Browsed by
Month: January 2025

Disney Cruise Line’s future class of ships to get smaller

Disney Cruise Line’s future class of ships to get smaller

Disney Cruise Line announced Friday that three of its future ships in its expansion to a fleet of 13 in the next seven years will be smaller than all but its two original vessels.

DCL just welcomed its newest ship, Disney Treasure, sailing out of Port Canaveral as the sixth in the fleet with a sister ship in the Wish class, Disney Destiny, headed to Port Everglades at the end of 2025. It also has the Disney Adventure, which is its own class of ship, headed to Singapore before the end of the year, which will grow the fleet to eight.

Friday’s announcement revealed details for four more ships that have been ordered by DCL to be delivered between 2027-2031. The first would be a fourth sister ship in the Wish class while the last three will be a new class, which has yet to be named.

Review: Disney Treasure cruise ship leans into adventure for unique feel

The new class of ships will be delivered in 2029, 2030 and 2031, and have a passenger capacity of around 3,000, which is about 1,000 fewer than the Wish class and older Dream class vessels, according to a press release. read more

Move over, Airbnb: Big hotels target group travel

Move over, Airbnb: Big hotels target group travel

By Sally French, NerdWallet

Big hotel brands are adding vacation rental properties to their portfolios, creating new options for large groups and families.

Should you actively trade in a Roth IRA?

Should you actively trade in a Roth IRA?

James Royal, Ph.D., Bankrate.com

A Roth IRA is considered by many financial experts to be the best retirement plan out there. Workers can invest money on an after-tax basis and then withdraw their funds in retirement (after age 59 1/2) tax-free. They can enjoy decades of compounding growth and never owe the taxman a cent as long as they follow the plan’s rules. No wonder it’s the experts’ favorite plan!

Because the Roth IRA eliminates one of the major costs of trading — taxes — some investors may think they can actively trade their way into even greater gains. They might consider day trading with a top broker or even trading every few months after a stock’s big price swing rather than focus on buy-and-hold investing, which is a time-tested strategy.

But should you actively trade in a Roth IRA? These are the key things to consider first.

Actively trading in a Roth IRA: 5 things to know

1. You can trade actively in a Roth IRA

Some investors may be concerned that they can’t actively trade in a Roth IRA. But there’s no rule from the IRS that says you can’t do so. So you won’t get in legal trouble if you do. read more

When can you file taxes this year? Here’s when the IRS will start accepting returns

When can you file taxes this year? Here’s when the IRS will start accepting returns

With the new year in full swing, tax season is cut around the corner. Millions of Americans must file their 2024 returns to the IRS by Tuesday, April 15, 2025.

When can you start filing 2024 taxes?

For taxpayers who had an adjusted gross income (AGI) of $84,000 or less in 2024, the IRS’ Free File Gilded Tax Software becomes available online on Friday, Jan. 10.

For taxpayers with an adjusted gross income of more than $84,000, Free File Fillable Forms opens on Monday, Jan. 27.

To access IRS Free File, visit IRS.gov/freefile.

When does the IRS start processing returns?

The IRS has not yet announced a formal date for processing returns, but this typically begins in late January — the unofficial start of tax season.

How do I request an extension for my tax return?

If you cannot file by the April 15 deadline, you can request an extension through Form 4868, which gives them until Oct. 15 to file without penalties.

However, an extension to file a tax return is not an extension to pay taxes altogether. Any taxes owed should still be paid by April 15 to avoid potential penalties and interest for the amount owed.

This year, victims in disaster areas as designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) may qualify for an automatic extension, meaning they will not need to request an extension. To see if your area is included, visit the IRS webpage on tax relief in disaster situations. read more

Supreme Court seems likely to uphold a federal law that could force TikTok to shut down on Jan. 19

Supreme Court seems likely to uphold a federal law that could force TikTok to shut down on Jan. 19

By MARK SHERMAN

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Friday seemed likely to uphold a law that would ban TikTok in the United States beginning Jan. 19 unless the popular social media program is sold by its China-based parent company.

Hearing arguments in a momentous clash of free speech and national security concerns, the justices seemed persuaded by arguments that the national security threat posed by the company’s connections to China override concerns about restricting the speech either of TikTok or its 170 million users in the United States.

Early in arguments that lasted more than two and a half hours, Chief Justice John Roberts identified as the “main concern” in the case TikTok’s ownership by China-based ByteDance and the parent company’s requirement to cooperate with the Chinese government’s intelligence operations.

If left in place, the law passed by bipartisan majorities in Congress and signed by President Joe Biden in April will require TikTok to “go dark” on Jan. 19, lawyer Noel Francisco told the justices on behalf of TikTok. read more