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    Investors may be able to file taxes for free this season. Here’s who qualifies

    There’s less than a week until tax season kicks off on Jan. 27 — and investors may have more options to file returns for free than previous years.
    Typically, investors may receive Form 1099-B for capital gains and losses, Form 1099-DIV for dividends and capital gains distributions, along with Form 1099-INT for interest income.
    Some free tax filing options may include Direct File, IRS Free File and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance.

    Rockaa | E+ | Getty Images

    There’s less than a week until tax season kicks off on Jan. 27 — and investors may have more options to file returns for free than in previous years.
    Typically, investors need certain tax forms to file returns, including Form 1099-B for capital gains and losses and Form 1099-DIV for dividends and capital gains distributions. Form 1099-INT covers interest income from savings accounts, certificates of deposit, Series I bonds, Treasury bills and more.

    Plus, retirees may receive Form 1099-R for withdrawals from 401(k) plans, individual retirement accounts, pensions and other distributions.
    More from Personal Finance:IRS announces the start of the 2025 tax seasonThis free tax filing option is ‘fast and simple,’ IRS says. Here’s who can use it30 million people could qualify to use IRS free Direct File program
    Here are three free tax filing options to consider this season, depending on your situation.

    1. IRS Direct File

    This season, IRS Direct File, the agency’s free filing program, has expanded to 25 states. It covers more than 30 million taxpayers across eligible states, according to U.S. Department of the Treasury estimates.
    “We’re excited about the improvements to Direct File and the millions more taxpayers who will be eligible to use the service this year,” former IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said in a press release in October.

    During the pilot in 2024, the program covered simple returns, including filings with interest of $1,500 or less. But for the 2025 filing season, the program supports interest above $1,500 and Alaska residents who receive the Alaska Permanent Fund dividend.  
    The program doesn’t currently cover other investment income, including capital gains and dividends.
    Starting in March, Direct File will also support distributions from most company retirement plans, such as 401(k) plans, pensions and more. But you can’t use the service if you withdrew funds from an IRA. 

    2. IRS Free File 

    Another option, IRS Free File, is a public-private partnership between the agency and the Free File Alliance, a nonprofit coalition of tax software companies.
    This season, you can use IRS Free File if your adjusted gross income, or AGI, was $84,000 or less in 2024.
    Eight software partners will accept the most commonly used tax forms and schedules, explained Tim Hugo, executive director of the Free File Alliance. Those include Schedule B for interest and ordinary dividends and Schedule D for capital gains and losses. These Schedules cover investing forms, such as 1099-INT over $1,500 and certain items from Forms 1099-B and 1099-DIV.
    “It really is a great tool that can serve millions of Americans that just nobody knows about,” Hugo said.

    3. Volunteer Income Tax Assistance

    If your want more guidance, you may also qualify for free tax prep from Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, or VITA, a program managed by the IRS. 
    For the 2025 season, you’ll qualify for VITA with an adjusted gross income of $67,000 or less.The program’s scope includes coverage for investors, including Forms 1099-INT, 1099-B and 1099-DIV, with certain limitations. VITA also covers Form 1099-R for retirement income with some exclusions. The program won’t cover cryptocurrency transactions for 2024 filings.    More

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    Here’s how climate change is reshaping home insurance costs in California — and the rest of the U.S.

    Even for homeowners outside of California, worsening extreme weather means higher insurance rates.
    In part because of escalating weather-related risks, home insurance rates have already jumped dramatically.
    What you will pay depends on your home as well as the city, state and proximity to areas prone to floods, earthquakes or wildfires, among other factors, experts say.

    Burned trees from the Palisades Fire and dust blown by winds are seen from Will Rogers State Park, with the City of Los Angeles in the background, in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood on Jan. 15, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
    Apu Gomes | Getty Images

    Insurance premiums were surging well before this year’s massive wildfires in the Los Angeles area.
    Now, they are set to rise even higher as the L.A. wildfires could become the costliest blaze in U.S. history, analysts say.

    The insured losses may cost more than $20 billion, according to estimates by JPMorgan and Wells Fargo.
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    For California residents, the increased frequency and severity of natural disasters has had a direct impact on homeowners insurance costs, a trend that is now even more likely to accelerate. 
    “In the short term, insurance regulators need to allow for risk-based pricing,” Patrick Douville, vice president of global insurance and pension ratings at Morningstar, said in a statement. “This means that premiums are likely to increase, and affordability issues will continue, potentially affecting property values and leaving some homeowners without insurance.”
    California’s Department of Insurance also recently passed regulations that pave the way for rate increases in exchange for increased coverage in wildfire-prone regions. In 2024, some insurance companies in the state hiked rates as much as 34%, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

    While it’s too early to predict how the fires in Southern California will directly impact the bottom line, filing one fire claim can increase premiums by 29%, on average, and two claims could boost premiums by 60%, according to a 2024 analysis by Insure.com.

