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    Top Wall Street analysts believe in the long-term potential of these stocks

    An Amazon delivery truck at the Amazon facility in Poway, California, Nov. 16, 2022.
    Sandy Huffaker | Reuters

    Investors are confronting several headwinds, including macro uncertainty, a spike in energy prices and the unanticipated crisis in the Middle East.
    Investors seeking a sense of direction can turn to analysts who identify companies that have lucrative long-term prospects and the ability to navigate near-term pressures. 

    To that end, here are five stocks favored by Wall Street’s top analysts, according to TipRanks, a platform that ranks analysts based on their past performance.

    Amazon

    We begin this week’s list with e-commerce and cloud computing giant Amazon (AMZN). While the stock has outperformed the broader market year to date, it has declined from the highs seen in mid-September.
    JPMorgan analyst Doug Anmuth noted the recent sell-off in AMZN stock and highlighted certain investor concerns. These issues include the state of the U.S. consumer and retail market, rising competition, higher fuel costs and the Federal Trade Commission’s lawsuit. Also on investors’ mind is Amazon Web Services’ growth, with multiple third-party data sources indicating a slowdown in September.
    Addressing each of these concerns, Anmuth said that Amazon remains his best idea, with the pullback offering a good opportunity to buy the shares. In particular, the analyst is optimistic about AWS due to moderating spending optimizations by clients, new workload deployment and easing year-over-year comparisons into the back half of the third quarter and the fourth quarter. He also expects AWS to gain from generative artificial intelligence.
    Speaking about the challenging retail backdrop, Anmuth said, “We believe AMZN’s growth is supported by key company-specific initiatives including same-day/1-day delivery (SD1D), greater Prime member spending, & strong 3P [third-party] selection.”

    In terms of competition, the analyst contends that while TikTok, Temu and Shein are expanding their global footprint, they pose a competitive risk to Amazon mostly at the low end, while the company is focused across a broad range of consumers.
    Anmuth reiterated a buy rating on AMZN shares with a price target of $180. He ranks No. 84 among more than 8,500 analysts tracked by TipRanks. His ratings have been profitable 61% of the time, with each delivering an average return of 16.6%. (See Amazon’s Stock Charts on TipRanks)  

    Meta Platforms

    Anmuth is also bullish on social media company Meta Platforms (META) and reaffirmed a buy rating on the stock. However, the analyst lowered his price target to $400 from $425, as he revised his model to account for higher expenses and made adjustments to revenue and earnings growth estimates for 2024 and 2025 due to forex headwinds.
    The analyst highlighted that Meta is investing in the significant growth prospects in two big tech waves – AI and metaverse, while continuing to remain disciplined. (See META Insider Trading Activity on TipRanks)
    “AI is clearly paying off in terms of incremental engagement from AI-generated content and Advantage+, and as discussed at Meta Connect, Llama 2 should drive AI experiences across the Family of Apps and devices, while Quest 3 is the most powerful headset Meta has ever shipped,” said Anmuth. Llama 2 is Meta’s new large language model.
    The analyst expects Meta’s advertising business to continue to outperform, with AI investments bearing results and Reels anticipated to turn revenue-accretive soon. Overall, Anmuth is convinced that Meta’s valuation remains compelling, with the stock trading at 15 times his revised 2025 GAAP EPS estimate of $20.29.

    Intel

    We now move to semiconductor stock Intel (INTC), which recently announced its decision to operate its Programmable Systems Business (PSG) as a standalone business, with the intention of positioning it for an initial public offering in the next two to three years.
    Needham analyst Quinn Bolton thinks that a standalone PSG business has several benefits, including autonomy and flexibility that would boost its growth rate. Operating PSG as a separate business would also enable the unit to more aggressively expand into the mid-range and low-end field programmable gate arrays segments with its Agilex 5 and Agilex 3 offerings.
    Additionally, Bolton said that this move would help Intel drive a renewed focus on the aerospace and defense sectors, as well as industrial and automotive sectors, which carry high margins and have long product lifecycles. It would also help Intel enhance shareholder value and monetize non-core assets.  
    “We believe the separation of PSG will further allow management to focus on its core IDM 2.0 strategy,” the analyst said, while reiterating a buy rating on the stock with a price target of $40.   
    Bolton holds the No.1 position among more than 8,500 analysts on TipRanks. His ratings have been successful 69% of the time, with each rating delivering an average return of 38.3%. (See Intel Hedge Fund Trading Activity on TipRanks). 

