dividends

What Makes a Perfect Stock?

Yet while few stocks have everything one might want in an investment, knowing the most desirable traits of great stocks can guide you in making choices for your own portfolio.

Fed Asks JPMorgan and Goldman for New Capital Plans

JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs were told by the Federal Reserve to submit new capital plans by the end of September. The Fed will then decide if they are in compliance with the rules on capital reserves.

Fed to Announce Which Banks Can Raise Payouts, Buy Back Stock

The Federal Reserve will announce this afternoon which banks will be eligible to raise their dividends and buy back stock. Some analysts say regional banks are likely to be the big beneficiaries. Evercore Partners says Keycorp, State Street and Northern Trust are the ones most likely to raise their payouts.

5 Companies Slashing Their Dividends

Investors love earning dividends, and over the past year, thousands of companies have rewarded shareholders with boosted payouts. But lately, some companies have been cutting back on or eliminating dividends altogether. Here's a look at five that made this unpopular move, and why.

Banks Pass Fed Stress Tests -- All But Ally

Seventeen of the nation’s 18 leading banks have passed the Federal Reserve’s so-called stress test. That means they have sufficient capital to handle a major shock to the financial system, at least more so than at any time since 2008. The only one to fail: Ally Financial.

Consumer Spending Up 0.2%, but Income Has Best Gain in 8 Years

U.S. consumers increased their spending in December at a slower pace, while their income grew by the largest amount in eight years, the Commerce Department said. Income surged because companies rushed to pay dividends before income taxes increased on high-earners.

13 Dividend Stocks for a Richer 2013

One smart way to get both growth potential and dependable income from your investments is to buy dividend stocks, which generally have outperformed non-dividend counterparts over the long haul. As 2013 begins, we offer these 13 stocks for your consideration.

Fiscal Cliff Averted: Details of the Deal

An agreement was reached late Monday between the White House and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell aimed at averting the fiscal cliff. Early Tuesday morning, the Senate passed the bill, and late Tuesday night, so did the House. Let's break down the key points of the deal.

5 Things You Should Watch in the Stock Market This Week

Internet radio giant Pandora and giant discounter Big Lots report their earnings; in entertainment, Disney is opening a huge new expansion, while Nintendo is thinking small; and some companies just can give money away fast enough -- as dividends.

Is This Your Last Shot to Grab Investing Gains Totally Tax-Free?

When Congress passed the Bush tax cuts in 2003, they set the dividend rate and the long-term capital gains rate at just 15%. But the rate was made even lower for people in the bottom two tax brackets -- and if you qualify, you may only have a few more weeks to capitalize on that.

What Will $1 Million Get You in Retirement?

This is an interesting question because many people believe that $1 million is a comfortable amount to meet their retirement goals. We can also look at the different ways in which a couple can use this $1 million without running out of money.

Last-Minute Tax Tips: How to Chose the Right Form to File

With just a week to go before April 17, it's crunch time for getting your taxes filed. If you're just now getting started, the first question you have to answer is which form you should use to file. Here's how to figure it out.

3 Simple Tax Terms That Have Been Redefined to Confuse Us

Is the U.S. tax code designed to be confusing? At more than 70,000 pages, its complexity is hard to overstate. But forget its size: Even in its most basic terms, the IRS seems determined to muddy the waters. To help you out, we've unpacked a few of the most weaselly weasel words.