    Going forward, premiums are almost guaranteed to go up as insurers attempt to cover their costs, according to Janet Ruiz, a director at the Insurance Information Institute and the organization’s California representative.
    “We have to take in enough money in premiums to pay out the claims,” she said.
    But even for homeowners outside of California, worsening extreme weather means higher insurance rates are on the way.

    How disasters affect can costs in other states

    The rest of the nation also wants to know: Will my insurance premiums be increasing? According to Ruiz, the short answer is no.
    “Homeowners and business owners in one state do not pay insurance premiums based on losses or catastrophes in other states,” she said.
    Because each state has a department of insurance that regulates rates in that region, there are protections in place to prevent that from happening, Ruiz said.

    And yet, even though insurance premiums are subject to extensive regulations at the state level, when insurers cannot adjust rates in highly regulated states, they do compensate by raising rates in less-regulated states — despite protections in place — leading to “a growing disconnect between insurance rates and risk,” according to a 2021 paper by economists at Harvard Business School, Columbia Business School and Federal Reserve Board. 
    “Our findings call into question the sustainability of the current regulatory system, especially if natural disasters become more frequent or severe,” the authors wrote.
    “Many insurance companies operate nationwide, or at least in multiple states,” said Holden Lewis, mortgage and real estate expert at NerdWallet.
    “They are going to make up for their losses somewhere,” Lewis said.

    In the wake of the wildfires, Michael Barrett, co-principal at Barrett Insurance Agency in St Johnsbury Vermont, where state insurance regulations are looser, said he has fielded lots of calls from clients asking about whether their premium will rise — “and the real true answer is it could,” he said.
    “From an insurance perspective, an increase in natural disasters will impact insurance going forward,” Barrett said.
    Vermont is not immune from its own extreme weather lately.
    “We had incredible rains with severe flooding,” Barrett said. “It’s something that’s very concerning as we see the reliance on insurance elevated through these events.”

    Extreme weather is a problem nationwide

    What has happened in California underscores what could happen in other parts of the country as well, partly due to increased climate concerns.
    Last year, 27 different natural disasters, from wildfires to winter storms, cost $1 billion each, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration found.
    Nearly half of all homes in the U.S. are now at risk of severe or extreme damage from environmental threats, according to a separate Realtor.com report.

    Annual premiums are heading higher

    In part because of escalating weather-related risks, home insurance rates jumped 33.8% between 2018 and 2023, rising 11.3% in 2023 alone, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence.
    A working paper published by the National Bureau of Economic Research found an even sharper 33% increase in average premiums just between 2020 and 2023 and that climate-exposed households will face $700 higher annual premiums by 2053.

    The national average cost of home insurance is now $2,181 a year, on average, for a policy with a $300,000 dwelling limit, or about $182 per month, according to Bankrate.
    What each homeowner pays depends on the home as well as the city, state and proximity to areas prone to floods, earthquakes or wildfires, among other factors, experts say.
    But generally, all of those factors have caused costs to go up across the board, including the impact of extreme weather and the rising costs of repairing or rebuilding.

    Rising repair costs also play a role

    Especially since the pandemic, the cost of rebuilding has risen significantly and continues to increase.
    “That same home that might have cost $166 a square foot to rebuild now costs easily $300, and that’s if you are not doing a lot of frills,” Barrett said.
    “When people renew their insurance policies, they might just renew the same maximum payout,” said NerdWallet’s Lewis. “A lot of homeowners are not even thinking about that.”
    But because repairing damaged homes has become much more expensive, that can cause homeowners to be underinsured, leaving them vulnerable to substantial losses. 

    Homeowners are likely underinsured

    Lewis advises homeowners to get an updated estimate on how much would it cost to rebuild if the home was destroyed in a fire or other natural disaster by asking an insurance agent or local contractor.
    “You want to be insured for that amount,” he explained.

