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Navigating Personal Finance in 2025: Key Changes to Capital Gains and Tax Brackets

As we step into 2025, several significant changes are set to impact personal finance, particularly in the areas of capital gains and tax brackets. These adjustments are designed to adapt to economic conditions and provide better financial planning opportunities for individuals. Capital Gains Tax Adjustments One of the most notable changes is the adjustment to capital gains tax. Starting in 2025, a higher tax rate will be applied to capital gains exceeding $250,000. This means that individuals selling assets with substantial gains may need to reconsider their timing and strategy to minimize tax liabilities. For example, spreading the sale of assets over multiple years could be a more tax-efficient approach. Changes to Tax Brackets Inflation adjustments are also on the horizon for tax brackets. To prevent inflation from pushing taxpayers into higher brackets, the income thresholds for each tax bracket will increase by 2.7%. For instance, the federal tax rate for earnings up to $57,375 wi...

Stock Market Today: S&P 500 Breaches 5,300 as Stocks Rally to Records After CPI

 


U.S. stocks rallied on Wednesday, with all three major indexes closing at record highs. A soft reading on consumer prices fueled hopes that the Federal Reserve could cut interest rates sooner than expected.
  • The S&P 500 rose nearly 1.2%, closing at 5,308.18, above 5,300 for the first time ever.
  • The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped about 0.9%, creeping closer toward the 40,000 level.
  • The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite climbed about 1.4%, notching its second record close in as many days.

The Consumer Price Index rose 0.3% over the previous month and 3.4% over the prior year in April, a deceleration from March. “Core” inflation, which strips out the cost of food and gas, also cooled. This relatively cool inflation reading led the 10-year Treasury yield to fall 4.35%, its lowest level in a month, and sparked new bets on Fed rate cuts as soon as September. Around 70% of traders now expect at least one cut by the September meeting, a notable increase from a week ago.

Stocks have ground higher amid rekindled confidence that the U.S. economy is in good enough shape for the Federal Reserve to start bringing down rates from their current historic highs. That optimism has fueled a resurgence in bullishness in the market.

Elsewhere on the macroeconomic front, retail sales fell flat last month, coming in well short of Wall Street’s expectations.

In summary, the stock market continues to surge, and investors are closely watching inflation data and Fed policy decisions.


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