Author: Money Mechanics

(Image credit: Getty Images)Many portfolios are built with one primary goal in mind: Performance. Taxes are often treated as an afterthought, addressed once the year is over and the 1099s arrive.For many investors, tax planning means sending paperwork to a CPA and hoping for the best. But by that point, most of the decisions that drive the tax outcome have already been made.Investment management shouldn’t simply report taxes after the fact. When done well, it should help shape them. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Become a smarter, better informed investor. Subscribe from just $107.88 $24.99, plus get…

(Image credit: Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo / AFP / Getty Images)To help you understand the trends surrounding business and technology and what we expect to happen in the future, 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 will publish many (but not all) of the forecasts a few days afterward online. Here’s the latest…There’s a lot happening in space these days: NASA’s ambitious moon mission, data centers in orbit, satellite cell…

It’s not uncommon for retirees to hit a wall of boredom. After you turn in your employee badge and log off the work computer for the last time, those first few “Well, what now?” mornings can feel surprisingly challenging.But that void is actually an opportunity to have some fun. Studies show that retirees who stay actively engaged in physical or social activities tend to beat the retirement blues and may even live longer.Plus, beyond the health benefits, an active lifestyle can actually lower your taxes on items like Social Security benefits and Medicare. With 2026 IRMAA surcharges reaching new highs…

Welcome to Kiplinger’s My First $1 Million series, in which we hear from people who have made $1 million. They’re sharing how they did it and what they’re doing with it. This time, we hear from a married 34-year-old man who works in industrial cybergovernance in Cincinnati. He reports that his salary has ranged from $50,000 to nearly $180,000. See our earlier profiles, including a writer in New England, a literacy interventionist in Colorado, a semiretired entrepreneur in Nashville and an events industry CEO in Northern New Jersey. (See all of the profiles here.) From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Summer road trip season is picking up — and so are fuel prices. Ongoing global supply concerns, including tensions around key routes like the Strait of Hormuz, are starting to push gas prices higher in many parts of the U.S., just as travel demand ramps up.At the same time, rental companies are expanding their electric vehicle (EV) fleets, often pricing them competitively with traditional gas cars. That’s prompting a simple question for travelers: Could renting an EV actually save you money this summer?The answer depends on more than just gas prices. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Retirement brings the gift of time and freedom. If you’re planning a getaway, 2026 is a great time to swap large, crowded cruise ships for intimate, boutique yacht cruises. These small vessels typically carry fewer than 300 guests. For context, a mega-ship carries 3,000 to 6,800 passengers. Boutique yachts also deliver big luxury with spacious suites, exceptional service, gourmet dining and the freedom to slip into secluded harbors and coves that larger ships can’t reach.For retirees, the advantages are clear: Shorter distances to walk while on board, disembarking in minutes rather than hours, minimal crowds, and a…

Unlock the Editor’s Digest for freeRoula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.Good morning. Typically, a global war and stock market sell-off would prompt investors to seek the safety of Treasuries. But that hasn’t happened this time. After February 27, the day before the US launched attacks on Iran, not only did the S&P 500 fall almost 8 per cent at its trough, 10-year Treasuries fell, too. Yields approached 4.5 per cent, indicating investors were nervous about holding what is normally considered a haven asset. And even as anticipation of an end to the war…

In-brief analysis March 9, 2026 In 2025, exports of major petroleum-based transportation fuels, including distillate fuel oil, motor gasoline, and jet fuel, averaged 2.4 million barrels per day (b/d), about the same as the previous year. Distillate fuel oil, commonly sold as diesel, accounts for more than half of these exports, and the entirety of the annual decrease. Exports of gasoline and jet fuel increased slightly in 2025 over 2024. As in previous years, Mexico was the most popular destination by volume for all three fuels, especially gasoline. Distillate fuel oil, which is chiefly diesel…

76.88 million ounces of registered silver. 575.5 million ounces of open interest. A coverage ratio of 13.4% — below the stress threshold for the sixth consecutive issue. And First Notice Day for the May contract is approaching.In January 2026, 33.45 million ounces of silver were withdrawn from COMEX registered inventory in a single week. That represented roughly 26% of the deliverable pool disappearing in seven days, the kind of event that, if repeated at even half the intensity, would absorb approximately 21% of today’s registered inventory inside a week. The May 2026 COMEX silver contract delivery cycle is now approaching…

About two-thirds of homeowners who recently made renovations chose to upgrade their home instead of moving to a new place, per a recent Redfin survey.  Within this group of homeowners, millennials and Gen Zers are more likely than older people to remodel instead of move. Most homeowners who renovated in the last year spent less than $20,000 on upgrades, signaling that a lot of them are opting for select improvements rather than a full remodel.  Fresh paint, bathroom upgrades and  kitchen renovations are the most common improvements.  Instead of moving, Americans are remodeling. More than two in five (43%) Americans…