    You also want to have the right kinds of coverage.
    For example, a recent report by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau found that hundreds of thousands of homeowners are likely underinsured against the risk of flooding. Since homeowners and renters insurance policies don’t cover flood damage, that requires a separate flood insurance policy.
    According to the consumer watchdog, the flood risk exposure of the mortgage market “is more extensive and more geographically dispersed than previously understood.”
    Homeowners near inland streams and rivers, specifically, were less likely to have flood insurance or other financial resources to draw on to recover from a flood and “are most at risk of suffering catastrophic loss.” The report was based on a sample of mortgage applications from 2018-2022.
    “I encourage people every year, when you get your renewal notice, look at that rebuilding amount and ask a contractor the average cost per square foot to rebuild,” Ruiz said. “People didn’t to pay much attention to their insurance but it’s important to understand if you need more or less — most people need more.”
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    A Trump meme coin ETF is already in the works

    A cartoon image of US President-elect Donald Trump with cryptocurrency tokens, depicted in front of the White House to mark his inauguration, displayed at a Coinhero store in Hong Kong, China, on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025.
    Paul Yeung | Bloomberg | Getty Images

    A new securities filing Tuesday revealed that an ETF issuer is already rushing to launch a fund to track the new Trump crypto token.
    The proposed fund is called the Rex-Osprey Trump ETF. The fund could gain exposure to the Trump token at least in part through a Cayman Islands subsidiary, according to the document. The filing does not have a ticker or fee listed.

    The type of filing and the preliminary details included suggest that the fund would be legally different from how the popular bitcoin ETFs operate. That could help the fund launch more quickly, but it could also increase the likelihood that regulators reject the proposal.
    The filing Tuesday comes on the first business day after last Friday’s launch of Trump coin, which is built on the Solana platform. The token has been highly volatile but appears to be worth billions of dollars of notional value to the Trump family.
    The website for the token, shared by Trump himself on social media, said that Trump coin is intended to be “an express of support” and not “an investment opportunity.”
    The proposed Rex-Osprey Trump ETF is one of a flurry of new crypto ETF filings in recent days. The same fund series documents for the Trump ETF also listed proposals for funds following the two majors crypto coins — bitcoin and ether — and secondary coins solana and XRP, as well as meme coins bonk and doge.
    Proposals for several other funds came late Friday, including the multi-token CoinShares Digital Asset ETF and a series of leveraged and inverse XRP funds from ProShares.

    The crypto ETFs currently market in the U.S. track just bitcoin and ether or the futures contracts for those tokens. Crypto products were viewed skeptically by former Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Gary Gensler, but both the ETF and crypto industry expect that a wider scope of funds could launch under the Trump administration.
    Acting SEC Chair Mark Uyeda announced Tuesday that the SEC has launched a “crypto task force” to help develop a clearer regulatory framework around digital assets. More

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    This student loan relief may be most at risk under the Trump administration, experts say

    With President Donald Trump back in the White House and Republicans in control of Congress, a number of student loan programs face uncertainty.
    Trump is a vocal critic of education debt forgiveness policies.
    Meanwhile, House Budget Committee Republicans are exploring options for limiting eligibility for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program and axing a popular tax break for borrowers.

    US President Donald Trump holds up outgoing President Joe Biden’s letter as he signs executive orders in the Oval Office of the WHite House in Washington, DC, on Jan. 20, 2025.
    Jim Watson | AFP | Getty Images

    With President Donald Trump back in the White House and Republicans in control of Congress, experts worry that a number of student loan programs may now be in jeopardy.
    At-risk programs include the U.S. Department of Education’s new repayment option for borrowers — called the Saving on a Valuable Education, or SAVE, plan — and the Biden administration’s more lenient bankruptcy policy.

    Meanwhile, House Budget Committee Republicans are floating proposals that would reduce or eliminate more student loan programs, including the Biden administration-era rules that made it easier for borrowers to get debt relief when they’re defrauded by their schools, Politico reported last week.
    Consumer advocates are worried for borrowers based on Trump’s comments about student loan relief on the campaign trail. At one rally, he called the Biden administration’s debt forgiveness efforts “vile” and “not even legal.”
    The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
    More than 40 million Americans carry federal student loans, and the outstanding debt exceeds $1.6 trillion, according to higher education expert Mark Kantrowitz.
    Here are the programs experts think are most at risk under the Trump administration.

