Checking your 401(k) account balance is a little less painful these days.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has declared that the US has hit its federal debt limit, kicking off an intense political battle that puts the global financial system at risk.

In the rough year ahead, bonds might be one of the only bright spots. It would mark a dramatic turnaround from 2022, when bonds fell alongside almost every other asset class, posting their worst year in a generation.

Putting 60% of a portfolio in stocks and 40% in bonds is supposed to hedge against both assets dropping simultaneously. But it didn’t pan out that way in 2022.

Things are looking up for people who are close to retirement, according to a Morningstar report published Monday.

More Americans are tapping their 401(k)s for financial emergencies, with the percentage of retirement savers pulling money for hardships spiking 24% in the 12 months through Sept. 30, according to new data.

Owning a mutual fund that’s down 20% or 30% is bad enough. Now, holders of many money-losing investments will be asked to pay capital gains taxes too.

The Internal Revenue Service is boosting how much Americans can plow into their 401(k) plans next year by a record amount amid a surge in inflation.

The biggest increase to Social Security checks since 1981 was good news for retirees. But it also served as a stark reminder that the program is expensive, with cuts to the benefits looming unless it is retooled in coming years.

Social Security benefits will increase 8.7% in 2023, helping retirees weather surging inflation that shows few signs of slowing down.

Fidelity Investments and Vanguard announced a rare collaborative effort Wednesday to help employees keep their retirement savings in tax-advantaged accounts like 401(k)s when they switch jobs.

When stocks plunge, it’s tempting to do something, anything, to regain control of your financial picture. But the odds are that jumping in and out of the market will only hurt your portfolio in the long run.

Millennials are self-centered and allergic to commitment. They switch jobs every six months and will never buy homes. And don’t get them started on marriage and kids.

Some of the best-known rules of thumb in personal finance have outlived their usefulness.

Americans are losing ground against residents of other countries in what’s shaping up globally to be “one of the worst years to retire in recent memory,” according to a new retirement ranking.

It can be daunting to get back on track once you’ve fallen behind.

Americans have been warned for years of an impending retirement crisis. Yet the situation is getting worse.

For anyone who’s retired or nearing retirement, sinking stocks, rising inflation and the prospect of a recession can be a nightmare economic brew.

Many Americans expect a significant shortfall in their retirement savings. Fifty-six percent said they expect to have less than $500,000 saved by the time they retire, including 36% who anticipate having less than $250,000.

With Amazon.com Inc. down 33% this year and Meta Platforms Inc. tumbling over 40%, you might expect, or at least hope, the carnage in Big Tech is nearly over. You would probably be wrong, according to Dan Suzuki, deputy chief investment officer at Richard Bernstein Advisors.

When stocks are plunging, checking your investment accounts is risky business. The market turbulence is jarring for younger investors, who had gotten used to the idea that stocks always go up. And for those with a bit more experience, watching hard-earned money suddenly disappear is a terrible experience.

Millennials took one look at their financial future and, early on, realized it was bleak. The YOLO generation started saving for retirement — stuffing away money in 401(k)-type accounts — nine years earlier than their baby boomer parents did, according to a new study.

Most analysts expected some action on interest rates from the U.S. Federal Reserve in 2022 — but maybe not the five rate hikes they’re now pricing in. Inflation was clearly driving upwards, but we’re seeing much higher, more consistent price increases.

This Christmas’s unexpected stocking stuffer might be an NFT.

A rule of thumb for how much U.S. retirees can “safely” withdraw each year without fear of outliving their savings just got a haircut.

It’s been called “a lot of sizzle, no steak.” “Great marketing.” “Overhyped and oversold.”

To show how exclusive you are, there’s nothing like turning away a billionaire. Two members of the three comma club were among those nominated to join R360, a new, invitation-only investment and networking group for people with net worth of $100 million or more.

U.S. workers who are being shepherded back to the office would rather continue doing their jobs from home, at least a few days a week.

The pandemic has forced many families to make a difficult choice: Should elderly parents stay in retirement communities or nursing homes, or should they be brought to live at home?

The team is relatively young but also is interested in appealing to advisors who may eventually want to retire to Florida.

Companies see suspensions as a way to boost cash flow and avoid or limit job cuts -- although furloughs and layoffs have been plentiful this year.

But some financial-services companies are using the disruption to fill key roles and bolster businesses.

Roth IRAs look very appealing following market volatility and warnings that tax rates are bound to rise.

The movement is based largely on the idea that you can live on less and save more through intensive financial planning, and an 11-year bull market made the possibility of hitting their numbers seem well within reach. That’s gone now.

The chief investment officer of Citigroup Inc.’s private bank says rich clients are looking for less downside and a levered upside for equities.