potential down payment cash. "If a client of mine walked in with $30,000 of wedding money, I would say, 'Let's buy you a bond,'" he says.

Persons: Homebuying, Douglas Boneparth, Mark La Spisa, let's Organizations: Bone, U.S Locations: Zola, New York City, Vermilion

☆ Brokerages slash yields on cash, but some still offer upward of 4%
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-27 | by ( Darla Mercado | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Brokerages have also jumped in on the action, with several companies dropping the rates they pay on sums held in cash sweep accounts. Charles Schwab recently trimmed its cash sweep rate to 20 basis points, where it was previously 45 basis points, according to an analysis by Bank of America. Wells Fargo also dropped rates by 3 basis points to 30 basis points, based on the level of clients' household assets. A few outliers still pay solid rates on idle cash Brokerages take different approaches toward cash sweeps, with some firms opting to keep rates low even when the Fed was hiking rates. Even as yields are expected to continue falling, a couple of brokerages continue to offer competitive rates, Bank of America found.

Persons: Marcus, Goldman Sachs, Wells, Michael Kaye, Charles Schwab, Wells Fargo, Robinhood, Ryan Salah, We've Organizations: Federal Reserve, Fed, Discover Financial, Bank of America, Wells, Advisors, Interactive, Robinhood, Capital Financial Partners Locations: Wells Fargo, Towson , Maryland

☆ Investors should still keep emergency funds liquid after the Fed's interest rate cut, advisor says
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-25 | by ( Kate Dore | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

After years of higher yields on cash, the Federal Reserve's shifting policy means lower future returns on savings, certificates of deposit and money market funds. Despite falling rates, investors should still keep emergency funds "liquid," meaning the cash can be easily tapped, financial experts say. Banks use the federal funds rate to lend to and borrow from one another. Meanwhile, the biggest retail money market funds were still paying around 5%, as of Sept. 24, according to Crane Data. If you have been earning 4% to 5% on emergency savings, you could see a "small reduction" in the short term, said Kenealy, who recommends keeping emergency funds where they are.

Persons: Kathleen Kenealy, Banks, Kenealy Organizations: Finance, Data Locations: Woburn , Massachusetts

☆ With more interest rate cuts, market volatility on the horizon, here's what investors can do to prepare
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-25 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

"We know there needs to be a continuation of rate cuts," Oden said. "The new debate is the question, is the next one going to be another 50 [basis points], or will it be 25 [basis points]?" Expect market volatility aheadYet the U.S. faces another looming uncertainty with the upcoming November election. Market volatility, which tends to increase in September, will likely continue in October, according to Oden. "Pre- and post-election, we will still see some volatility," Oden said.

Persons: Thomas Barwick, Racquel Oden, Oden, we're, Carolyn McClanahan, McClanahan Organizations: Digitalvision, Federal Reserve, HSBC, CNBC's, Investors, Planning Partners, CNBC FA Locations: U.S, Jacksonville, Fla

☆ The Unexpected Journey
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-25 | by ( Bertha Coombs | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailThe Unexpected JourneyMany things in life do not go according to plan. Are you figuring out your financial goals post-divorce? Did you receive an inheritance and are now looking to diversify your investments? Certified Financial Planner and The Real Wealth Cotorie CEO & President Lazetta Rainey Braxton answers your burning money questions.

Persons: Lazetta Rainey Braxton Organizations: Wealth Cotorie

☆ How to know if a financial robo-advisor is right for you
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-22 | by ( Jeanne Sahadi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

So if you’re looking for help along the way, there are plenty of increasingly low-cost digital and human adviser options. Now they offer a much wider array of services and financial planning tools. Many also offer hybrid solutions: automated portfolio management plus access to human advisers who can help with your more holistic financial planning needs. To figure out if a robo-advisor might be a good fit for you, here are some things to consider:Preference: Digital first or human first? “Perspective, judgment and coaching — talking through something and addressing fears and concerns, such as managing (a client’s) reaction to short-term (market) volatility,” said Paul Brahim, president-elect of the Financial Planning Association and managing director of the Wealth Enhancement Group.