    SAVE plan

    When SAVE launched in 2023, the Biden administration called its new repayment plan for federal student loan borrowers “the most affordable student loan plan ever.” SAVE cut many borrowers’ monthly bills in half and shortened the timeline to loan forgiveness for those with smaller balances.
    It quickly proved popular. To that point, around 8 million borrowers signed up for the new income-driven repayment, or IDR, plan, the White House had said.
    But the plan also quickly ran into legal troubles.
    Republican attorneys general in Kansas and Missouri, who led the legal challenges against SAVE, argued that President Joe Biden was essentially trying to find a roundabout way to forgive student debt after the Supreme Court blocked its sweeping debt cancellation plan in June 2023. Due to those legal actions, the plan has been on hold since last year.
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    The plan is unlikely to survive a second Trump term, Kantrowitz said.
    “There are several methods the Trump administration could use to kill the SAVE repayment plan,” he said. “They could abandon the defense of the repayment plan in the pending lawsuits.”
    “They could issue new regulations to revoke the repayment plan,” or Congress could pass a law to do away with the plan, Kantrowitz added.
    Currently, SAVE enrollees are excused from making payments while the plan is tied up in the courts. That reprieve may soon end, too, experts said.

    Bankruptcy protections

    For decades, student loan borrowers found it next to impossible to walk away from their federal student debt in bankruptcy. The Biden administration changed that.
    In the fall of 2022, the Department of Education and the Department of Justice jointly released updated bankruptcy guidelines to make the bankruptcy process for student loan borrowers less arduous. The Biden administration’s updated policy treated student loans like other types of debt in bankruptcy court, experts said.
    Trump is likely to rescind that guidance, Kantrowitz said.
    “There may be more of a scorched earth approach to opposing all attempts to discharge federal student loans in bankruptcy,” he said.

    However, Malissa Giles, a consumer bankruptcy attorney in Virginia, said she was hopeful that the guidance will remain in place.
    Still, her concern is that many jurisdictions will have new assistant U.S. attorneys, “and we may see a shift in the approach based on changing politics and pressures of more Republican-aligned U.S. attorneys.”
    For now, Giles said she was being more conservative in what student loan bankruptcy cases she took on.

    Other student loan aid at risk

    Among the recent ideas floated by House Budget Committee Republicans is the partial repeal of the Biden administration’s Borrower Defense regulations, which made it easier for borrowers to get their debt excused when their school engaged in misconduct.
    The GOP members are also reviewing reforms to Public Service Loan Forgiveness, including the possibility of “limiting eligibility for the program,” according to the document obtained by Politico.
    They’re also considering eliminating the student loan interest deduction. That tax break allows qualifying borrowers to deduct up to $2,500 a year in interest paid on eligible private or federal education debt. Before the Covid pandemic, nearly 13 million taxpayers took advantage of the deduction, according to Kantrowitz.

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    This free tax filing option is ‘fast and simple,’ IRS says. Here’s who can use it

    Roughly 70% of taxpayers qualify for IRS Free File, but only a fraction of eligible filers use the software.
    For the 2025 season, you can use IRS Free File if your adjusted gross income, or AGI, was $84,000 or less in 2024.
    “It’s not just for simple returns,” said Tim Hugo, executive director of the Free File Alliance.

    Rockaa | E+ | Getty Images

    How to qualify for IRS Free File

    For the 2025 season, you can use IRS Free File if your adjusted gross income, or AGI, was $84,000 or less in 2024.
    You calculate AGI by subtracting certain tax breaks from your total, or gross income. The figure will be line 11 on the front page of your 2024 tax return.  
    While there are guided Free File options for anyone who made $84,000 or less for 2024, each partner has different eligibility, depending on your age, income, state residency and military status.

    Some partners also offer free state tax returns, Hugo said. You can browse all eight partners here.   
    The program also offers Free Fillable Forms, which is the electronic version of a paper-filed return, for taxpayers at all income levels.  

    Free File ‘not just for simple returns’

    Roughly 70% of taxpayers qualify for IRS Free File, but only a fraction of eligible filers use the software, according to Tim Hugo, executive director of the Free File Alliance.
    “It’s not just for simple returns,” he said. 
    There are eight software partners for 2024 filings and each must accept the most commonly used tax forms and schedules, Hugo explained.
    Some of these include Schedule A for itemized deductions, Schedules B and D for investment earnings and Schedule C for self-employed filers, among others.  

    The program opened on Jan. 10 and taxpayers can e-file returns prepared through Free File partners starting on Jan. 27, according to the IRS.  

    Free File remains a ‘valuable resource’

    During the 2024 season, Free File processed 2.9 million returns through May 11, a 7.3% jump compared to the same period in 2023, according to the IRS.
    “This program continues to be a valuable resource for eligible individuals looking to file their taxes for free through this unique program,” Werfel said. 
    Although the agency launched Direct File, its own free tax filing service, the IRS in May announced an extension of the Free File program through 2029.
    “It’s kind of like a hidden gem in the forest,” said Hugo. “We just need more people to know about it.” More

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    5 cities with the lowest ‘barrier to homeownership’ — where saving a 20% down payment takes less than 4 years

    Detroit is the city with the lowest “barrier to homeownership,” according to a new RealtyHop report.
    Would-be buyers in Detroit can come up with a 20% down payment in just 2.53 years, according to the findings.
    In pricier metros such as New York City, homebuyers might need to save for at least a decade. 

