Author: Money Mechanics

In this edition of Coming Soon–a series from Redfin News that explores new listings that house hunters can find early only on Redfin.com and Compass.com–we’re exploring a traditional two-story home in Mason, a popular suburb of Lansing, MI.  Originally built in 2009, this $260,000 single-family home is hitting the market this week. The 1,454 square-foot house, which features three bedrooms and two-and-a-half bathrooms, sits on a 0.19 acre lot.  The sellers installed new carpet and painted the walls just a few weeks ago. Photo credit: Redfin With an attached two-car garage, a fully fenced backyard and an outdoor shed, the…

You don’t have to leave your privacy or security at home when you travel. Without your own trusted Wi-Fi, you’ll probably need to rely on a cellular connection or an unknown, public, and open Wi-Fi hotspot. The problem is that when you don’t own or control an internet hotspot, you won’t know what is lurking there. Honeypots, surveillance, and a lack of basic access protections can all put you at risk, but this is where a virtual private network (VPN) can assist you. VPNs mask your IP address and provide a layer of encryption that can protect you from a multitude of online threats to…

(Image credit: Getty Images)The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed into law on July 4, 2025, made many of the 2017 tax cuts permanent — but it also introduced several new deductions and income rules that could change your take-home pay and your tax return.While much of the coverage has focused on politics, what matters most is how the law affects everyday taxpayers. Here are seven key changes to understand.1. A new deduction for tip income — but it’s not ‘tax-free tips’This is a super important point. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Become a smarter, better…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Spring is a season for cleaning up the garden — planting, pruning and intentionally creating the look and feel you want.Estate planning is no different.Each year offers us a fresh an opportunity to step back and review what we have in place — thinking about what has worked best in the past and what we might want to do differently now. 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 for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Once tax season comes to an end, most families shift their focus away from planning. This year, that may be a mistake.A new federally backed savings account for children, known as a Trump Account, is set to launch this summer, offering a $1,000 government-funded starting balance and tax-deferred growth. For families already thinking about 529 plans and long-term wealth transfer, the question isn’t whether to pay attention — it’s how to use this new tool effectively.For families with children and grandchildren under age 18, the first step to participate can be taken now by filling out IRS…

Longevity is complicating retirement in more ways than financial planners can count.For one, longer lifespans are fundamentally changing the question of when to retire. A 65-year-old has an average life expectancy of 86, and a 65-year-old couple has a 64% chance that at least one partner will live beyond 90. That’s stretching retirement from the 15 or so years common just a generation ago, to nearly three decades today.For another, the future of Social Security—the backbone of most seniors’ income—remains uncertain. The trust fund is currently projected to reach insolvency as early as 2033, which could cut benefits significantly unless…

Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. (NASDAQ:GLPI) is one of the top undervalued REIT stocks to buy now. On April 23, it posted record first-quarter results, confirming growth in its core business. Q1 Results Assert Why Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. (GLPI) is a Top REIT Stock oneinchpunch/Shutterstock.com Total revenue in the quarter was up 6.3% year over year to $420 million, as adjusted Funds From Operations increased 9.2% to $297.1 million. Net income in the quarter increased to $239.4 million from $170.4 million in the same quarter a year ago. Gaming & Leisure Properties delivered an annualized dividend per share…

Kin Insurance’s sponsorship of its fourth and largest catastrophe bond, the $335 million Hestia Re Ltd. (Series 2026-1) issuance, reinforces the company’s commitment to protecting policyholders for years to come, Chief Insurance Officer Angel Conlin has said today.As we’ve been reporting, Kin Insurance successfully priced its new Hestia Re Ltd. (Series 2026-1) catastrophe bond issuance in April, which secured the company its largest amount of cat bond limit yet at $335 million of fully-collateralized named storm reinsurance. Kin managed to successfully upsize its latest Hestia Re Series 2026-1 catastrophe bond issuance from its initial $300 million size, to secure $335 million of…

While money markets and certificates of deposit are still producing solid yields, sitting in too much cash could be costing investors money. Investors have piled into cash equivalent assets in recent years — and they have stayed despite the central bank’s decision to cut the federal funds rate three times last year. The Fed’s last decrease was in December and it’s now on hold as it watches economic data and the impact of the Iran war. “In an environment where cash has grown both tactically and structurally, the opportunity cost of remaining sidelined could be rising,” BlackRock warned in a…

Lachy Groom, one of Silicon Valley’s most closely watched solo investors, decided to back Indian startup Pronto just 20 minutes into his first meeting with its 24-year-old founder. The meeting, which took place in February through a mutual connection, led to Groom investing $20 million in Pronto as an extension of its Series B round, valuing the startup at $200 million after the investment — double its valuation just over two months earlier, as TechCrunch had previously reported. The deal came together within weeks, bringing the solo investor on board as the Bengaluru-based startup expands to meet growing demand for…