Persons: It’s, ”, Paul Brahim, ” Brahim, Brian Concannon, —, ” Concannon, you’re, “, Ben Johnson, Morningstar’s, it’s, Johnson, Schwab Organizations: CNN, Financial, Association, Vanguard, Vanguard Digital, Fidelity

☆ 64% of U.S. retirement savers make this 'dangerous' assumption—'avoid it at all costs,' says CFP
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-20 | by ( Ryan Ermey | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The idea behind saving for retirement is to provide yourself with income between when you stop working and when you die. For those born after 1960, full retirement age — when you receive a full Social Security benefit — is age 67. So maybe it's not surprising that most U.S. retirement savers aren't planning on a lengthy retirement. "Building a plan around spending your assets down to zero, for us, we simply avoid it at all costs." In fact, the median retirement age for U.S. workers is 62, according to research from the Employee Benefit Research Institute.

Persons: CNBC's, SurveyMonkey, Yusuf Abugideiri, Yeske Buie, Abugideiri, you'll Organizations: National Center for Health Statistics, Social Security, Research Locations: Vienna , Virginia, America

☆ 401(k) savers can access one of the 'rare guarantees' in investing, CFP says
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-20 | by ( Greg Iacurci | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Yet, according to financial advisors, there is an outlier in the realm of investing: the 401(k) match. The basic concept of a 401(k) match is that an employer will make a matching contribution on workers' retirement savings, up to a cap. In this example — a dollar-for-dollar match up to 3% — the investor would be doubling their money, the equivalent of a 100% profit. "If you were in Vegas and every time you put $1 in [the slot machine] you got $2 out, you'd probably be sitting at that slot machine for a mighty long time," said Elliott, a member of CNBC's Advisor Council. However, that money can come with certain requirements like a minimum worker tenure, more formally known as a "vesting" schedule.

Persons: Kamila Elliott, you'd, Elliott Organizations: Collective Wealth Partners Locations: Atlanta, Vegas

☆ Pesky medical bill? Most people don't take a key step to manage that debt, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-20 | by ( Greg Iacurci | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Getty ImagesConsumers may feel their medical bills are unyielding, inflexible, set in stone. About 26% of people who called because they disagreed with a charge or couldn't afford to pay it got their medical bill corrected after the outreach, according to the study, published in August. About 1 out of 5 respondents reported receiving a medical bill with which they disagreed or could not afford within the prior 12 months. How to manage medical billsConsumers should ask up front what a medical visit or procedure will cost, or inquire what the estimated cost will be, she said. Sometimes, consumers will pay "a heck of a lot less" if they pay in cash rather than via insurance, McClanahan said.

Persons: that's, Erin Duffy, Stocks, Duffy, Carolyn McClanahan, McClanahan Organizations: Getty, University of Southern, USC Schaeffer Center for Health, Economics, Finance, Savings, Bills, Financial, Planning Partners Locations: University of Southern California, Jacksonville , Florida

☆ With rates falling, don’t make this ‘big mistake’ with your cash
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-20 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

"The Fed rate cuts are likely to support inflows to money market funds over the course of the next year," Antoniewicz said. While retail investors may slow their pace of investment, institutional flows tend to ramp up since yields on money market funds lag the funds rate, she noted. That cash can stay in a money market fund, a high yield saving account or certificates of deposit. The bucket for three to five years has about 70% in fixed income, with a small amount of high yield bonds added that have durations under five years. He'll dip more into high yield, as well as private credit, in the six to 10-year fixed income category.