    Cofotoisme | E+ | Getty Images

    How long it takes you to save for a 20% down payment on a home depends in part on where you live. 
    In a pricey area such as New York City, it could take the typical buyer roughly 10.85 years to save $173,000, which is 20% of the median list price of $865,000 for a home, according to a report by RealtyHop, a real estate investment agency.

    RealtyHop measured the “barrier to homeownership” for the top 100 U.S. cities by population. The analysis is based on median list price using more than 1.5 million residential listings, as well as median household income data from the U.S. Census Bureau. It assumes a household saves 20% of its annual gross income and intends to make a 20% down payment.
    More from Personal Finance:Here’s the inflation breakdown for December 2024 — in one chartWorried about Social Security’s future? What to consider before claiming benefitsHere’s who qualifies for Biden’s $4.2 billion in student loan forgiveness
    In each of the five cities with the lowest barrier to homeownership, the savings timeline is less than four years.
    Detroit has the lowest barrier to homeownership, the report found. 
    In Detroit, potential homebuyers who earn about $39,575 — the median household income in the area — need just 2.53 years to come up with a 20% down payment on a home purchase, the report found. That amounts to $20,000 for a home priced at $100,000.

    Cleveland, Ohio, is the runner-up: A potential buyer in the area needs 3.55 years to save $27,800, or 20% of a home that costs $139,000, the median listing price in the area.
    Rounding out the top five are Baltimore; Buffalo, New York; and Pittsburgh.

    Even in cheap cities, there can be savings roadblocks

    Big expenses can derail your down payment savings timeline, even in a city where homes are less expensive.
    A separate report by Zoocasa, a Canada-based real estate website and brokerage, found that homebuyers with children on average take longer to come up with a 20% down payment versus buyers without children because of expenses such as child care costs.
    Potential homebuyers with children in Detroit, for example, need roughly 20.3 years to save for a 20% down payment from scratch, according to Zoocasa. Meanwhile, homebuyers without children in the area need about 4.2 years to come up with a 20% down payment if they’re starting off without prior savings, the report found.
    Rising home prices can represent another challenge, said Jacob Channel, an economist at LendingTree.
    “The more expensive real estate is where you want to live, the more you’ll probably want to save for a down payment,” Channel said.
    The median list price for homes in Los Angeles, for example, is about $1.13 million, RealtyHop found. LA tops the list of five cities with the biggest barriers to homeownership, followed by Irvine, California; Miami; New York City; and Anaheim, California.
    Even the cheapest real estate price on the “high barrier” list — No. 3, Miami — is $699,000, nearly three times pricier than the most expensive city on the “low barrier” list, Pittsburgh.
    If a typical household in LA aimed for a 20% down payment, they would need to save $1,339 a month for roughly 14.10 years, the report found.

    Why you might not need to put 20% down

    In many cases, a 20% down payment is not required for you to buy a home.
    In the third quarter of 2024, the average down payment was 14.5% and the median amount was $30,300, according to Realtor.com data. That’s down from 14.9% and $32,700 in the second quarter of 2024, the site found.
    Some mortgages require much smaller down payments. For instance, the Department of Veterans Affairs offers VA loan programs; those who qualify can put down as little as 0%. Mortgages from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, referred to as USDA loans, aim to help buyers purchase homes in rural areas and also offer 0% down payment options. 
    Federal Housing Administration loans, or FHA loans, can require as little as 3.5% down for qualifying borrowers, which include first-time buyers, low- and moderate-income buyers, and buyers from minority groups. 

    The benefit of a smaller down payment is that you can become a homeowner faster, and with less saved up, experts say. 
    But if you decide to buy a home with less cash upfront, you’ll likely end up with higher monthly mortgage payments. 
    “If you put less money toward a down payment, you’re going to end up with a larger loan,” Channel said.
    Additionally, private mortgage insurance is usually added on to the monthly cost when the buyer puts less than 20% down on the home, he said.
    PMI can cost anywhere from 0.5% to 1.5% of the loan amount per year, depending on factors such as your credit score and your total down payment, according to The Mortgage Reports. For example, on a loan for $300,000, mortgage insurance premiums could cost from $1,500 to $4,500 a year, or $125 to $375 a month, the site found.
    “That’s another kind of payment that might be bundled in with your mortgage that further increases your housing costs,” Channel said. 