    Micron Technology

    Another semiconductor stock in this week’s list is Micron Technology (MU). The company recently reported better-than-feared fiscal fourth-quarter results, even as revenue declined 40% year over year. The company’s revenue outlook for the first quarter of fiscal 2024 exceeded expectations but its quarterly loss estimate was wider than anticipated.  
    Following the print, Deutsche Bank analyst Sidney Ho, who holds the 66th position among more than 8,500 analysts on TipRanks, reiterated a buy rating on MU stock with a price target of $85. 
    The analyst highlighted that the company’s fiscal fourth quarter revenue exceeded his expectations, fueled by the unanticipated strength in NAND shipments through strategic buys, which helped offset a slightly weaker average selling price.
    Micron’s management suggested that the company’s overall gross margin won’t turn positive until the second half of fiscal 2024, even as pricing trends seem to be on an upward trajectory. However, the analyst finds management’s gross margin outlook to be conservative.
    The analyst expects upward revisions to gross margin estimates. Ho said, “Given that the industry is in the very early stages of a cyclical upturn driven by supply discipline across the industry, we remain confident that positive pricing trends will be a strong tailwind over the next several quarters.”
    Ho’s ratings have been profitable 63% of the time, with each delivering a return of 21.5%, on average. (See Micron Blogger Opinions & Sentiment on TipRanks)  

    Costco Wholesale

    Membership warehouse chain Costco (COST) recently reported strong fiscal fourth-quarter earnings, despite macro pressures affecting the purchase of big-ticket items.
    Baird analyst Peter Benedict explained that the earnings beat was driven by below-the-line items, with higher interest income more than offsetting an increased tax rate.
    “Steady traffic gains and an engaged membership base underscore COST’s strong positioning amid a slowing consumer spending environment,” said Benedict.
    The analyst highlighted other positives from the report, including higher digital traffic driven by the company’s omnichannel initiatives and encouraging early holiday shopping commentary.
    Further, the analyst thinks that the prospects for a membership fee hike and/or a special dividend continue to build. He added that the company’s solid balance sheet provides enough capital deployment flexibility, including the possibility of another special dividend.   
    Benedict thinks that COST stock deserves a premium valuation (about 35 times the next 12 months’ EPS) due to its defensive growth profile. The analyst reiterated a buy rating on the stock and a price target of $600.
    Benedict ranks No. 123 among more than 8,500 analysts tracked on TipRanks. Moreover, 65% of his ratings have been profitable, with each generating an average return of 12.2%. (See COST’s Technical Analysis on TipRanks) More

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    Some of the nation’s top colleges are eliminating student loans

    In the wake of the battle over student loan forgiveness, a growing number of colleges are eliminating education debt from the outset. 
    Roughly two dozen schools now have “no-loan” policies, which means they will meet 100% of an undergraduate’s need for financial aid with grants rather than student loans.

    Without broad-based student loan forgiveness, some colleges have a new strategy to keep students from drowning in debt.  
    Roughly two dozen schools have introduced “no-loan” policies, which means they are eliminating student loans altogether from their financial aid packages.

    “College is expensive — we have to make sure we keep it accessible,” said Nicole Hurd, president of Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania.

    At Lafayette, families with household incomes of up to $200,000 have their financial need met through grants and work study, without any loans.
    “We have a moral obligation to make sure our low- and moderate-income families know that college is the best investment you’ll make in yourself,” Hurd said.
    More from Personal Finance:More colleges are offering guaranteed admissionStrategy could shave thousands off college costsShould you apply early to college?
    Colby College in Waterville, Maine, has had a no-loan policy in place since 2008.

    For Terra Gallo, who is a senior majoring in environmental policy, “Colby’s no-loan policy and the fact that demonstrated need is met and accounted for was something that was important to both me and my family.”
    “I know a lot of people who are in significant debt,” Gallo, 21, added. “That was something I didn’t want.”
    Colby senior Jackie Hardwick of Jacksonville, Florida, also said the cost of attendance was the main thing she was considering when looking at colleges.

