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Nobody wants to pay the IRS more than they owe, yet Americans regularly do it because they fail to take tax deductions for which they are eligible.

While there are many ways you can deduct expenses, like the interest you pay on your home mortgage, there are some deductions you may have overlooked. Here's a look at the five most common oversights.

Few things are as important as ensuring that your heirs will be in good financial shape should you die unexpectedly.

Life insurance and the death benefit it pays out is critical for achieving that financial shape — albeit one that is often avoided because it elicits undesirable emotions. Because of the unwelcome emotional component, some people opt not to review their life insurance policy, but it should not be something you merely buy and then forget about.

A deferred income annuity, or DIA, provides a guaranteed stream of income for as long as you live — starting at some future date. They're not investment products.

They are contracts with an insurance company. You contribute money now and receive guaranteed lifetime income starting at a date that you select.

How does a DIA work in a retirement portfolio?

Inflation suddenly spiked sharply in April 2021, reaching 3.4% on an annualized basis. If sustained over a year, that would be more than twice the average inflation rate over the last decade and a half. 

If you're close to retirement age, that rate of inflation is enough cut your spending power in half during your lifetime. It's therefore a real threat to your lifestyle in retirement.

This item highlights five moves you can make to help protect yourself against inflation.

California employers have new compliance challenges because of a law that further broadens the circumstances under which employees can take protected paid and unpaid leave.

AB 406, which took effect Oct. 1, 2025, expands on last year's revisions to the state's paid sick and safe time and crime-victim leave laws, adding new categories of protected absences that cross multiple statutes — and increasing the complexity of managing employee leave. Here's what you need to know.

As natural catastrophes continue growing in number and severity, everybody should be prepared for quick evacuation in case of emergency. Even if you don't live in an area known for natural disasters, you should always be prepared in case you have to make a sudden evacuation.

While there is only so much planning we can do for this type of event, at the very least you should consider packing a "go-bag" of emergency supplies that can help keep you safe while finding a place to retreat to.  Here's what you should pack in it.

The most common lawsuits that businesses face are those filed by employees. But what many managers fail to realize is that if they act early when receiving complaints and institute strict workplace guidelines that minimize the chance of making employees disgruntled, they can avoid costly lawsuits.

Often these suits stem from mistakes that company management makes. Here's what you should avoid doing.

Research by the U.S. Department of Labor shows that between 10% and 20% of the nation's workers who die on the job test positive for alcohol or other drugs.

The same research shows that industries with the highest rates of drug use are the most physically dangerous and involve the operation of machinery, such as construction, mining, manufacturing and wholesale. With this in mind, employers need to know all of the tools available to them to ensure a drug- and alcohol-free workplace.

Starting Oct. 1, 2025, any California employer that uses artificial intelligence and other automated tools in recruiting, hiring, promotion and related human resources decisions will have to ensure that the tools don't discriminate against protected classes.

If your firm uses AI or another data-driven system in hiring, you'll want to beef up record-keeping and set testing procedures to ensure that the tools you use comply with the new regulations.

California's Labor Commissioner has awarded $8.6 million in grants to 16 local prosecutors' offices to strengthen investigations and prosecutions against employers accused of wage theft and other labor law violations.

The grant funds are part of a dedicated effort by the state to combat wage theft, which can include not paying workers for hours worked, failing to pay overtime when it's due or underpaying workers. Did prosecutors in your area receive funds and have you checked your payroll records to ensure you are complying with state and local laws?

A new study has found that nine out of 10 workers believe companies use inflated job titles to create the illusion of advancement without offering real promotions or pay increases.

The report by the online employment assistance website MyPerfectResume.com, based on a survey of 1,000 U.S. employees, found that most workers think employers engage in title inflation to placate them rather than offering genuine career progress.

As employee leave requests surge nationwide, new research reveals a growing strain on workers forced to fill in for their colleagues and take on their workload.

According to the study, burnout and health problems sharply increase among employees who cover for colleagues on extended leave. The lesson for employers: Don't saddle another employee with all the absent worker's tasks, and develop a plan to deal with the workload minus one worker.