    How to come up with your own savings timeline

    Where you want to live long-term and what your financial circumstances are can help you figure out your own down payment savings timeline, according to Melissa Cohn, regional vice president at William Raveis Mortgage.
    First, you need to have a good household budget — understand how much money you make, the amount you typically spend and what you’re able to save in a given month, said Cohn. 
    “Can you cut back on how much you spend? Can you increase your savings? … Can you save your bonuses every year?” she said. 

    Then, find out what a house in your desired location typically costs. “It would be important for a buyer to go out and get an understanding of what price point would work for them,” Cohn said. 
    You also have to save for closing costs, which can vary substantially from place to place, Cohn said.
    Average closing costs can range from roughly 2% to 6% of the loan amount, according to NerdWallet. So a $300,000 mortgage could require from $6,000 to $18,000 in closing costs on top of the down payment, it said.
    To figure out what closing costs typically amount to in your desired area, ask a mortgage broker or a real estate agent, she said. 
    Overall, you want to set realistic goals for yourself and take the time you need to get there. 
    “Go as slow or as quickly as you need to,” LendingTree’s Channel said. “Ensure that you’re making good choices.” More

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    Here are the top 10 U.S. stock analysts, according to TipRanks

    Jakub Porzycki | Nurphoto | Getty Images

    The year 2024 was quite an eventful one for the U.S. stock market, with the S&P 500 Index gaining more than 20% for the second consecutive year.
    Several factors, including elevated inflation and interest rates, geopolitical tensions, the U.S. presidential elections, and the generative artificial intelligence (AI) boom influenced investor sentiment.

    Amid this backdrop, many analysts gave market-beating recommendations. Using TipRanks’ Experts Center Tool, we identified the top 10 U.S. analysts with a high success rate.
    TipRanks helps identify top analysts by ranking them based on success rate, average return, and number of recommendations. The rankings reflect analysts’ ability to outperform their peers with their expertise and stock selection.
    Now, let’s take a look at the top 10 U.S. analysts, whose ratings issued over a one-year timeframe spanning October 2023 to September 2024, were the most successful.
    #1. Gerard Cassidy – RBC Capital
    RBC Capital analyst Gerard Cassidy tops the list with an impressive success rate of 88% (based on 91 good ratings out of a total of 103 recommendations) and an average return of 11.5%. Interestingly, his most profitable rating has been on Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB), a financial services company that offers banking, insurance, and wealth management solutions. His buy recommendation on FITB stock during Oct. 19, 2023 to Jan. 19, 2024, generated a return of 38.6%.