    “That was the No. 1 concern on my mind,” she said, highlighting Colby’s support for financial aid and Quest Bridge scholarship recipients like herself.
    Hardwick, 21, who is a global studies and East Asian studies double-major, said she would not be enrolled at Colby without her scholarships or if she had a larger expected family contribution, which she said is still “pretty hefty.”
    “For us, the no-loan message is incredibly powerful especially when so many families are grappling with the very real concerns about the cost of higher education,” said Randi Maloney, Colby’s dean of admissions and financial aid.

    ‘A win-win for schools and students’

    “These schools have addressed the biggest concern for students and parents, which is assuming too much debt,” said Robert Franek, The Princeton Review’s editor in chief and author of “The Best 389 Colleges.”
    “They are saying to students and parents, ‘I see you and I hear you.'”
    Further, such programs will likely result in more students applying, which can also boost a college’s yield — or the percent of students who choose to enroll after being admitted — which is an important statistic for schools, Franek added.

    These schools have addressed the biggest concern for students and parents, which is assuming too much debt.

    Robert Franek
    editor in chief of The Princeton Review

    “It is a win-win for schools and students.”
    “Typically you will see a fairly sizeable increase in the number of admissions applications,” said Forrest Stuart, Lafayette’s vice president for enrollment management.
    “It puts your school on the map,” he said. And “the more you can have your name out there, the more robust class we can put together.”

    ‘No loan doesn’t mean free’

    Of course, students may still be on the hook for the expected family contribution, as well as other costs, including books and fees. There could also be a work-study requirement, depending on the school.
    Even if a school has a no-loan policy, that does not prevent a student or family from borrowing money to help cover their contribution.
    “No loan doesn’t mean free,” Franek noted.
    Hardwick, for example, works six part-time jobs on campus to support herself and her family’s expected contribution.
    “I have to help my family out whenever I can,” she said.
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    The ‘ideal booking window’ for holiday airfare is closing, economist says. ‘Travelers are going to miss out’

    Domestic round-trip airfare for Thanksgiving is currently around $270 on average. For Christmas, domestic round-trip flights are hovering at $400 on average, per Hopper.
    While prices have plateaued in the past two weeks, they’re expected to spike soon.
    “Travelers are going to miss out on the opportunity to save when they wait too long,” said Hayley Berg, lead economist at Hopper.

    D3sign | Moment | Getty Images

    Fares could get much pricier within days

    After April, holiday airfares tend to drop and then are volatile until the four-week “ideal booking window” spanning mid-September to mid-October where prices stay constant. “We’re at the end of [that period] now,” said Berg.

    Domestic round-trip airfare for Thanksgiving is still around $268 on average, which is what they were about three weeks ago. For Christmas, domestic round-trip flights are still hovering at $400 on average, per Hopper data.
    However, after about Oct. 14, prices are likely to consistently get more expensive and travelers will have a more challenging time finding the best deals.
    “After this weekend, we’ll see a lot of volatility continue but on average, prices are going to go up,” said Berg.
    While there may be some deals available through the end of October, don’t wait it out if you have set travel dates in mind between commitments such as school or work.
    Each day you wait, you could see prices increase. Hopper expects prices to spike about $30 a day for Thanksgiving fares at the last three weeks before the holiday.
    “Each day you wait at the last minute for Thanksgiving, you’re adding a significant amount of cost,” said Berg.
    In the last few days before Christmas, travelers could see price jumps of about $40 a day, Hopper anticipates.

    Air travel passenger picked up at the airport during the holiday season.
    Getty Images

    Secure your flight and confirm your seating

    Most flights are not entirely sold out — yet. Travelers who don’t book holiday airfares soon may find that many nonstop trips, flights on the most ideal times of the day and most popular dates are gone.
    Fares will likely become increasingly competitive as travelers wait, “judging by the number of people traveling this year,” said Elizabeth Ayoola, a personal finance writer at NerdWallet. 
    “Those determined to avoid the summer crowds and heat may be planning to travel during the holidays, driving prices up,” said Ayoola.
    Take one of the first flights of the day if possible. You’re two times more likely to be affected by flight delays or cancellations after 8:00 a.m., Berg said.
    While nonstop flights are often more expensive, they can help travelers bypass the risk of missing connections due to a flight disruption.