Persons: haven't, Shelly Antoniewicz, Antoniewicz, Chuck Failla, you'll, Bond, Failla, Marcus, Kathy Jones, It's, Jones Organizations: Federal Reserve, Investment Company Institute, Sovereign Financial Group, Schwab Center, Financial Research, Treasury, nab Locations: Wells

☆ Volatility looms as election season heats up. Fortify your portfolio against autumn market shocks
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-19 | by ( Darla Mercado | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Recalibrate for risk Protecting your portfolio from sharp losses begins with understanding your comfort with risk and ensuring that your asset allocation reflects your long-term goals. "But over that period when markets were down, there were opportunities to harvest losses in stocks, individual names that experienced big pullbacks." And they've been a good buy for clients who are nearing retirement, seeking income and appreciate bonds' ability to offset stocks' volatility. Options for buffering losses Options are also playing a role in investors' portfolios as financial advisors try to mitigate volatility. Call options give investors the right to buy a stock at a specified strike price before a certain date.

Persons: Stocks, Goldman Sachs, Arun Prakash, Prakash's, Rafia Hasan, San, Hasan, they've, Andrew Herzog, We're, Herzog, he's, Gregory Guenther, Morningstar, " Guenther Organizations: Federal, Wealth Management, Fed, Treasury Bond ETF, SEC, GrantVest Financial Locations: San Francisco, Plano , Texas, Matawan , New Jersey

☆ How to make the Fed rate cut work for you
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-18 | by ( Jeanne Sahadi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

In its August survey of car shoppers, a majority (64%) said a Fed rate cut likely would affect the timing of their purchase. But here’s the thing: Car loan rates are pretty high — the average is 7.1% for new cars and 11.3% for used cars, according to Edmunds. If you do buy a home this year and are considering buying down points to reduce your mortgage rate, crunch some numbers first, Diodato advised. That’s because you will pay thousands of dollars to buy down your mortgage rate now, and then thousands more in fees to refinance. What to do if you’re not near retirement: Reconsider how much money you’re keeping in cash or cash-equivalent investments.

Persons: Jerome Powell, Powell, “, ”, Greg McBride, McBride, Chris Diodato, Jessica Caldwell, ” McBride, Caldwell, We’re, Diodato, you’ll, won’t, Kathy Jones, Jones Organizations: CNN, Federal Reserve, Bankrate.com, Fed, Treasury, FDIC, Schwab Center, Financial Research, AAA, Bond Locations: Edmunds, Schwab.com

☆ The Fed is preparing to cut interest rates. How to revamp your fixed income investments
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-17 | by ( Darla Mercado | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The Federal Reserve is widely expected to start cutting interest rates Wednesday afternoon. Those yields are expected to start coming down sharply as the Fed begins to ease back on generationally high rates. Adding some duration Duration refers to a bond's price sensitivity to changes in interest rates. A bond yield moves inversely to its price, so that when bond prices rise, yields decline. Though investors in the space may be concerned about prepayment risk, especially as interest rates come down and homeowners look to refinance, Cetera says that worry may already be priced in.

Persons: Kathy Jones, Tony Miano, Jones, Schwab's Jones, Gene Goldman, Goldman, James Shagawat, Shagawat Organizations: Federal Reserve, Treasury, Schwab Center, Financial Research, Wells, Wells Fargo Investment Institute, York Life Investments, Investment Management, Investors Locations: Wells Fargo, AdvicePeriod, Paramus , New Jersey

☆ Planning to delay retirement may not rescue you from poor savings
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-17 | by ( Greg Iacurci | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Alistair Berg | Digitalvision | Getty ImagesPlanning to work longer is a popular escape hatch for Americans who feel they've saved too little to support themselves in old age. About 27% of workers intend to work in retirement because they need to supplement their income, according to a new CNBC and SurveyMonkey survey. While working longer is among the best ways to shore up one's nest egg, the plan may backfire, according to retirement experts. If workers lose those wages, they'd have to figure out another way to make their retirement savings last. There are benefits to working longerWorking longer — for those who can do it — is a financial boon, according to retirement experts.

Persons: Alistair Berg, Digitalvision, they've, Philip Chao, Chao, EBRI Organizations: Getty, CNBC, Workers, Urban Locations: John , Maryland

The median house price in the U.S. is now 5.8 times more than the median annual income of $80,000. That was, after all, the median price for a house in the area at the time. Jonathan OchartThe median price of a home in Los Angeles county is just under $960,000, according to Zillow listings data. It's just not a level playing field," says Ochart about the income now needed to afford a home. In Grand Rapids, median home prices were on the rise before the pandemic and then soared 54% from 2020 to $285,000 in June 2024, according to Zillow sales data.

