The report contends that the lower rungs of the middle class shrank because more Americans got richer, with 31% of families classified as upper middle class in 2024.
One way is to increase income taxes. There's also the option for an annual or one-off wealth tax on everything someone has above a certain mark. A few governments want to tax extreme wealth to lower taxes on a stagnating middle class or to make up for social inequality.
"We are still in the early days of the so-called great wealth transfer," says the lawyer Pierre Valentin, the joint head of art law at Fieldfisher. "The wave started in the US with the sale of collections such as those of Sydell Miller, Mica Ertegun and more recently, Leonard Lauder. The wave is coming to Europe, for example with the auction of the collection of Pauline Karpidas [last] September. I expect that there will be many more of those 'white glove' sales in the next 10 to 15 years because younger collectors collect differently from their parents and grandparents."
It's that time of year again. Tax season is about to begin, and most Americans need to complete their 2025 filings by Wednesday, April 15. To avoid missing a deadline or paying a penalty, plan to check your local tax dates and income paperwork as soon as possible. Here's everything you need to know about taxes in the new year.
When it comes to tax season, it's always an annual reminder that where you live does determine how much of your paycheck actually stays in your pocket. While federal taxes apply equally across state lines, state and local taxes can vary, often dramatically, and for residents of the highest-taxed states, the difference can amount to thousands of dollars every year.
Tax filing season officially begins on Monday, January 26. If you missed the news last year, the IRS has ended its Direct File Service. My home state joined the program in 2025, and while it wasn't the only free option for filing taxes, I can attest it was absolutely the easiest -- especially if your tax situation goes beyond basic W-2 forms. (I was surprised to learn that fewer than 300,000 people used the service last year.)
A new year brings a new tax filing season. With many cash-strapped Americans worried about their finances, many can't wait to file their returns. The sooner you file, the sooner your chances of getting your refund, after all. But just when can you begin submitting your tax return to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)? That depends. Here's what you need to know about the 2026 tax filing season.
The age when you must start withdrawing from your 401(k) has shifted upward twice in recent years. What was once 72 became 73 in 2023, and will rise again to 75 in 2033 for younger savers. Each additional year of deferral allows your balance to compound tax-free longer, potentially adding tens of thousands in growth for workers with substantial savings.