The IRS continues to encourage taxpayers to review the amount of tax they have withheld to avoid an unexpected tax surprise when they file their 2019 tax returns next year.

What effect would a wage increase have on wage earners, families, employers, and the economy? The Congressional Budget Office released a new report that examined the impact of raising the federal minimum wage and how this would affect employment and family income.

For the first time in three years, interest rates on federal student loans will decrease for the 2019-2020 academic year. The lower rates apply to new federal student loans made on or after July 1, 2019, through June 30, 2020.

If you received a federal tax benefit from deducting state and local taxes as an itemized deduction in a prior taxable year and you recover all or a portion of those taxes in the current taxable year, you may need to include a portion of the recovery in gross income.

The fundamental issue is the imbalance in this relationship; the goods and services trade deficit of $379 billion represented more than 60% of the total U.S. trade deficit. For years, U.S. officials have accused China of using unfair trade practices to maintain this imbalance, even as China has grown into a global economic powerhouse.

Two-thirds of U.S. workers (67%) are confident in their ability to live comfortably throughout their retirement years (up from 64% in 2018). Worker confidence now matches levels reported in 2007 — before the 2008 financial crisis.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), which passed in December 2017, made fundamental changes to the U.S. tax code, and 2018 returns were the first time most taxpayers could see the practical impact of these changes.

The newest reports, released on April 22, 2019, discuss the current financial condition and ongoing financial challenges that both programs face, and project a Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2020.

The IRS recently issued its annual list of tax scams. The list highlights various scams that taxpayers may encounter, many of which occur during tax filing season.

At its meeting on March 20, 2019, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) maintained the benchmark federal funds rate at the target range of 2.25% to 2.50% that was set in December 2018.

The federal income tax filing deadline for most individuals is Monday, April 15, 2019.

Even though tax filing season is well under way, there's still time to make a regular IRA contribution for 2018.

The longest government shutdown in U.S. history ended after 35 days on January 25, 2019. A temporary appropriations bill extended funding for shuttered federal agencies to February 15, 2019, while a bipartisan committee negotiates a new spending bill for the Department of Homeland Security.

Here's a look at some of the costs that will apply in 2019 if you're enrolled in Original Medicare (Part A and Part B).

In the final quarter of 2018, interest rate and growth fears, along with geopolitical events, sparked volatility in the financial markets and reversed many of the outsize stock gains notched earlier in the year.

Beginning on November 1, 2018, individuals (including their families) may apply for new health insurance or switch to a different health-care plan through a Health Insurance Marketplace under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). 

On September 6, 2018, the MSCI Emerging Markets (EM) Index — which tracks stocks in 24 of the world's largest developing economies — dropped 20% below its January high, a level of decline that is commonly considered a bear market.

Recently, as part of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act of 2018, Congress made several changes to credit rules that benefit consumers.

The Medicare Open Enrollment Period begins on October 15 and runs through December 7. Any changes made during Open Enrollment are effective as of January 1, 2019.

Here's an introduction to blockchain and a glimpse into how this emerging technology might impact the future of businesses around the world.