Persons: Kelcie Lesko, Tim Khalil, Lesko, Khalil, they'll, Gen Xers, What's, — there's, they're, Daryl Fairweather, Kelly Diehr, homebuyers, you'd, Diehr, Jonathan Ochart, Ochart, It's, Timothy Ham, Timothy Ham couldn't, Ham, you've, That's, boomer, it's, Lawrence Yun, Millennials, Ramit Sethi, Rich, Brad Klontz, homebuying Organizations: CNBC, Homes, LA, National Association of Realtors, NAR Locations: New Jersey, Monmouth County, North Brunswick, Lesko, homeownership, U.S, Denver, Brazil, Los Angeles and New York, San Antonio, Los Angeles, Antonio, Texas, LA, Boise , Idaho, Tacoma , Washington, Grand Rapids , Michigan, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo

☆ Your inherited individual retirement account could trigger a 'tax bomb,' advisor says. How to avoid it
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-17 | by ( Kate Dore | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

If you've inherited a pretax individual retirement account since 2020, you could face a sizable tax bill without proper planning, experts say. Previously, heirs could take inherited IRA withdrawals over their lifetime, known as the "stretch IRA." The 10-year rule can mean higher yearly taxes for certain heirs, particularly for higher earners with bigger IRA balances. Shortening the 10-year withdrawal window can compound the issue, experts say. For example, Smith has seen people lose eligibility for the electric vehicle tax credit, worth up to $7,500, by taking a large inherited IRA withdrawal in a single year.

Persons: you've, Ben Smith, Smith Organizations: Financial, Finance, Vanguard Locations: Milwaukee

☆ An 'AI apocalypse' is coming to investing. How financial advisors can prepare
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-17 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Artificial intelligence is expected to transform the way companies do business, including those in financial planning and investment management. That means financial advisors need to get onboard or risk being left behind. Of course, financial advisors have been using some technology, like financial planning software, for years. Still, AI will help financial advisors do their jobs better — not necessarily put them out of work. What to do Nexus Strategy's Welsh believes financial advisors should begin getting comfortable with current AI capabilities.

Persons: Craig Iskowitz, Anthropic's Claude, Vincent Gudsdorf, Leo Kelly, Verdence, Kelly, Timothy Welsh, Welsh, Iskowitz, That's, Verdence's Kelly, It's Organizations: Ezra Group, AIs

☆ This is the 'billion-dollar blind spot' of 401(k)-to-IRA rollovers, Vanguard finds
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-16 | by ( Greg Iacurci | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Rollovers from a workplace retirement plan to an IRA are common after reaching certain milestones like changing jobs or retiring. watch nowAbout two-thirds of rollover investors hold cash unintentionally: 68% don't realize how their assets are invested, compared to 35% who prefer a cash-like investment, according to Vanguard. The asset manager surveyed 556 investors who completed a rollover to a Vanguard IRA in 2023 and left those assets in a money market fund through June 2024. "IRA cash is a billion-dollar blind spot," Andy Reed, head of investor behavior research at Vanguard, said in the analysis. 'It always turns into cash'The retirement system itself likely contributes to this blind spot, retirement experts said.

Persons: Sergio Mendoza Hochmann, Andy Reed, Stocks, Philip Chao, Grace Cary, they're, Chao Organizations: Vanguard, Vanguard IRA, Finance, Security Locations: John , Maryland

☆ Young, rich investors are making 2 key mistakes, says CFP and financial psychologist: They'll 'learn the hard way'
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-16 | by ( Ryan Ermey | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

If you're looking to build wealth, traditional forms of investment aren't going to get you there — at least according to young, rich people. For younger wealthy investors, though, stocks come in behind seven other types of investments, including real estate, cryptocurrency, private equity and direct investment into companies. Klontz says that younger wealthy investors may be falling victim to some of the same cognitive biases that regular investors do — and it may be holding them back from maximizing their returns. Young people have ignored traditional advice 'for thousands of years'In general, it's not surprising that younger investors, regardless of wealth level, want to chart a different path than older generations. DON'T MISS: How to master your money and grow your wealth Older investors tend to favor the returns offered by stocks, because that is what has historically delivered returns.

