Karen Wallace

It may be an unpleasant surprise, but a lower refund might not be a bad thing.

The combination of a higher standard deduction and new and enhanced credits should offset the repealed personal exemptions.

A tax deduction for the payer is no longer allowed, but the new tax laws may not apply to you.

The American Opportunity Tax Credit or the Lifetime Learning Credit: Which should you take?

Though it may not be signaling that a recession is imminent, the Fed should proceed with caution.

Yes, but the way it works has changed.

If you are unable to work as a result of an injury or illness, the last thing you need is serious money problems.

Self-directed investors should keep their risk tolerance in mind when choosing a 529 plan.

We walk through how to use Morningstar.com's tax analysis tools to determine if a fund is a good fit for a taxable account.

Predicting the winners and losers of the next rate hike is a difficult undertaking.

These 10 undervalued Morningstar US Dividend Growth Index constituents are cash-rich businesses with sustainable and growing payouts.

These high-quality consumer defensive stocks are trading below our fair value estimates.

Though these index funds and ETFs aren't free from a cost perspective, they are not tethered to one brokerage platform.

We think investors are underestimating these companies, which are well-positioned to benefit from Morningstar analysts' nine 'exponential technology' themes.

Mid-caps offer good risk/reward potential, but check your existing exposure before buying a dedicated fund.

Factoring your total tax liability into your hourly/day rate calculation can help you stay out of debt and have more money to save.

Short-term bonds currently offer attractive yields with modest interest-rate risk.

The Morningstar US Dividend and Buyback Index focuses on companies that are shareholder-friendly capital allocators.

Without payroll deductions, you have to anticipate how much you'll owe and incorporate it into your budget.

As we wrap up the second quarter, our equity analysts name their best ideas in every sector.

Investing in a Dow-tracker hasn't been a disastrous bet, but better options for passive core equity exposure abound.

We take a look at the new entrants to the Morningstar Dividend Yield Focus Index, and we explore how to use Morningstar metrics to find high-quality companies with safe dividends.

The Morningstar Wide Moat Focus Index made room for some undervalued consumer defensive stocks in June.

Experts discuss the pros and cons of various income-oriented strategies.

These daring intermediate-term bond funds have rewarded investors over time.

Daniel Kahneman discusses how knowing the principles of behavioral psychology can help advisors help their clients.

Without program changes, younger investors may see reduced benefits, but don't bet on payouts going to zero.