Author: Money Mechanics

Jack Wallen/ZDNET ZDNET’s key takeaways MacOS Tahoe Spotlight takes the search tool to new heights.The new Spotlight tool can do much more than you think.By using Spotlight, you’ll work smarter and not harder.Prior to MacOS Tahoe, Spotlight was a search tool. You could call it up with the Cmd+Space keyboard shortcut, type whatever it was you were looking for, and there it was. Before Tahoe was released, I was using a tool called Alfred because it was more like the tools I’d been accustomed to, and the previous version of Spotlight couldn’t hold a candle to those apps.That was then,…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Editor’s Note: This article is the third in a five-part special report exploring the connection between your money and your health. Other stories in the series look at 15 ways to lower your healthcare costs, how your finances affect your physical and mental health, managing the costs of mental health treatment and what’s new in Medicare this year.In 2019, Thomas Jefferson Trombino, then 93, moved from his home in New Jersey to an assisted-living facility in Temecula, Calif., near his son Dennis and daughter-in-law Kelly. The $4,390 a month he received from Social Security and benefits earned…

(Image credit: Getty Images)For many well‑intentioned parents, saving for college through a 529 plan feels like doing everything right. Contributions grow tax‑free, withdrawals can be tax‑free when used properly, and the account is designed specifically for education.Yet when college finally arrives, some families discover that the balance falls short of the full cost. Rising tuition, housing expenses and education inflation have turned college planning into a moving target, even for disciplined savers.The good news is that a 529 plan can still play a meaningful role, even when it does not fully fund four years of school. The key is how…

(Image credit: Getty Images)I spent decades in the retirement industry researching and reporting on how much people need to save for retirement. It was the first — and most common — question people asked.Then I retired in 2021. Five years later, I’ve realized that’s not the question with which to start.”How much do I need to save?” is a reasonable question, and it should be asked. But focusing on a savings target puts the focus solely on accumulation, when the challenge for most retirees is decumulation. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Become a smarter, better informed investor.…

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(Image credit: Getty Images)Retirement isn’t for everyone. Whether by choice or out of necessity, fewer eligible workers are actually retiring, opting to work throughout their golden years.Americans 65 or older are staying in the workforce longer, with surveys showing a 33% increase in the past decade. More than half of retirement-age adults say they plan to work indefinitely.Why is this happening? Is working in retirement beneficial for you? 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 up to 4 Special Issues CLICK FOR FREE ISSUE Sign up…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Case Study Scenario: We’re 63, have $1.6 million, and own a $1.1 million beachside vacation house that we usually rent out during the summer for $2,000 a week. A recent zoning change has made short-term renting impossible for our property. That income is a key piece of our retirement plan. Should we sell the property or convert it to a long-term rental, where someone would live in the house year-round? Platforms like Airbnb and VRBO have long enabled people with second homes to get the best of both worlds — short-term rental income and a place to…

According to the Zillow lender marketplace, for both purchase and refinance, the average 30-year and 15-year conforming fixed rates, as well as the average 5/1 ARM, all moved higher compared to yesterday. The 30-year fixed-rate purchase rose 9 basis points to 6.37%, the 15-year fixed purchase loan increased by 3 basis points to 5.78%, and the 5/1 ARM purchase rate rose by 19 basis points to 6.54%. Weekly survey of mortgage lenders with the best rates: Leaders price in the low 6% range Today’s mortgage rates Here are the current mortgage rates for Wednesday, June 3, 2026, according to the…

The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. has now successfully upsized and priced its fourth catastrophe bond sponsorship, securing $150 million of US-wide multi-peril reinsurance protection from the Commonwealth Re Ltd. (Series 2026-1) transaction, Artemis can report.We first reported that The Hanover had returned to the cat bond market on May 14th. At the time, the insurer’s initial target was to secure at least $100 million of fully-collateralized catastrophe reinsurance from its fourth visit to the catastrophe bond market. We then reported on June 1st that The Hanover was aiming to upsize this Commonwealth Re Series 2026-1 offering by 50% to fill the…

Connecticut will become the latest state to impose restrictions on private listings, with a new law requiring public marketing of residential real estate.Gov. Ned Lamont signed SB 340 on May 27. The bill requires residential properties of up to four units to be openly marketed and publicly accessible to a multiple listing service or publicly available electronic listing service, unless the seller or landlord explicitly opts out.The new law is aimed at private or “pocket” listings—or marketing a property to an exclusive group of brokers or prospective buyers, before the broader public gets a chance. Aimed at consumer disclosure, the bill…