Author: Money Mechanics

For many retirees, the home they’ve lived in for decades is their single largest asset and a cornerstone of retirement security. Yet rising property values — paired with a capital gains tax rule that hasn’t changed in nearly 30 years — are leaving more older adult homeowners feeling stuck.The problem: if you sell, the tax bill on decades of appreciation could be massive. If you stay, you may forgo downsizing, relocating, or unlocking substantial home equity to fund retirement.Part of the dilemma stems from the federal capital gains exclusion on primary home sales. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal…

“My mother was a 72-year-old widow when she met ‘William’ at church and was soon swept off her feet. He claimed to have lost his wife some years earlier.”She described him as her Prince Charming — he took her to nice restaurants, social events, trips out of town, things that spoke of having money. They married after knowing each other just 10 months. During their courtship, Mom commented that William never had cash, but put everything on credit cards.”I told her to do a background search on William — were there skeletons in his past? Was he truly well-off financially,…

If there’s one trait that spans generations today, it might be missed opportunity.A 2024 LinkedIn study found that one in five Gen Z workers hadn’t had a single conversation with a baby boomer or Gen X colleague in the past year. It’s a missed opportunity for insight, perspective and advice on making better investment decisions.Research shows that intergenerational learning benefits people of all ages by breaking down stereotypes, improving emotional well-being and building stronger, more cohesive communities. 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…

Similar to Social Security, Medicare is facing funding issues. You may have heard that the Hospital Insurance fund for Medicare Part A is expected to be able to fully pay scheduled benefits only until 2033, three years sooner than last year’s projection. However, it’s not as if the cost of Medicare will stay steady and suddenly increase in 2033. Instead, Medicare beneficiaries have a more immediate problem in the form of rising premiums and surcharges starting in 2026 and continuing over the next decade.The 2025 Medicare Trustees Report projects a steady increase in Medicare Part B premiums and IRMAA surcharges…

US Federal incentives are fading, but household demand for solar remains strong. With lower capital costs and community trust, credit unions and banks can deliver fair loans that turn solar from a niche to a norm, benefiting families and their own balance sheets alike, writes Bill Paulen, CEO of LoanTERRA, a green lending platform helping credit unions and community banks expand access to renewable energy financing. By most measures, residential solar power should already be a mainstream investment for US households. Solar panels now convert more sunlight into electricity than earlier generations, batteries hold their charge more consistently and last…

In a recent episode of “Mad Money,” Jim Cramer identified several stocks in the S&P 500 that he believes are undervalued, offering growth potential despite the market’s record highs.Cramer Highlights Undervalued Stocks Across Key SectorsCramer, the host of CNBC’s “Mad Money,” highlighted a range of stocks from different sectors that he believes are currently undervalued, reported CNBC.He first mentioned T-Mobile US Inc. TMUS, expressing confidence in the company’s team despite a recent leadership change. In the consumer sector, he pointed out Royal Caribbean Group RCL, Expedia Group Inc. EXPE, and Dollar Tree Inc. DLTR as potential bargains.Within the financial sector, Cramer highlighted Capital One Financial Corp. COF, American Express Co. AXP, Citigroup Inc. C, and KeyCorp KEY. He also mentioned Charles…

continues to set new record highs, becoming the center of global investor attention. However, while all eyes are on gold, – its often-overlooked “sibling” – has also made a strong breakout. This opens up an attractive trading opportunity for those looking for a potential catch-up trade.Gold and Silver: Together, Yet DifferentHistorically, gold and silver tend to move in the same direction with a high level of correlation, especially during times of market volatility. Gold: Seen as a safe-haven asset, highly sensitive to monetary policy expectations. Silver: Functions both as a precious metal and an industrial commodity, making it more volatile…

Municipal bond investors are increasingly focusing on K-12 school district debt as a confluence of market factors creates compelling opportunities ahead of a looming federal funding cliff. With September redemptions falling to nearly half of previous months’ levels and steady new issuance continuing, a supply-demand imbalance is emerging that could enhance yields across the school district curve. The first week of September alone brought approximately $560 million in new K-12 school district issuance to market, highlighting sustained demand for educational infrastructure financing even as the sector navigates headwinds from declining enrollment and the upcoming expiration of federal COVID relief funds.…

Last Week In A Nutshell  Mortgage rates inched up as the Fed presented a murky view of rate cuts for the next two meetings, while multiple economic data reports came in stronger than expected. Upcoming Attractions  This week should be fairly quiet for rates as the PCE release doesn’t usually move markets, but there will be plenty of Fedspeak to analyze. Macroeconomic data: Durable goods (Thursday) – Expected to decline modestly due to fewer commercial aircraft orders. Core capital goods expected to remain flat following a small increase last month. PCE inflation (Friday) – Core PCE expected to increase by…

At a time when data breaches are a daily occurrence, securing your online accounts is a must. When you have a dozen or more online accounts, with each service requiring complex username and password combinations, trying to remember each one is an impossible task. This is where password managers shine. These services remember and securely store your credentials for you to help keep your online accounts safe, and to reduce the risk of users relying on memorable — but weak — passwords. They also streamline otherwise time-consuming authentication processes. While passwordless options are available, traditional password managers are also effective. Keeping sensitive information…