    #2. Chris Kotowski – Oppenheimer
    Earning the second position is Oppenheimer’s Chris Kotowski. The analyst’s ratings yielded an average return of 14%, with a success rate of 88% based on 84 good ratings out of a total of 95 recommendations. His most remarkable rating during the assessment period has been on Carlyle Group (CG), an investment firm that operates through private equity, credit, and investment solutions segments. Kotowski’s buy recommendation on CG stock during the period spanning Aug. 6, 2024 to Nov. 6, 2024, generated a return of 38.8%.
    #3. Ebrahim Poonawala – Bank of America Securities
    Ebrahim Poonawala from Bank of America secures the third spot based on an overall success rate of 82% and an average return of 10.2%. His best recommendation has been on Western Alliance Bancorporation (WAL), a bank holding company that offers banking solutions through its primary subsidiary, Western Alliance Bank. The analyst’s buy rating on WAL stock generated a return of 55.1% during Oct. 20, 2023 to Jan. 20, 2024.  
    #4. Mark Palmer – Benchmark Co.
    Benchmark analyst Mark Palmer ranks fourth on the list, with a success rate of 75% and an average return of 23.3%. Palmer’s top recommendation is Bitdeer Technologies Group (BTDR), a technology company engaged in blockchain and high-performance computing. The analyst generated an impressive profit of 212.4% through his Buy rating on BTDR stock from Sept. 25, 2024 to Dec. 25, 2024.
    #5. Mark Mahaney – Evercore ISI
    Evercore’s Mark Mahaney occupies the fifth place on the list. The analyst has an 80% overall success rate and a 14% average return per rating. The analyst’s best recommendation during the assessment period has been on social media platform Meta Platforms (META). Mahaney’s buy recommendation on META stock delivered a 27.5% return between July 29, 2024 and Oct. 29, 2024.
    #6. Brent Thielman – D.A.Davidson
    Brent Thielman from D.A. Davidson ranks sixth on the list. He achieved a success rate of 79% and an average return of 13.3%. Notably, Thielman’s most profitable rating during the observed one-year period was a buy on Bowman Consulting Group (BWMN), a consulting company that offers a range of real estate, energy, infrastructure, and environmental management solutions. His bullish rating on BWMN stock yielded a return of 24.4% from Nov. 8, 2023 to Feb. 8, 2024.
    #7. Christopher Allen – Citi
    Citi analyst Christopher Allen holds the seventh position. In the one-year period through September 2024, Allen generated an average return of 13.8% with an 85% success rate. His best recommendation was on Apollo Global Management (APO), an investment management company focused on alternative investments. Allen generated an impressive return of 64.8% from the buy rating on APO stock from Sept. 11, 2024 to Dec. 11, 2024.
    #8. Daniel Fannon – Jefferies
    Jefferies analyst Daniel Fannon is eighth on the list. Fannon witnessed an 85% success rate and an average return of 11.1%. Fannon’s best rating was on alternative asset management company Blackstone Group (BX). His buy rating on the stock between Aug. 13, 2024 and Nov. 13, 2024, generated a 36.8% return.
    #9. Mike Mayo – Wells Fargo
    Mike Mayo from Wells Fargo is placed at the ninth position in the list. He has an 80% success rate and an average return of 8.2%. Mayo’s most profitable recommendation was on Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB). His recommendation on FITB stock generated a return of 38.6% during the period spanning Oct. 19, 2023 to Jan. 19, 2024.
    #10. Michael Grondahl – Northland Securities
    Finally, Northland Securities analyst Michael Grondahl takes the tenth position with a 70% overall success rate and an average return of 23.4%. His most profitable rating was a buy on Stryve Foods (SNAX), an air-dried meat snack company. Grondahl generated a massive return of 305.10% on his buy rating on SNAX stock during May 15, 2024 to Aug. 15, 2024.
    Ending thoughts
    Despite macro challenges and geopolitical tensions, these top analysts delivered attractive returns on their stock picks. By following top analysts’ ratings, investors can potentially enhance their portfolio returns and gain from the expertise of the Wall Street pros. More

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    What to expect from travel prices in 2025 — and which destinations have the best vacation bargains

    About 51% of Americans say flight cost will determine their destination choices this year, according to Skyscanner.
    International airfare costs about 4% less in 2025 from last year, according to Kayak data. Domestic flights are 3% pricier.
    Travel to the Asia-Pacific region is shaping up to be a bargain, experts said.

    Osaka, Japan.
    Jiale Tan | Moment | Getty Images

    The new year has many travelers thinking ahead to 2025 vacation plans — and how much those trips may cost.
    About half — 51% — of Americans say flight cost will determine their destination choices this year, according to Skyscanner. And 50% said hotel costs are a factor.

    The average person has paid more for travel of late: Airline fares were up 8% in December, on an annual basis, and hotel costs had increased 2%, according to the consumer price index.
    But travelers can still find deals, experts said.
    They may find the best bargains by going abroad in 2025 — especially by visiting the Asia-Pacific region, experts said.

    Airfare for international trips is down 4% this year compared with 2024, according to a recent Kayak analysis. About two-thirds of all flight searches for travel in 2025 are for international flights, it found.
    Conversely, airfare for U.S. flights in 2025 is up 3% from last year, Kayak said.

    Kayak’s analysis examined its internal search data between May 1 and Oct. 31, 2024, for travel in 2025.
    Domestic fares in January are about 12% higher relative to the same month last year, according to Hopper, a travel site. They’re expected to stay above 2023 and 2024 levels until at least halfway through the year.
    “Overall, it’s going to be a more expensive year than last year” for domestic travel, said Hayley Berg, lead economist at Hopper.
    Largely, that’s because flying domestically in 2024 was cheap, as airlines “flooded the market” with seat inventory, Berg said.
    More from Personal Finance:Why Americans traveling to Europe may find bargains in 2025Demand for international trips drives ‘travel momentum’Here are 4 big ways to save on your next trip
    “Prices this year are very similar to prices in 2023,” she said. “And 2024 really threw us for a loop in how low they got.”
    Meanwhile, long-haul fares to Europe, South America, Oceania and Asia are flat or lower to start the year, Berg said.
    Of course, a trip abroad is likely to be more costly on a dollar basis than one closer to home: The average round-trip U.S. flight cost about $300 in January, versus $685 to South America, $750 to Europe and about $1,100 to Asia, according to Hopper.
    Average hotel rates abroad and in the U.S. are similar to 2024, according to Kayak.
    Rental cars are 8% and 4% more expensive for international and domestic rates, respectively, it said.