    Weather and air traffic disruptions last year caused a lot of turmoil for holiday travelers. Given the demand for holiday flights, it’s worth planning with the potential for such delays or cancellations in mind.
    Holiday travel numbers are expected to resemble or surpass results from 2019, wrote Phil Dengler, co-founder and head of editorial and marketing of travel site The Vacationer.
    Travelers might also look into travel insurance, and brushing up on your rights if your travel plans are interrupted.
    While picking your seat can come at an additional cost with most airlines, “ensure you have a seat on your desired flight,” Berg said. It may serve as a peace of mind for travelers. More

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    Deflation is the anti-inflation. Here’s where prices fell in September 2023 in one chart

    Consumers saw some prices deflate in September 2023, according to the consumer price index, issued Thursday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
    Deflation is the opposite of inflation. It measures how quickly prices are falling.
    Largely, deflation has happened among consumer goods, not services, economists said.

    Inverse Couple Images | Moment | Getty Images

    Consumers have been hearing a lot about inflation in the U.S. economy since early 2021, and rightfully so. At their pandemic-era peak, consumer prices were rising faster than at any point in 40 years.
    But the dynamic seems to have shifted.

    Inflation has been declining gradually, which means prices are still rising but at a slower pace, also known as disinflation. Some prices have actually deflated over the past year, according to the consumer price index.
    Deflation is the opposite of inflation: It means consumers are seeing prices decline in certain categories.

    Why some prices are deflating

    Largely, this deflationary dynamic is occurring on the “goods” side of the U.S. economy, or the tangible objects that Americans buy, economists said. Goods encompass roughly a quarter of the consumer price index.
    There are several reasons for this.  
    For one, a stronger U.S. dollar makes imported goods cheaper. Some of those savings — on items such as apparel and furniture — get passed on to consumers, said Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody’s Analytics.

    The dynamic is also somewhat a reversion to the pre-pandemic norm, Zandi said.
    Goods deflation was typical before the Covid-19 pandemic, he said. But the health crisis snarled global supply chains, causing shortages that fueled big spikes in prices. Energy costs surged when Russia invaded Ukraine, pushing up transportation and other distribution costs.
    Now, supply chain disruptions are largely in the rearview mirror, he said. Energy costs have declined.
    Over the long term, consumers also generally see savings as manufacturers shift goods production to lower-cost areas, Zandi said.

    How measurement quirks affect prices

    Some of the declines are due partly to measurement quirks.
    For example, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, which compiles the CPI report, controls for quality improvements over time. Electronics such as televisions, cell phones and computers continually get better. Consumers get more for roughly the same amount of money, which shows up as a price decline in the CPI data. 
    Health insurance, which falls in the “services” side of the U.S. economy, is similar.
    The BLS doesn’t assess health insurance inflation based on consumer premiums. It does so indirectly by measuring insurers’ profits. This is because insurance quality varies greatly from person to person. One person’s premiums may buy high-value insurance benefits, while another’s buys meager coverage.
    Those differences in quality make it difficult to gauge changes in health insurance price with accuracy.
    These sorts of quality adjustments mean consumers don’t necessarily see prices drop at the store — only on paper.   More

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    Student loan borrowers hit snags as payments resume: ‘It’s a challenging environment,’ head of loan servicer group says

    As payments resume after more than a three-year break, borrowers describe receiving incorrect bills and incredibly long wait times trying to contact their servicers.
    “It’s a challenging environment,” said Scott Buchanan, executive director of the Student Loan Servicing Alliance, a trade group for federal student loan servicers.

    Creatas | Creatas | Getty Images

    Before the pandemic, the federal student loan system caused borrowers frustration and confusion. As the Biden administration resumes payments this month for some 40 million Americans after more than a three-year reprieve, the situation has been especially difficult.
    Borrowers describe receiving incorrect bills and spending hours on the phone trying to reach their servicers. One woman told CNBC the estimated wait time to speak to someone at her servicer was 542 minutes.

    “It’s a challenging environment,” said Scott Buchanan, executive director of the Student Loan Servicing Alliance, a trade group for federal student loan servicers. “Sometimes there are incredibly divergent call hold times from what we’d like to see.”
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    The many recent government announcements related to student loans seem to be adding to borrower confusion, Buchanan said. Though many of those developments are positive for borrowers, including a recent cancellation of $9 billion in student debt, they also raise a lot of questions about who is eligible and how soon that relief might arrive.
    Other issues may be due to a change in servicers and incorrect calculations of borrowers bills under a new income-driven payment plan.

