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Erik Isakson | Tetra Images | Getty ImagesThe Social Security cost-of-living adjustment for 2026 is expected to be formally announced in October. However, the federal government shutdown may affect the timing of that news.Millions of Social Security beneficiaries are poised to get a boost to their monthly checks next year. When the Social Security COLA is announced, experts have projected the benefit increase may fall in the range of 2.7% to 2.8%, based on the most recent government inflation data.Beneficiaries have seen several significant increases in their benefits in recent years — the largest was 8.7% in 2022 — due…

Investors can’t help but notice the sparkle of gold’s record run. But they may want to think twice before adding more of it to their portfolios — over the long haul, it underperforms compared to stocks and other assets.”Gold glitters but earnings compound,” said Pat Beaird, a certified public accountant and co-founder of Beaird Harris Wealth Management in Dallas.”Over 30 years, compounding wins every time,” he said. Beaird Harris Wealth Management is ranked No. 3 on CNBC’s Financial Advisor 100 list for 2025.More from CNBC’s Financial Advisor 100:Here’s a look at more coverage of CNBC’s Financial Advisor 100 list of top financial advisory…

Thomas Barwick | Digitalvision | Getty ImagesIt’s no secret that many young adults are having a hard time financially, especially when it comes to affording a home purchase. Weddings may be exacerbating the problem for some.The typical monthly rent, which captures rent prices for multi- and single-family rentals, was $2,007 in August, up 2.4% from a year prior, according to Zillow. A separate recent report by the housing site found that attending just one wedding and a bachelor or bachelorette weekend can cost $2,010.”It really is eye-opening when you put it right next to rent,” said Amanda Pendleton, the home trends…

Zero Creatives | Connect Images | Getty ImagesMore from Financial Advisor Playbook:Here’s a look at other stories affecting the financial advisor business.If you’re age 70½ or older, you can donate up to $108,000 in 2025. For married couples filing jointly, spouses aged 70½ or older can also transfer up to $108,000 from their IRA. The QCD limit now adjusts for inflation yearly, thanks to changes enacted via the Secure Act of 2022.  Here are the other key things to know about QCDs, and how the move can benefit retirees.How the QCD tax break worksWhen filing taxes, you claim the standard deduction…

Nitat Termmee | Moment | Getty ImagesArtificial intelligence is poised to disrupt the job market — but some workers are in the crosshairs more than others, according to labor experts.Roughly 1 in 4 (or, 26%) of the jobs posted on career site Indeed over the past year are poised to “radically transform” due to generative artificial intelligence, also known as gen AI, according to a September report by Indeed.Gen AI — examples of which include OpenAI’s Chat GPT and Google’s Gemini — mimics human brainpower by creating original content like text, images, video, audio or software code from a user…

The Federal Trade Commission was closed when Congress failed to reach a budget agreement. For how long remains to be seen.Getty ImagesEven short government shutdowns can change the investing landscape. This effect of the latest budget impasse in Congress could be more pronounced given lingering high inflation, a weakening job market, high valuations and Wall Street’s expectation that the Fed will continue its interest-rate reductions. These circumstances create an environment ripe for volatility. You may want to insulate your portfolio by adding stable, resilient positions. Here are six options to consider. 5 Stocks to Buy Now for October 2025 These…

Commuters cross the street near the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) headquarters on October 1, 2025 in Washington, DC.Al Drago | Getty Images News | Getty ImagesGovernment shutdowns have historically been an precarious time for federal workers, both for those required to remain on the job without pay and those furloughed. This shutdown comes with added financial uncertainty.A draft memo from the White House, first reported by Axios and confirmed to NBC News by the White House, suggests not all federal workers on furlough are entitled to receive back pay once the government reopens. Asked about back pay, President Donald Trump…

The U.S. Capitol is seen on the second day of the federal government shutdown in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 2, 2025.Mehmet Eser | Anadolu | Getty ImagesWith the government shutdown nearing its one-week mark, investors may be monitoring how the stalemate in Washington is affecting their portfolios.So far, stocks have been doing just fine. Although the S&P 500 was down slightly on Tuesday, the index returned 0.80% between Oct. 1 and Oct. 6 — and even notched several new highs.It turns out that market gains during and following a government shutdown are not unusual.”Historically, shutdowns themselves have rarely derailed equities,”…

Americans are increasingly concerned about their financial situation amid expectations that inflation could pick up, according to a New York Federal Reserve survey released Tuesday.The central bank’s monthly Survey of Consumer Expectations found that consumers expect inflation to be higher in the year ahead, and fewer expect their households’ financial situations to be better off a year from now.Household spending growth expectations also declined, the New York Fed’s survey found.More from Personal Finance:Consumers’ top pain points: groceries and gasHow a government shutdown may affect your moneyHow workers can prepare financially for a government shutdownWhile many Americans have expressed worries about rising…

A view of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) building in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 16, 2025. Annabelle Gordon | Reuters‘Lack of stability’ amid major tax law changesWhen asked on Tuesday about the agency’s leadership decision, former IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel told CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” “I think right now it’s crunch time at the IRS.”Six individuals have served as IRS Commissioner or acting IRS Commissioner since inauguration day in January, among them President Donald Trump’s nominee Billy Long, who the Senate confirmed in June. Trump removed Long from the role in August and replaced him with Bessent.There is currently no Deputy Commissioner…