Persons: Brad Klontz, Klontz, it's, Everything's, They're Organizations: of America Private Bank, Wealthy, Creighton University

☆ Save on taxes and bolster your portfolio before year-end with these moves
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-16 | by ( Darla Mercado | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

It's September – and that means it's prime time to think about maximizing after-tax returns as the year winds down. Of course, there may be a price to pay for that performance: Uncle Sam will want his share of taxes. Here are a few steps that could help you hold onto more of your portfolio's returns this year. Munis spin out income that's free of federal taxes, and they may be exempt from state levies if the investor resides in the issuing state. By directly giving low basis highly appreciated stock (instead of selling the position and donating cash proceeds), you avoid incurring the capital gains tax.

Persons: it's, Sam, Nathan Hoyt, Joel Dickson, Vanguard's, Dickson, James Shagawat, Roth, Shagawat, Malcolm Ethridge, –, Ethridge Organizations: Nvidia, Regent Peak Wealth, Investors, Roth IRA, Treasurys, Wealth Locations: Atlanta, AdvicePeriod, Paramus , New Jersey, New York , New Jersey, California, Rockville , Maryland

A national debt crisisAmericans are facing a credit card debt crisis, with millennials and Gen Z at the forefront of the struggle. If you're a consumer with average credit who tends to carry a credit card balance, McCarthy recommends seeking options for lower-interest repayment. If the Fed lowers interest rates as anticipated, you can expect personal loan interest rates to drop slightly, regardless of your credit score. "Many consumers struggling with high-interest debt have expressed confusion surrounding credit card APRs, and credit card companies are happy to keep it that way." "Many consumers believe that making the minimum payment is an effective way to manage their credit card debt," Elliot said.

Persons: —, Z, James McCarthy, McCarthy, Jeremy Schneider, Schneider, Sophia Bera Daigle, Daigle, you've, Mark Elliot, Elliot Organizations: Federal, Service, Federal Reserve, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, National Foundation, Credit, JPMorgan Chase, Capital Locations: millennials, U.S

I'm exploring how we could save money on these purchases by opening up a new credit card, so I asked certified financial planner Bobbi Rebell whether it's a better idea for us to open a store credit card or a rewards credit card. "Sometimes store credit cards come with 0% interest for a given period of time." The Pottery Barn credit card also works at all seven brands under the store's umbrella, including West Elm and Williams Sonoma. Rewards credit cards come with more flexibility and ongoing perksDespite the perks that store credit cards offer, Rebell says that other credit cards come with more flexibility, especially with how you can use your rewards. That's useful, especially if we need more than 12 months to pay off our credit card bills once a store credit card's 0% APR wears off.

Persons: —, we've, we're, Bobbi Rebell, Rebell, We've Organizations: Service, Business, Elm Locations: Williams Sonoma

The third-quarter estimated tax deadline for 2024 is Sept. 16, and skipping a payment could trigger a penalty, according to the IRS. Some filers also need estimated payments if they haven’t withheld enough taxes from a full-time or part-time job. Estimated payments can help avoid “refund disappointment or balance due shock,” said Mark Steber, chief tax information officer of Jackson Hewitt. For 2024, the quarterly estimated tax deadlines are April 15, June 17, Sept. 16 and Jan. 15, 2025. You can use your online account, IRS Direct Pay or the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Electronic Federal Tax Payment System, or EFTPS.

Persons: ”, Mark Steber, Jackson Hewitt, there’s, Tricia Rosen, Virgin Organizations: Taxpayers, IRS, U.S . Department Locations: Newburyport , Massachusetts, Puerto Rico

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