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Financial Planning News 25 December 2025 - 5 February 2026

IRS warns tax filers: Set up an online account now — and Trump’s bigger SALT break could change refunds

IRS warns tax filers: Set up an online account now — and Trump’s bigger SALT break could change refunds

The IRS is urging taxpayers to create Individual Online Accounts to reduce identity theft and speed up access to tax records and refunds. Most 2025 federal tax returns are due April 15. The SALT deduction cap rises to $40,000 for 2025, up from $10,000. The One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act, signed July 4, 2025, changes credits and deductions for this filing season.
5 February 2026
Mortgage rates today hover near 6% after Fed pause — what homebuyers watch next

Mortgage rates today hover near 6% after Fed pause — what homebuyers watch next

U.S. 30-year fixed mortgage rates hovered near 6% Thursday, with Zillow reporting 5.99% and Mortgage News Daily at 6.16%. The Mortgage Bankers Association said applications dropped 8.5% last week, while the average contract rate rose to 6.24%, the highest in three weeks. The Fed held its policy rate steady Wednesday, and the 10-year Treasury yield closed at 4.26%.
29 January 2026
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BlackRock’s 2026 playbook: AI still leads, but cash income fades and diversification returns

BlackRock’s 2026 playbook: AI still leads, but cash income fades and diversification returns

NEW YORK, Jan 11, 2026, 04:17 EST BlackRock sees the AI-driven bull market stretching into 2026 but advises moving away from broad “AI-only” plays toward more targeted investments and reliable income streams, according to recent media comments. Kristy Akullian, head of iShares investment strategy for the Americas at BlackRock, told Yahoo Finance on Jan. 9 that AI is “no longer the only game in town.” The message comes as investors begin the year holding significant cash reserves, just as policy rates decline. In a Jan. 7 outlook, BlackRock pointed out that money-market yields are already dropping and flagged this as
11 January 2026
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Bigger IRS tax refunds in 2026? The key deadlines and paper-check change to know now

Bigger IRS tax refunds in 2026? The key deadlines and paper-check change to know now

WASHINGTON, Jan 7, 2026, 07:22 EST The U.S. Internal Revenue Service is urging taxpayers to prepare early for the 2026 tax season, pointing to new tax-law changes that may lift some refunds and a push toward electronic payments as paper refund checks are phased out. IRS Why it matters now: the filing season for 2025 returns is weeks away, and refund size and timing will shape household cash flow at a moment when many workers are still learning the rules tied to new deductions and credits. The House Ways and Means Committee has cited a Piper Sandler analysis projecting refunds
7 January 2026
Mortgage rates today: 30-year fixed holds near 6.25% as Treasury yields firm ahead of jobs report

Mortgage rates today: 30-year fixed holds near 6.25% as Treasury yields firm ahead of jobs report

New York, January 6, 2026, 05:55 EST — Premarket The average rate on a 30-year fixed U.S. mortgage held at 6.25% early Tuesday, Bankrate said, as Treasury yields nudged higher in premarket trading. Mortgage News Daily’s daily index was 6.19% on Monday, down 1 basis point (0.01 percentage point). Bankrate+1 The steady read keeps borrowing costs above 6% heading into the year’s first wave of home-shopping, with demand still sensitive to small shifts in monthly payments. For lenders and brokers, the question is whether rates can drift lower without a sharp slowdown in the economy. Bankrate+1 Mortgage rates often follow moves in
6 January 2026
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Premium Bonds January 2026 draw date is set — here’s when NS&I results drop and why savers are rethinking

Premium Bonds January 2026 draw date is set — here’s when NS&I results drop and why savers are rethinking

NEW YORK, December 31, 2025, 05:36 ET National Savings & Investments will publish the next Premium Bonds draw results on Jan. 3, after the draw is held on Jan. 2, the state-backed savings provider said on its prize checker. In the December draw, NS&I said its prize fund topped 403 million pounds and paid more than 6.1 million prizes, including two 1 million pound jackpots. NS&I The timetable matters to a mass market. More than 24 million people take part in the government-backed scheme and have over 127 billion pounds in it, The Independent reported. The Independent It also lands
31 December 2025
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PAN-Aadhaar deadline hits Dec. 31: What to do now to avoid an “inoperative” PAN

PAN-Aadhaar deadline hits Dec. 31: What to do now to avoid an “inoperative” PAN

NEW YORK, December 30, 2025, 00:58 ET India’s Income Tax Department is pressing taxpayers to complete the mandatory linking of Permanent Account Number (PAN) cards with Aadhaar identity numbers before a Dec. 31 deadline, warning that an unlinked PAN can turn “inoperative” for key uses. Hindustan Times+1 The timing matters because PAN — a tax identification number used widely across India’s financial system — is needed for filing income-tax returns and for many banking and investment transactions. The government’s own guidance says refunds can also be held up when a PAN is inoperative. Income Tax Department+1 A government notification issued
30 December 2025
Fitell stock pops after $0.10 dividend, loyalty payout plan puts record dates in focus

Fitell stock pops after $0.10 dividend, loyalty payout plan puts record dates in focus