    Why Asia is ‘the best bargain’

    Sapporo, Japan.
    Sergio Formoso | Moment | Getty Images

    Price largely depends on when people book and plan to travel.
    For example, travel to Asia is the cheapest it’s been in three years, Kayak found. Average airfare to the continent is down 7% year over year, it said.
    “Asia continues year over year to look like the best bargain,” Berg said.
    Even some places that are red-hot with interest from travelers — including Sapporo and Osaka, Japan — are shaping up to be cheaper.
    Search interest in Sapporo, for example, is up 31% year over year, but average airfare is down 19%, to $1,230, according to Kayak. Fares to Osaka, Japan’s “gastronomic capital,” are down 14% to $1,233, it said.
    Tokyo is the most-searched international destination of 2025, it said.
    Hotel room rates advertised in Asia-Pacific are expected to be 11% lower in the first half of 2025 relative to the same period of 2024, according to Lighthouse, a hospitality market research firm.

    A ‘new market equilibrium’ for airfare

    Daniel Garrido | Moment | Getty Images

    Airfare to Asia-Pacific destinations is pulling back from high levels following the Covid-19 pandemic, Berg said.
    Asian nations were generally slower to reopen their borders and drop Covid restrictions relative to other countries. Now, airlines are adding flight routes, boosting supply and lowering seat prices, Berg said.
    “We have to see what the new market equilibrium will be,” Berg said.
    Jet fuel prices — a major input cost for airlines — were down 11% in January from last year, Hopper said.
    Like Asia, travel to the Caribbean is also the cheapest in three years, with airfare down 17% compared with 2024, according to Kayak.

    Hotel deals more likely for off-season travel

    Globally, hotel prices will vary widely, and established locales such as Paris, London, and parts of Asia such as Tokyo and Bangkok, Thailand, are “expected to reflect strong demand,” Melanie Fish, vice president of global public relations for Expedia Group, wrote in an e-mail.
    “Meanwhile, emerging destinations or less-crowded spots may offer lower rates,” she said.
    Hotel deals are “more likely” in off-peak seasons than peak periods such as spring break, summer or the holidays, particularly in areas with consistently high demand, Fish said.
    Another factor helping travelers’ wallets abroad: the strength of the U.S. dollar versus many international currencies, she said.
    Argentina, Japan, Mexico, Brazil and Hungary are among the top destinations where the dollar can stretch furthest, “making activities, dining and accommodations more budget-friendly,” Fish said.

    Tips for saving money on travel in 2025

    Colton Stiffler | Moment | Getty Images

    There are some ways consumers can reliably save money on travel expenses.
    1. Flexibility is ‘key’
    “Flexibility is really the key to saving on travel,” Berg said.
    This applies to many aspects of travel, including destination, the time of year you visit that locale and the days of the week you travel, experts said.
    For example, it’s generally cheaper to fly midweek. Hotel stays have a similar dynamic. The bottom line: Weekends are probably pricier.
    “Adjusting your [hotel] stay to midweek instead of weekends or traveling during the off-season can lead to substantial savings,” Sally French, a travel expert at NerdWallet, wrote in an e-mail.
    Seasonality has a “huge effect” on flight costs, Fish said.

    A bucket-list trip to Europe in August will be expensive and crowded, but traveling in September or October can save you 30%, Berg said. Visit a city instead of taking a beach trip during spring break, or wait until fall to head to Europe, Fish recommended.
    Experts also recommend travel “dupes,” a less-trodden but similar alternative to a popular destination.
    Also be open to alternative airports, French said.
    “Many cities are served by multiple airports,” she said. “Rather than fly into, say San Francisco International Airport, consider flying into Oakland International Airport, which is a similar distance to most parts of the city for a trip to San Francisco.”
    2. Book at the right time
    Domestic flights are often cheaper when bought about one to three months ahead, French said. International travelers should book two to eight months in advance.
    Last-minute airfare deals are rare, so book in advance for maximum availability and generally lower prices, she said.
    The logic isn’t always the same for hotels: Travelers can sometimes find last-minute deals on room rates in certain markets, Fish said.
    3. Book directly with your hotel
    Many hotels offer price-match guarantees or loyalty member discounts that aren’t available on third-party booking sites, French said.
    “Third-party booking sites can be great to browse and compare hotels against each other on that site, but once you’ve narrowed down the hotel you want to book, check its price elsewhere (including the direct hotel website, or even bank travel portals),” she wrote in an e-mail.
    4. Set flight alerts
    Use tools such as Google Flights or Hopper to monitor prices and snag deals when fares drop, French said. More