    Official warned of potential for ‘ongoing confusion’

    The Supreme Court in June struck down President Joe Biden’s broad plan to cancel up to $20,000 in student debt for tens of millions of Americans, rolled out in August 2022.

    Before the high court’s ruling, a top official at the U.S. Department predicted some of the problems now unfolding.
    “These student loan borrowers had the reasonable expectation and belief that they would not have to make additional payments on their federal student loans,” said Education Department Undersecretary James Kvaal said in a court filing last year.

    “Unless the Department is allowed to provide one-time student loan debt relief,” Kvaal went on, “we expect this group of borrowers to have higher loan default rates due to the ongoing confusion about what they owe.”
    Former President Donald Trump first announced the stay on federal student loan bills and the accrual of interest in March 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic hit the U.S. and crippled the economy. The pause was extended eight times.
    Nearly everyone eligible for the relief took advantage of it, with less than 1% of qualifying borrowers continuing to make payments. Outstanding education debt in the U.S. exceeds $1.5 trillion, burdening Americans more than credit card or auto debt.

    New SAVE payment plan leads to billing errors

    To ease the transition for borrowers, the Biden administration worked quickly to implement a new payment plan option, which it describes as the “most affordable repayment plan ever.”
    Yet many borrowers who’ve signed up for the Saving on a Valuable Education, or SAVE, plan, complain they’ve gotten incorrect bills.
    Higher education expert Mark Kantrowitz said that while he’s heard from several borrowers who’ve run into this issue, he estimates that “hundreds of thousands of borrowers may have been affected.”
    According to Kantrowitz, student loan servicers seem, in some cases, to be using the 2022 poverty line to calculate borrowers’ payments instead of the current 2023 figure. (The SAVE plan is supposed to use the poverty data to shield a share of borrowers’ income from their payment calculation.)

    Because of the misinformation being disseminated, borrowers are likely to make overpayments, or underpayments and get off-track.

    Ella Azoulay
    Policy analyst, Student Borrower Protection Center

    Miscommunication between servicers may also have contributed to the errors.
    Several of the largest companies that service federal student loans announced during the Covid-19 pandemic that they’ll no longer be doing so, including Navient and FedLoan. As a result, about 16 million borrowers have had a different company to deal with this month.
    “Whenever there is a change of loan servicer, there can be problems transferring borrower data,” Kantrowitz said.
    Meanwhile, Buchanan said that some of the data provided by the U.S. Department of Education has been wrong. Borrowers can sign up for the SAVE plan with their servicer or with the department.
    “We’re having challenges with data integrity issues coming from the department,” Buchanan said. “It’s meant a lot of questions.”
    A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Education said they’ve worked swiftly to resolve these problems.
    It directed servicers to notify affected borrowers and put them into an administrative forbearance until they were able to calculate the correct payment amount, the spokesperson said. It may also refund some borrowers.
    “Our top priority continues to be supporting borrowers as they successfully navigate return to repayment,” they said.

    Still, consumer advocates caution that the new problems will only reduce borrowers trust in the lending system.
    “Because of the misinformation being disseminated, borrowers are likely to make overpayments, or underpayments and get off-track,” said Ella Azoulay, a policy analyst at the Student Borrower Protection Center.
    “Moreover, being forced to make incorrect monthly payments places additional strain on borrowers’ monthly finances and puts some in the position of being unable to afford necessities, like medication.” More

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    Series I bond rates could rise above 5% in November, experts say

    The annual rate for Series I bonds could rise above 5% in November based on inflation and other factors, financial experts say.
    That would be an increase from the current 4.3% interest through Oct. 31, but less than the 6.89% rate offered from November 2022 through April 2023.
    However, the U.S. Department of the Treasury doesn’t disclose exactly how it decides the fixed rate for I bonds, which can be difficult to predict.

    Jetcityimage | Istock | Getty Images

    The annual rate for newly purchased Series I bonds could rise above 5% in November based on inflation and other factors, financial experts say.
    That would be an increase from the current 4.3% interest on I bond purchases made through Oct. 31. But it’s less than the 6.89% rate offered on I bonds bought between November 2022 through April 2023.

