Author: Money Mechanics

Four Biggest US Airlines Look Unlikely to Make Money Flying Passengers This Year 58 minutes ago It’s not looking good for any of the major U.S. airlines to actually make money flying passengers in 2025. United Airlines (UAL) reported third-quarter results after the bell yesterday, and through nine months of 2025, it has produced higher cost per available seat mile (CASM) than passenger revenue per available seat mile (PRASM). Like the other major U.S. carriers, United Airlines has higher expenses than passenger revenue per available seat mile. Justin Sullivan / Getty Images With PRASM of 16.00 cents but CASM of…

Buying a home is an emotional roller coaster. You learn a lot about yourself, your needs, and a whole lot more along the way. So, let’s set the scene.It was the summer of 2021. We were growing tired of renting, so we decided to try buying a home. However, there was a problem: Where we lived in Florida, we couldn’t get a shack for under $500k.Instead, we moved to the Midwest, where our money went quite a bit further. We bought a home built in 1985 that was a capsule in time. Thanks to my in-laws, we were able to…

Calls for the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates have been growing louder, and the central bank has now acted.On September 17, the Fed reduced its benchmark rate by a quarter of a percentage point, its first cut since December, citing concerns about a weakening labor market.This, among other recent economic developments, has sparked a debate about whether the Fed’s 2% inflation target is still appropriate. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Be a smarter, better informed investor. CLICK FOR FREE ISSUE Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on…

Editor’s note: This is part four of a four-part series exploring financial fact vs fiction. Each article examines five of the top 20 most common financial myths — from investments to retirement and Social Security to life insurance. Parts one, two and three — This Roth Conversion Myth Could Cost You, Why Your ‘Magic Number’ Isn’t Actually Magical and Why Inflation Is Lower, But Prices Are Not — covered the first 15.We’ve come to the fourth and final installment of our deep dive into the top 20 most common financial myths.Throughout this series, we’ve examined a wide variety of topics,…

Two-thirds of dog owners and 80% of cat owners said they took their pets on a flight at least once in the previous year, according to a recent survey from the American Pet Products Association (APPA). Nearly a third said they’d taken their pets with them on three or more trips in that time.The good news is that flying with your pet is relatively safe. Among all major airlines required to report animal losses, injuries or deaths to the Department of Transportation, there were just 13 incidents in 2024. With a total of 161,335 animals transported, that’s a less than…

If you’re interested in purchasing gold through gold mutual funds, we can’t say we’re surprised. The yellow precious metal is enjoying one of its greatest breakouts of the past century.After several attempts to make a sustained run above the $2,000-per-ounce mark over the years, it finally broke through in 2024, then sailed past the $3,000 mark earlier in 2025. More recently, it cleared the $4,000 price level.That’s roughly a doubler in less than two years’ time, and nothing generates more new-investment buzz than an all-time heater. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Be a smarter, better informed investor.…

Making a smart Medicare decision — especially during open enrollment — starts with knowing the basic components of the health care program. With four distinct parts, the system can feel complicated, but understanding what Part A (Hospital), Part B (Medical), Part C (Medicare Advantage), and Part D (Prescription Drugs) each cover is essential for choosing the right plan and managing your costs.Take this quick, 10-question quiz to test your foundational knowledge and ensure you are well-prepared to select the coverage that is best for your health and budget this year.And don’t worry if you miss an answer, you can follow…

When most people imagine financial freedom, they picture peace of mind. But for the ultra-rich, those with tens or hundreds of millions to their name, wealth doesn’t eliminate anxiety. It simply changes its shape.For this elite tier of investors and business owners, financial fear doesn’t come from credit card debt or inflation at the grocery store. It stems from systemic risks: sweeping policy changes, black swan events, family missteps and the delicate balancing act between visibility and discretion. These aren’t just idle worries. They’re the driving force behind complex trust structures, second passports, global asset diversification and an entire industry…

To help you understand what is going on in new technologies and the economy, our highly experienced Kiplinger Letter team will keep you abreast of the latest developments and forecasts (Get a free issue of The Kiplinger Letter or subscribe). You’ll get all the latest news first by subscribing, but we publish many (but not all) of our forecasts a few days afterward online. Here’s the latest…Economic growth seems to be holding up OK. But the labor market is another story. You could even say that we’re in a jobs recession, with hiring down sharply and nearing the point of…

Stay informed with free updatesSimply sign up to the Hedge funds myFT Digest — delivered directly to your inbox.Top traders at some of the biggest hedge funds are taking home almost a quarter of the profits they make for investors, according to a Goldman Sachs report, as the likes of Citadel and Millennium extend their hold over the industry. A war for talent between multi-manager hedge funds has pushed up pay in the industry, with firms luring traders with packages that can be worth more than $100mn. Goldman said that managers at the highest paying firms had this year secured…