NEW YORK, December 28, 2025, 23:30 ET — Market closed Fitell Corp shares ended Friday’s session up 7.34% at $0.7299. The stock was last quoted at $0.9307 in after-hours trading, according to StockAnalysis.com data. StockAnalysis The move put a spotlight on a tight calendar of corporate-action dates that start this week, after the microcap company announced a cash dividend and a shareholder loyalty payment program on Friday. GlobeNewswire The timing matters because Fitell set Dec. 29 as the record date for its loyalty program, while the company said Dec. 30 is the ex-dividend date for the interim dividend. GlobeNewswire+1 Fitell
29 December 2025
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Premium Bonds vs Savings Accounts in 2026: When NS&I Premium Bonds Make Sense — and When They Don’t

Premium Bonds vs Savings Accounts in 2026: When NS&I Premium Bonds Make Sense — and When They Don’t

Premium Bonds have long been one of Britain’s most beloved ways to save: no risk to your capital, a monthly “thrill” of a prize draw, and the chance—however remote—of a £1 million jackpot. But after a series of prize-rate reductions and with top easy-access savings accounts still paying around 4.5% in late 2025, the obvious question for UK savers is whether Premium Bonds are still a smart home for cash. MoneySavingExpert.com+2MoneyWeek+2 That question has also been at the centre of a recent debate in the UK press, including The Economist’s look at how “rational” the country’s soft spot for Premium
27 December 2025
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Allstate Homeowners Insurance Rate Hike in Illinois: What the 2026 Increase Means After State Farm’s 27% Jump

Allstate Homeowners Insurance Rate Hike in Illinois: What the 2026 Increase Means After State Farm’s 27% Jump

CHICAGO — Illinois homeowners are heading into 2026 with another major cost increase on the horizon: Allstate has filed to raise homeowners insurance rates statewide, following State Farm’s headline-making hike earlier this year. The back-to-back moves are intensifying a political fight in Springfield over how (and whether) Illinois should regulate home insurance prices, while consumer advocates warn affordability is eroding for hundreds of thousands of families who have little choice but to keep coverage to satisfy mortgage requirements. Chicago Sun-Times+1 What’s unfolding in Illinois mirrors a broader national trend—homeowners premiums have climbed sharply across much of the U.S.—but the state’s
27 December 2025
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January 2026 Pension Payment Dates: Why Some Retirees Will See “Late” Transfers in France—While Guinea’s CNSS Paid Early

January 2026 Pension Payment Dates: Why Some Retirees Will See “Late” Transfers in France—While Guinea’s CNSS Paid Early

As 2025 turns into 2026, pension payment timing is becoming a major talking point—especially for retirees planning budgets right after the holiday season. In France, New Year’s Day (Thursday, January 1, 2026) is a public holiday, and several pension funds do not process transfers on holidays or weekends. The result: some payments that people “expect” on the 1st will be initiated later, and the money may not appear in bank accounts until several days after that. JDN+2Agirc-Arrco+2 At the same time, in Guinea, the National Social Security Fund (CNSS) took the opposite approach—bringing forward January 2026 pension payments to Tuesday,
26 December 2025
PAN–Aadhaar Linking Deadline 2025: December 31 Cutoff, ITR Revision Window, NPS Scheme A Switch—Your Year‑End Action Guide (Updated Dec 25)

PAN–Aadhaar Linking Deadline 2025: December 31 Cutoff, ITR Revision Window, NPS Scheme A Switch—Your Year‑End Action Guide (Updated Dec 25)

New Delhi | December 25, 2025 — India’s year-end compliance calendar has turned into a high-stakes checklist for taxpayers and retirement savers. With just days left in 2025, three separate threads are converging: the PAN–Aadhaar linking deadline of December 31, 2025, the last date to file revised/belated income-tax returns for FY 2024–25 (AY 2025–26), and a National Pension System (NPS) Scheme A migration window that closes today (December 25). The Times of India What’s changed this week is the urgency — and the ripple effects. Fresh updates published on December 25 highlight rising refund anxiety (with tens of lakhs of
25 December 2025
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Stock Market Today

Meta stock faces an AI split: ad gains vs a $135 billion bill

Meta stock faces an AI split: ad gains vs a $135 billion bill

7 February 2026
Meta shares dropped 1.3% to $661.46 on Friday after the company projected 2026 capital spending of up to $135 billion, raising investor concerns over cash flow. Meta reported Q4 revenue of $59.89 billion, up 24% year-over-year, with ad impressions rising 18%. Analysts remain divided on whether AI-driven ad gains can offset the steep spending ramp.
IAG share price jumps toward a 52-week peak — what to watch before London reopens

IAG share price jumps toward a 52-week peak — what to watch before London reopens

7 February 2026
IAG shares rose 4.33% to 438.50 pence Friday, near their 52-week high, ahead of full-year results due later this month. The company reported 162,073,135 treasury shares and total voting rights of 4,565,128,012. Brent crude fell 2.2% Thursday to $67.93 a barrel. South Europe Ground Services logged 712,340 operations in 2025 and seeks approval to operate in Portugal.
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