    Backed by the U.S. government, demand for I bonds exploded over the past couple of years amid high inflation — and the November rate could be the fourth-highest yield since I bonds were introduced in 1998.
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    The U.S. Department of the Treasury adjusts I bond rates every May and November and there are two parts to I bond yields: a variable and fixed portion.
    The Treasury adjusts the variable rate every six months based on inflation. It can change the fixed rate every six months, too, but doesn’t always do so.
    (The fixed portion of the I bond rate remains the same for investors after purchase. The variable rate portion resets every six months starting on the investor’s I bond purchase date, not when the Treasury Department announces rate adjustments. You can find the rate by purchase date here.)

    Currently, the variable rate is 3.38% and the fixed rate is 0.9%, for a rounded combined yield of 4.30% on I bonds purchased between May 1 and Oct. 31.
    Based on six months of consumer price index data, experts say the variable component is likely to rise to 3.94% in November, up from the current variable rate of 3.38%. That variable rate will change again in May 2024. 

    The I bond fixed rate could increase

    While the variable I bond rate can be calculated, based on the inflation changes over six months, the fixed rate portion is harder to predict, experts say.
    “The big question is what the fixed rate is going to be,” said Ken Tumin, founder and editor of DepositAccounts.com, which tracks I bonds, among other assets.
    The Treasury doesn’t disclose exactly how it decides on the fixed rate for I bonds, but Tumin expects it will rise based on higher yields from 10-year Treasury inflation-protected securities, or TIPS, another government-based, inflation-linked asset.
    “That [fixed rate component] will be really impactful for long-term I bond investors,” he said.

    That will be really impactful for long-term I bond investors.

    Founder and editor of DepositAccounts.com

    David Enna, founder of Tipswatch.com, a website that tracks TIPS and I bond rates, said “there are a lot of theories” about how the Treasury decides on the fixed rate, including market yields on TIPS, among other factors.
    Enna also expects the fixed I bond rate to rise in November, depending on the spread between the current 0.9% fixed rate and the real yield of 10-year TIPS. The real yield reflects how much TIPS investors earn yearly above inflation until maturity.
    If you expect real yields for 10-year TIPS to stay in the 2.3% to 2.4% range for the next six months, the Treasury “would be justified” to raise the fixed rate on I bonds to 1.4% or 1.5%, he said. More

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    Medicare Part B standard premiums to increase by $9.80 per month in 2024

    Year-end Planning

    Standard monthly Medicare Part B premiums will be $174.70 in 2024, up from $164.90 in 2023.
    Beneficiaries with incomes above $103,000 for individuals and $206,000 for married couples will pay higher monthly rates.

    Synthetic-exposition | Istock | Getty Images

    The standard monthly premium for Medicare Part B will increase by $9.80 per month in 2024, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
    That means the standard monthly premium will go up to $174.70 in 2024, an increase from $164.90 in 2023. The new rate is in line with previous projections by Medicare trustees, which had estimated a $174.80 standard monthly premium for next year.

    The annual deductible for Medicare Part B will be $240 in 2024, a $14 increase from the $226 annual deductible in 2023.
    The Part B premium and deductible increases are mainly due to projected increases in health care spending, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
    Medicare Part B covers physician services, outpatient hospital services, some home health care services, durable medical equipment and certain other services not covered by Medicare Part A.

    More from Year-End Planning

    Here’s a look at more coverage on what to do finance-wise as the end of the year approaches:

    Monthly Part B premium payments are typically deducted directly from Social Security benefit checks. Consequently, the size of Medicare Part B premiums affects just how much of the annual Social Security cost-of-living adjustment beneficiaries may see. In 2024, Social Security benefits will increase by 3.2%, the Social Security Administration announced on Thursday, resulting in a retirement benefit increase of more than $50 per month, on average.
    One forecast from The Senior Citizens League, a nonpartisan senior group, had projected the standard monthly Medicare Part B premium could rise by as much as $5 more per month, for a total of $179.80 per month, following the approval of a new Alzheimer’s drug, Leqembi.

    “We are relieved to learn that the Medicare Part B increase in 2024 won’t be as high as we initially feared,” The Senior Citizens League said in a statement.

