Author: Money Mechanics

Forbes screened nearly 1,000 locales in the U.S. for everything from climate change risk to crime to availability of doctors. Those that made the cut were compared on their leisure offerings—from the arts, fine dining and learning to hiking, skiing, watersports and golf. Here are the top 25. After working for 35 years around the San Francisco Bay area as a regulator and consultant on air quality, Steve Hill wanted to retire to a scenic place that was quieter and less crowded. His wife Janyce, who runs a home-based business selling reproduced vintage sewing patterns, was game for the move.…

Key Takeaways Tesla shares, the biggest gainer among Magnificent Seven stocks in the third quarter, fell Friday for the second straight day despite a better-than-expected deliveries report from the EV maker.The stock rallied to a nine-month high in Thursday’s trading session before closing below the prior day’s low to form a bearish engulfing pattern, a candlestick formation that warns of a potential move lower.Investors should watch crucial support levels on Tesla’s chart around $367 and $292, while also monitoring vital resistance levels near $489 and 660.60. Tesla (TSLA) shares lost ground Friday morning after tumbling yesterday despite a better-than-expected deliveries…

As part of a study, Nationwide Insurance surveyed 1,800 U.S. adults age 18 and older who currently receive or expect to receive Social Security benefits. The study included this simple true-false quiz about Social Security. On average, those taking the quiz answered only eight out of 15 questions correctly. Let’s see how Kiplinger readers stack up.Don’t worry if you miss an answer; you can follow the links below the quiz to brush up on your knowledge.More on Social Security, from the Kiplinger team: From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Be a smarter, better informed investor. CLICK FOR FREE…

For the first time in nearly seven years, the federal government shut down on October 1, 2025.Government shutdowns aren’t new to Washington. Since the late 1970s, there have been 20 funding gaps. Some lasted only a few hours, while others have lasted several weeks.The longest? During President Donald Trump’s first term, a border wall funding standoff lasted 35 days. 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 investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more…

Key Takeaways A stock’s price is just its market tag; value comes from the company’s real business fundamentals. Media-driven frenzies (meme stocks, crypto booms) can make prices swing wildly, so don’t mistake a hot price for true worth. Buy strong companies cheaply and hold them. Focus on intrinsic value with a “margin of safety” and think like an owner. Defining Price vs. Value Warren Buffett draws a sharp distinction between a stock’s current market price and its long-term value. Other investors can benefit from understanding the distinction that Buffett sees. When we talk about price, we refer to the current…

Should you work until you reach your full retirement age (FRA) and can collect your full Social Security benefits, or take a pay cut and retire early? It’s a question that weighs on many people’s minds.The dilemma is understandable, as there are pros and cons to both options.Retire early, and it’s more years of freedom to pursue your dreams and enjoy your life. But early retirement also means lower Social Security payments and needing to stretch savings for a greater number of years. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Be a smarter, better informed investor. CLICK FOR FREE…

KEY TAKEAWAYS Applied Materials said it expects a $710 million hit to its revenue from new restrictions on its China exports, pressuring shares of the chip manufacturing equipment maker Friday.The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security issued a new rule on Sept. 29 raising the number of Chinese clients Applied Materials would need a license to export to, the company said. Applied Materials (AMAT) said it expects a $710 million revenue hit from new restrictions on its China exports, pressuring shares of the chip manufacturing equipment maker Friday. The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security issued a rule…

This story was originally published on Healthcare Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Healthcare Dive newsletter. Humana will have 20% of its Medicare Advantage members in plans rated 4 stars or above in 2026, down slightly from 2025 but in line with internal expectations, the insurer disclosed Thursday. Humana — the second largest MA carrier in the country — did see an improvement in members in plans rated 4.5 stars or above. Next year, 14% of Humana’s MA members will be in those highly rated plans, up from 3% in 2025. Humana’s average star rating of…

The typical home that sold in August went for nearly 4% under its asking price–the steepest discount for that month since 2019.  One of every six (16.7%) U.S. home sellers dropped their asking price in August, up from 15.9% a year earlier and the highest share for that month in records dating back to 2012.  It’s the highest share for any time of year except the previous two months, when the portion of listings with a price cut hit 16.8% (June) and 17.4% (July). Note that the share of listings with price drops typically declines from June/July to August because…

Samsung/ZDNETFollow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.Amazon’s next Prime Day sales event begins on Oct. 7. It continues until Oct. 8, and although there’s plenty of time before the big day next week, we’ve already started to see the retailer roll out significant discounts in the lead-up to Prime Day. One of the best deals right now is on a Samsung monitor. Right now, the Samsung Odyssey OLED G93SC Curved Gaming Monitor is on sale for $880, a massive 45% discount. That is the lowest year-to-date price ever for the display.Also: The best October Prime Day deals live nowSamsung’s…