Author: Money Mechanics

Few married couples are aware of the significant financial pitfalls of the solo years. Even fewer retirement plans adjust for those years.Yet, in every married couple one spouse will experience the solo years. For many of them the period will last longer than five years. Women primarily experience the solo years, but many men will face them.The solo years are the period after one spouse passes away. They also are the period when retirement plans are most likely to fall short or come apart.Consider these major changes in household finances and management to which most surviving spouses must adapt:* One…

Fifty years ago, planning for your “golden years” was a relatively straightforward formula: you put in your time with one company, retired at 65 with a corporate pension, and relied on Social Security to cover the rest. Fast-forward to 2026, and the retirement landscape has completely transformed into a self-funded marathon shaped by 401(k)s, IRAs and longer lifespans.Whether you’re a baby boomer who remembers the world of 1976 or a Gen Xer navigating the modern realities of 2026, take this 10-question quiz to see just how much the financial rules of retirement have shifted over the last half-century.More from Kiplinger…

New Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh has a message for his fellow central bankers: You talk too much. Indeed, a change has already come to Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) communications with the first monetary policy statement under his leadership.But policymakers of that kind of prominence are public figures. That’s just the way it is in the information age.And Warsh knows as well as anyone that, as the 20th century bridged the 21st, Alan Greenspan established a model for the modern Fed chair, under chief executives of both parties, for better and for worse. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger…

As America gears up for its 250th anniversary this July, plans for the usual red, white, and blue spectacles are in full swing. Tall ships will sail into New York Harbor, and politicians are polishing soaring speeches to celebrate two and a half centuries of the American experiment. But a quick peek behind the fireworks reveals a striking bit of historical deja vu.Fifty years ago, the nation marked its Bicentennial while wrestling with a very specific, stubborn set of economic headaches. Fast forward to 2026, and we are blowing out the candles next to the same triad: sticky inflation, pain…

Most people think of Sam’s Club as a place to save money on bulk groceries, household essentials and gas. But a membership comes with additional perks that can make shopping more convenient and potentially help you save even more.Warehouse club memberships have evolved beyond bulk buying, with benefits that now include features like curbside pickup, mobile checkout and member-exclusive savings opportunities.If you’re considering a Sam’s Club membership, it’s worth looking beyond the headline discounts. These lesser-known benefits could help you get more value from your membership. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Become a smarter, better informed investor.…

The U.S. current-account deficit resulting from international economic transactions widened by $5.8 billion, or 2.6 percent, to $226.8 billion in the first quarter of 2026, according to statistics released today by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. The revised fourth-quarter deficit was $221.1 billion.The first-quarter deficit was 2.9 percent of current-dollar gross domestic product, up from 2.8 percent in the fourth quarter.The $5.8 billion widening of the current-account deficit in the first quarter reflected a shift in the balance on primary income from a surplus in the fourth quarter to a deficit in the first quarter that was partly offset…

Bloomberg / Contributor / Bloomberg via Getty ImagesFollow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.ZDNET’s key takeawaysRAM prices are soaring primarily due to demand for AI.Helium shortages are also contributing to RAM shortages.We’re seeing a domino effect on older RAM as manufacturers try to bypass higher prices.How crazy high are RAM prices right now? So crazy that even moving to RAM technology that’s two decades old won’t help protect consumers from increased costsRising RAM prices are pushing up the prices of all your favorite gadgets, such as Raspberry Pi boards (now a pair of 16GB Pi 5 boards will cost…

Institutions are increasingly using derivative-based ETFs and FLEX Options as complementary tools to achieve precise risk-return outcomes. This panel will explore how products such as buffer and target outcome ETFs, hedged equity structures, and single-name/high-payout ETFs are reshaping institutional allocation models — and how FLEX Options provide the customization needed to support these strategies. Moderator: Sara Levin, Managing Director, ETF and Derivative Trading, WallachBeth Capital Panelists: Sean Truett, Senior Vice President of Strategy & Business Development, Box Options Market LLC Geoff Gaiss, Vice President Global Derivatives, TRAFiXBurke Ashenden, Head of Capital Markets & Institutional Strategy, Innovator James Maund, Head of…

Virginia lawmakers have approved what appears to be the nation’s first tax on data center electricity use.The budget deal, which ends months of budget negotiations, will impose a new charge on the power used by data centers in the Commonwealth beginning July 1.But…the compromise stops short of rolling back the long-standing and controversial sales tax exemption on equipment that has helped fuel Virginia’s massive data center industry. 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…

The country may be turning 250 this summer, but many Americans didn’t start taking retirement savings seriously until it turned 200.Before that, pensions and Social Security were the primary means of support in old age, but as both declined or faced financial strain, new mechanisms emerged. From the mid-1970s through today, a lot has changed in how Americans save for retirement. For good reasons: We are living longer, and retirements are stretching on for decades.As we commemorate America’s 250th or semiquincentennial birthday, here’s a look at how saving for retirement has evolved over the years. From just $107.88 $24.99 for…