Author: Money Mechanics

President Trump just made it a lot more expensive for companies to hire foreign workers through the H-1B program. The White House announced Friday that Trump signed a proclamation requiring employers to pay a hefty $100,000 fee for new H-1B visa applications, an enormous jump from the current $215 lottery registration fee. H-1B visas allow U.S. companies to hire foreign workers in fields that that typically require technical expertise like IT, engineering, mathematics, or medicine. The program is capped at 65,000 new visas annually, plus an additional 20,000 for foreign graduates with advanced degrees from U.S. universities. The visas are…

(BOE Report)– Citi analysts on Friday forecast Brent crude oil prices would fall to $60 per barrel by year-end and average $62 per barrel between the second and fourth quarters of 2026, citing OPEC+ production increases and China’s stockpiling. The bank revised its global liquids balance outlook after OPEC+ announced plans to unwind an additional 1.6 million barrels per day (mb/d) of voluntary cuts starting in October 2025. Citi said that could lead to stock builds of 1.1 mb/d in 2025 and 2.1 mb/d in 2026, adding slack to an already-loosening global supply. By end-2026, Citi estimates global liquids inventories…

 Can you describe how Grain enables producers, investors, and equipment suppliers to grow and deploy waste-to-value projects?Grain Ecosystem is a digital platform that enables producers, investors, and equipment suppliers to move projects from concept to operation with confidence. For producers, such as sugar mills, lumber operations, dairies, manure and bedding managers, nutshell processors, and forestry health programs, focused on wildfire reduction, we map organic and cellulosic waste streams and size the right technology so those streams can be converted into bankable assets like biochar, renewable electricity, wood vinegar, and carbon credits. For investors, we defend project economics by standardizing diligence,…

Key Takeaways Reports describing potential terms of Paramount Skydance’s possible bid for Warner Bros. Discovery helped drive gains for both stocks.Apple shares advanced as the iPhone 17 went on sale around the world, with reports of strong demand. DexCom shares declined after a report of alleged accounting issues and problems with the company’s glucose monitoring device. The buzz reheated Friday around a possible media mega-merger, helping lift shares of the companies involved, while a report from a short seller sent shares of a medical device manufacturer sharply lower. U.S. equities continued their rally in the wake of this week’s interest-rate…

KEY TAKEAWAYS Insurers are increasing premium prices as climate change and tariffs increase the number and costs of home repairs.Homeowners can shop around to ensure they get the best deal, check for discounts from their insurer, or raise their deductible for a lower premium.Prospective homebuyers can consider moving to other states with lower insurance costs. Different aspects of a house, like its age and whether it has a pool, can also increase premiums. An increasing number of homeowners have seen their insurance premiums rise over the past few years. Almost half of American homeowners saw their insurance premiums increase in…

Key Takeaways The Fed lowered its benchmark rate this week, but mortgage refinance rates jumped instead. Mortgage rates tend to follow the 10-year Treasury yield, not the Fed’s short-term rate, which is why they can move in opposite directions. Refinancing may still make sense if your mortgage rate is in the high 7% to 8% range, so you can cut monthly payments by hundreds of dollars. Refinancing rarely pays off if the rate gap is small, if you plan to move soon, or if you’re near the end of your loan term. The full article continues below these offers from…

A yellow sticky note on top of an IRS 1040 tax form with Roth IRA conversion tax strategy written on it.gettyMany people don’t think of or are simply unaware of potential IRMAA Medicare surcharges when calculating taxes on a Roth conversion. While a well-timed Roth conversion can save on your lifetime tax bill, it may bump your Medicare costs for a full year if you’re not careful. This article illustrates both the tax and IRMAA considerations when considering a Roth Conversion.What is a Roth conversion?If you’re unfamiliar, a Roth conversion moves pre-tax dollars (from a traditional IRA/401[k]) into a Roth…

Key Takeaways Group health insurance is getting more expensive for employers, new research shows.Companies may raise deductibles, copays, or the amount taken from your paycheck to offset rising costs.Your plan may also change, through narrower provider networks or reduced drug coverage.Stay ahead by noting your open enrollment dates, reviewing your plan’s full benefits summary, and reassessing your health needs. If you thought having employer-sponsored health insurance would shield you from rising health costs, you’re in for some bad news. New research shows employers are facing the biggest jump in health benefit costs in 15 years, and many plan to raise…

Six Months of Earnings at Various APYs APY Earnings on $10K for 6 months Earnings on $25K for 6 months Earnings on $50K for 6 months 4.00% $198 $495 $990 4.25% $210 $526 $1,051 4.50% $223 $556 $1,113 4.75% $235 $587 $1,174 5.00% $247 $617 $1,235 These examples assume you can earn the stated annual percentage yield (APY) for the full six months, which may not be possible with variable-rate options. Important The rate you earn from a savings account, money market account, cash account, or money market fund can fluctuate and will almost certainly drop once the Fed begins…

It’s been another busy week on the financial front with Kiplinger covering topics as far ranging as changes to Roth rules and interest rates, the jobs report and paper checks being phased out. So, how much do you remember from the past seven days? Test your knowledge of this week’s financial and business news.If you slip up on an answer or two, you can follow the links below the quiz to refresh your memory.Fancy testing your memory? Try last week’s quiz, or try one from our quiz archive.Stories making the newsRead more on the Kiplinger stories featured in our news…