Author: Michael Erst

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Hi, I’m Michael Erst, a finance writer dedicated to making money matters clear and accessible. I cover everything from investing and market trends to personal finance strategies and economic insights. My goal is to help you navigate the world of finance with confidence, whether you're managing your budget, exploring new investment opportunities, or keeping up with the latest financial news.

Tax season begins: New IRS tools aim to simplify filingTax season has officially begun, and the IRS started accepting returns on Monday.Fox – 32 ChicagoTax season has officially begun as of Monday and thanks to the launch of the IRS’s new, free Direct File service, more taxpayers than ever may be filing their own returns this year.For the 2023 tax season, the IRS processed 163,515,000 returns, resulting in an average refund of $3,170, a slight increase from the previous season’s average of $3,145.With inflation and skyrocketing prices hitting everything from grocery staples like eggs to other basics like gas, many Americans…

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The Mega Millions jackpot has risen to $59 million for Friday’s drawing after no one won the top prize on Tuesday night.If someone should match all six numbers in the Friday night drawing, they could choose a one-time cash payment of $26.6 million. The numbers are set to be drawn just after 11 p.m. ET and we’ll have the results below.The most recent big Mega Millions winner was a lucky lottery ticketholder in Arizona, who struck gold on Jan. 18, winning a $113 million jackpot.According to the lottery, only four tickets matched all six Mega Millions numbers in 2024 –…

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Jamie L. LaReau  |  Detroit Free PressGeneral Motors: History, innovation, and legacyLearn about the rich history and notable innovations of General Motors, from its founding in 1908 to its leadership in electric and autonomous vehicle technology.In its fourth-quarter and full-year results reported Tuesday, General Motors hinted at big bonus checks for salaried workers, record-setting profit-sharing checks for hourly workers and said it hit a milestone in making its electric vehicles “variable profit positive” — meaning the revenue from EVs now exceeds GM’s direct costs to make them.For this year, the automaker, which produces the Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac brands,…

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Switzerland’s highest court has convicted the commodities trading giant Trafigura and one of its senior executives of bribery over payments made by the firm to gain access to Angola’s lucrative oil market.In a landmark case, the court handed the company’s British former chief operating officer Mike Wainwright, who has also competed as a racing driver, a 32-month jail sentence and fined the company $148m (£119m). This is the first time an entire company has been charged by Switzerland’s highest court, and bribery convictions of senior staff are rare.Trafigura’s lawyers said the company and Wainwright intended to appeal against the verdict,…

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