Advisors

Oranut Fankhaenel / EyeEm | EyeEm | Getty Images Sustainability ratings are useful tools for assessing the environmental, sustainability and corporate governance-worthiness of mutual funds and exchange-traded funds. But how do you navigate between different ratings providers, especially when they can have different results for the same fund? CNBC looked under the hood at some

Getty Images Sitting on a growing bitcoin fortune? Consider giving away some of it to charity. As 2020 draws to a close, the cryptocurrency has seen a massive surge in appreciation. The value of a single unit of bitcoin is now hovering around $27,000. Though long-time holders of the virtual currency are rejoicing, they run

aluxum | E+ | Getty Images Sustainable investing incorporates environmental, social and governance considerations. But how exactly do these factors fit into the analytical process, and how do they add value? CNBC consulted with several experts to find out. In general terms, “we look at a company’s business models and where they operate geographically and

Ty Wright | Bloomberg | Getty Images For car buyers, the end of the year typically marks the best time to get a great deal. Things look a bit different this time around. While there are still discounts and special financing on certain makes and models, those incentives generally are not as generous as in

Vladimir Vladimirov | E+ | Getty Images Giving to charity is about to pay off a little more — that is, if the latest Covid relief bill becomes law. The $908 billion pandemic relief bill features $600 stimulus checks, $300 unemployment supplement payments and a second round of forgivable loans for small businesses. It also

jayk7 | Moment | Getty Images This has been the year of unpredictability. The pandemic, including self-quarantining for months, is top of mind for people around the globe. The many other surprises this year include the fastest bear market in history, civil unrest, quite a unique U.S. presidential election, the speedy creation of a coronavirus

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., leaves a meeting on Capitol Hill on Dec. 18, 2020. Saul Loeb | AFP | Getty Images Lawmakers extended an additional lifeline to small businesses in the next round of Covid stimulus: more forgivable loans and the ability to take a tax write-off for covered expenses. Members of Congress reached

Karol Serewis/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images Financial advisors recommend various uses for this extra cash, depending on individual and family circumstances. Unemployed workers may need the money for basic living expenses. Some who have fallen behind on bills such as rent, utilities or mortgage payments should consider paying down some or all those arrears, advisors

nd3000 | iStock | Getty Images Start young. Look away from your 401(k) when the market freaks out. Don’t sell. A lot of the investment advice you hear probably has to do with saving for retirement. Yet many people need to use the market’s returns to achieve other goals, too. Often it also makes sense

Smoke in the Blue Mountains of Australia after a forest fire. Andrew Merry | Moment | Getty Images If you’re like most Americans, you worry about global warming. Yet it can be hard to know how to channel that anxiety into action that will help the planet. One fairly simple way to make a difference

Patrick Pleul/picture alliance via Getty Images The coronavirus relief bill passed by Congress toughens rules around use of a common heat-trapping chemical and funnels billions of dollars into renewable energy. The measures, attached to a year-end government funding bill, were hailed by some lawmakers as among the most significant Congress has approved to combat climate

Juanmonino | E+ | Getty Images Congress wants business owners to head out to restaurants and claim a full tax deduction for doing so. Whether it will be enough to save embattled dining establishments is another story, financial advisors and tax professionals said. The $900 billion proposal, which was released on Monday and weighs in

After months of failed negotiations, lawmakers have finally agreed to a new $900 billion coronavirus relief package.  Congressional leaders have not yet released text of the more than $2 trillion legislation — which will include broader government spending measures — but the pandemic recovery bill was set to include direct payments of up to $600

sturti | E+ | Getty Images A new stimulus check is in the works for millions of Americans. If you’re eligible for a payment, it may feel either like a life raft or a sudden windfall, depending on how Covid-19 has affected you and your family. The payments are said to be around $600 per

Climate change and low-carbon solutions are impacting investors’ portfolios. Mitch Diamond | Getty Images For some advisors, embracing environmental, social, and good governance principles means more than just investing sustainably; it also means expressing their values through their practices’ corporate structures and activities. For example, BSW Wealth Partners in Boulder, Colorado, recently converted to a