    High income beneficiaries pay more for Medicare Part B

    The rate beneficiaries pay for Medicare Part B is determined by modified adjusted gross income on their federal tax returns.
    Those who earn above certain income thresholds pay extra toward their Medicare Part B premiums in what is known as income-related monthly adjustment amounts, or IRMAA.
    Income-related monthly adjustment amounts affect roughly 8% of people on Medicare Part B, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

    In 2024, IRMAA charges will apply to individuals with more than $103,000 and married couples with more than $206,000 in modified adjusted gross income on their 2022 federal tax returns. That is up from $97,000 for individuals and $194,000 for married couples this year.
    Costs for Medicare Part A, which covers inpatient hospital care, are also set to go up in 2024.
    The Medicare Part A inpatient hospital deductible, which applies to the first 60 days of care, will go up to $1,632 in 2024, a $32 increase from $1,600 in 2023.
    Beneficiaries then pay coinsurance amount of $408 per day, up from $400 in 2023, for the 61st through 90th day of hospitalization. That is followed by $816 per day, up from $800 in 2023, for lifetime reserve days.  More

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    Angel investing is ‘a window to innovation across the economy,’ expert says. How women can benefit

    Your Money

    Women accounted for 31.2% of angel investors in the first two quarters of 2022, according to a report by Jeffrey E. Sohl at the Center for Venture Research at the University of New Hampshire. 
    If you have the money and inclination, angel investing is “a window to innovation across the economy,” Jo Ann Corkran, co-CEO and managing partner of Golden Seeds, said at CNBC’s Financial Advisor Summit.

    Staticnak1983 | E+ | Getty Images

    Recent indicators show that women are increasingly eager to put their money to work outside of traditional portfolio offerings. 
    For instance, women accounted for 31.2% of angel investors in the first two quarters of 2022, a slight increase from 30.3% in the same period in 2021, according to a report by Jeffrey E. Sohl at the Center for Venture Research at the University of New Hampshire. 

    This is “an encouraging sign that women angels are an increasing active segment in the angel market,” especially as women are predicted to control the majority of the net worth in the U.S., the report said.
    If you have the money and inclination, angel investing is “a window to innovation across the economy,” Jo Ann Corkran, co-CEO and managing partner of Golden Seeds, said Thursday at CNBC’s Financial Advisor Summit.
    It doesn’t depend on the market cycle and innovation is always happening, she added.

    More from Women and Wealth:

    Here’s a look at more coverage in CNBC’s Women & Wealth special report, where we explore ways women can increase income, save and make the most of opportunities.

    However, here’s the issue: Women don’t take enough risk when investing, said Nancy Tengler, CEO and chief investment officer at Laffer Tengler Investments, at the summit.
    Unlike venture capital firms, angel investors make their own decisions and use their own wealth in a startup’s initial stages, said Corkran.

    “It’s a way for people to use their money, skills, experiences and networks to help companies that are in their own portfolios,” she added.
    Here’s how advisors can better position clients to take advantage of this growing woman-led market opportunity, according to angel-investing experts.

    How to help clients become angel investors

    Financial advisors ought to keep angel investing in mind for clients as an option over portfolio investing because it has one of the highest rate of returns across all asset classes, said Corkran.
    Over the long term, angel investing can bring a 25% to 35% in internal rate of returns (a metric used in financial analysis to estimate the profitability of potential investments), she added.
    As women are projected to own as much as $93 trillion in assets globally as of this year, according to Boston Consulting Group, it’s in advisors’ best interest to engage female clients, said Tengler.

    Research shows that two-thirds of women tend to lay off their financial advisors after becoming newly single, whether through divorce or by being widowed, she added.
    Other studies have found women do about 60% more research and outperform male counterparts as investors, said Tengler.
    Financial advisors can help their clients become angel investors by sharing resources on how to become familiar with risk by following these two practices:

    Join an angel investing group: There are about 250 angel groups across the U.S. that work with different areas and sectors, said Corkran. Many offer training for new members on how to perform due diligence and risk assessments, she added.
    Familiarize yourself: Enroll and subscribe to different associations that provide critical, original investor research, said Corkran. Moreover, read from industry and business publications weekly, said Tengler. “Start familiarizing yourself with the process and companies,” she added. More