Author: Money Mechanics

Kay Takeaways In 2021, the top 10% of earners in the U.S. had an income of $169,800 or higher. The average U.S. income was $70,784.Other measures—including net worth, retirement savings, living without debt, and financial flexibility—are not directly related to income.A high-income person with a lot of credit card debt may not be as rich as a debt-free person with a modest income. How much does it take to be considered rich? According to an internal survey from Charles Schwab, the average American believes it takes a net worth of $2.5 million to be wealthy, while $778,000 is enough to…

Key Takeaways Barclays is offering a limited-time savings promotion that combines a $200 cash bonus with a 3.90% APY for new depositors. By depositing $30,000 for four months, you can earn $585 total—an annualized yield of roughly 5.9% APY. The top savings rate for a balance of that size is currently 4.75% APY, making Barclays’ deal one of the most rewarding short-term options available. The full article continues below these offers from our partners. This Limited-Time Bank Deal Can Boost Your Savings Return Every once in a while, an especially attractive deal pops up in our rate research of more…

Home healthcare plays a vital role for many Americans.getty Earlier this year, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the federal agency that runs the Medicare program, issued a proposed rule for the home health prospective payment system. The rule would reduce home healthcare payments by an estimated 6.4%, or $1.13 billion in 2026, relative to 2025. That reduction follows on the heels of nearly 9% in cuts already in place from 2023 through 2025. The cuts are aimed at saving Medicare dollars. Medicare is a federal health insurance program that mainly covers people based on age and specific health…

Key Takeaways AppLovin shares had more than doubled this year through Friday’s close. Today a press report cut into those gains substantially.The SEC is investigating the company, among the newest members of the S&P 500, after a whistleblower’s report, according to Bloomberg. Shares of AppLovin tumbled Monday, a stumble in what has largely been a powerful upward run for the stock in 2025. AppLovin (APP) finished the day down 14%, with most of that following an afternoon report from Bloomberg that, citing people familiar with the matter, said the Securities and Exchange Commission was investigating the mobile app monetization company’s…

Spousal benefits are a core feature of Social Security, designed to provide financial security to married individuals and divorced spouses who may have limited or no work history of their own. Understanding this often-complex benefit is crucial for retirement planning, as the choices you and your spouse make can maximize your family’s total lifetime income.Test your knowledge on concepts like the primary insurance amount (PIA), claiming age reductions and the rules for divorced beneficiaries with this 10-question quiz on the basics of Social Security spousal benefits.And don’t worry if you miss an answer; you can follow the links below the…

The federal government’s shutdown has a bigger impact on retirees than just service delays. It can affect your everyday life, including how you visit loved ones, access health care, and enjoy your free time.Typically, during a shutdown, non-essential federal agencies are closed and most employees are furloughed without pay. Essential agencies, which include the Transportation Security Administration, the National Security Agency (NSA), and the majority of the Department of Veterans Affairs, remain open, although employees are not paid.Depending on how long the shutdown lasts, retirees can see no interruptions or a whole lot of them. Here’s how the shutdown can…

Key Takeaways Shares of Figma, Expedia, Uber and others gained Monday after shoutouts from OpenAI during the ChatGPT maker’s developer conference. The moves helped power gains for the tech sector, helping to boost the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite to fresh closing highs. These days, a shoutout from OpenAI is all it takes to send stocks higher. Shares of design software provider Figma (FIG) gained more than 7% in the wake of a mention from the ChatGPT maker at its DevDay developer conference Monday, while Expedia (EXPE) added about 2% and Coursera (COUR) closed slightly higher after rising as much as…

Key Takeaways A high-profile AI partnership powered a chip stock higher on Monday, Oct. 6, 2025, while an adtech darling tumbled on reports of a regulatory probe. AMD shares took off after the chipmaker announced a collaboration with ChatGPT maker OpenAI.AppLovin shares slumped following reports the Securities and Exchange Commission has been looking into its data collection practices. A semiconductor stock logged the top performance in the benchmark index following the announcement of a collaboration with a major artificial intelligence player. Meanwhile, shares of an adtech darling plummeted following reports of a probe by federal regulators. The S&P 500 rose 0.4%…

A new infrastructure deal for a chipmaker and an acquisition between regional banks combined to boost markets Monday. The leader of the AI revolution was left out of the rally, though, and the naming of a new CEO invited fresh questions from investors about the future of the biggest U.S. telecommunications company by subscriber base.Seven of the 11 official stock market sectors closed in the green, led by consumer discretionary and communication services stocks. Real estate and consumer staples stocks lagged during a broadly positive day for many but a particularly tough session for some names.”October got off to a…

In-brief analysis October 3, 2025 The value of all energy trade between the United States and Mexico was estimated to be $57 billion in 2024, down from nearly $72 billion in 2023, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. A combination of lower petroleum output from Mexico and lower fuel prices, particularly for petroleum products that make up the bulk of the cross-border energy trade between the two countries, drove most of the decrease. Energy trade value represents the total value of energy imports and exports between two countries and is driven by commodity…