Investors are increasingly interested in companies that are environmentally and socially conscious, and the world’s largest asset manager is no exception. In an annual letter to CEOs earlier this year, BlackRock Chairman and CEO Larry Fink said “climate change has become a defining factor in companies’ long-term prospects … But awareness is rapidly changing, and I believe

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell prepares for a House Financial Services Committee hearing on “Oversight of the Treasury Department’s and Federal Reserve’s Pandemic Response” in the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, D.C. on Dec. 2, 2020. Jim Lo Scalzo | Reuters The Federal Reserve has made a move that cements its nod to the

Halfpoint Images | Moment | Getty Images This year, doing good for the planet can also help you trim your tax bill. That’s because a basket of provisions in the tax code reward individuals and businesses for taking steps toward energy efficiency. Whether you added a few solar panels to your roof, bought a hybrid

Fuse | Corbis | Getty Images Are you one of the 4.7 million individuals who moved out of state last year? Whether you’ve already made the move or are considering an upcoming relocation, you likely created a checklist that includes updating your address, obtaining a new driver’s license and finding new physicians. Unfortunately, many people

Patrick Pleul/picture alliance via Getty Images Investors are pouring money into funds that aim to do environmental and social good. But one of America’s biggest pots of wealth — 401(k) plans — are stunting their growth. The popular savings plans and similar workplace retirement plans held $9 trillion as of last year — almost a

The Airbnb logo is displayed on the Nasdaq digital billboard in Times Square in New York on December 10, 2020. Kena Betancur | AFP | Getty Images Even amid a pandemic, many popular companies have gone public, giving investors an opportunity to purchase their stock. But getting in early might not be the best strategy.

Courtney Keating | E+ | Getty Images Talk to anyone who’s gone through divorce and they’d likely say the experience was no walk in the park. Yet the notion may be weighing on more spouses during the pandemic, some research shows. For instance, based on Loanry.com’s internal data, there’s been a 62% increase in loan

Whether workers get a windfall from Uncle Sam or wind up owing taxes mostly comes down to filling out one form correctly – and few people are doing it. In fact, 45% of the people polled by the American Institute of CPAs said they don’t know when they last reviewed the amount of tax withheld

Getty Images We’ve officially reached the last month of 2020. For many investors, that may prompt a sigh of relief. But financial advisors say this is a great time to step back and assess which year-end financial moves you need to make now and revisit your money strategy to set yourself up for a prosperous

Vasily Pindyurin | fStop | Getty Images Cyber criminals steal billions of dollars a year from financial firms. Financial advisors – and their clients – are at risk as attacks increase and grow more complex, according to security experts. “Advisors have one thing the bad actors want, and that’s money,” said Brian Edelman, chief executive

Demonstrators in Chicago protest President Donald Trump’s decision to exit the Paris climate change accord on June 2, 2017. Scott Olson | Getty Images News | Getty Images As the Federal Reserve recently called out climate change as a stability risk, the investing world is recognizing the potential rewards of addressing the challenge. “There’s an

Caíque de Abreu | E+ | Getty Images As many newlyweds discover, there’s a lot of sharing that goes on in a marriage. Including your taxes. If you tied the knot this year (or plan to do so in December), it may be worthwhile checking out what your new status will mean for your 2020

SDI Productions | E+ | Getty Images This year, the IRS is willing to let you write off all your adjusted gross income if you give it to charity in the form of cash. But just because you’re allowed to do it doesn’t mean it’s a good call. When the CARES Act went into effect

Tony Hsieh, former CEO of Zappos.com Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images Former Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh, who died last week from injuries sustained in a house fire, did not leave behind a will, according to published reports. Hsieh, who retired in August from the shoe and clothing online retailer, succumbed to complications from smoke

Juanmonino | E+ | Getty Images It’s going to take more than a second draw from the Paycheck Protection Program to get the most vulnerable small businesses through the winter, tax professionals sa Congress is back to hashing out new relief measures this week. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer,