Author: Money Mechanics

Just as the first Stay NJ checks arrived in mailboxes last month, the program’s future has been thrown into question. The new Stay NJ tax relief is facing significant cuts in Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s inaugural 2026 budget proposal.Stay NJ is the third in a series of New Jersey property tax relief programs, including the Affordable New Jersey Communities for Homeowners and Renters (ANCHOR) program and NJ “Senior Freeze.” In the last year, these programs have provided a record-breaking $4.3 billion in direct property tax relief, including $600 million from Stay NJ alone.”Stay NJ is a great program,” Gov. Sherrill said…

When you file a joint tax return, the IRS views you and your spouse as a single legal unit. So if your spouse commits any tax errors or fraud, you could be in hot water.That is because the concept of “joint and several liability” means the IRS can legally collect the entire tax debt from you, even if your spouse earned all the taxable income or committed all the fraud or errors.However, the tax law provides an “escape hatch” known as innocent spouse relief. It’s applicable in instances where the IRS determines it would be unfair to hold one spouse…

If you’ve felt your wallet shrinking at the gas pump lately, you’re not imagining things. Rising tensions between the United States and Iran have injected uncertainty into global oil markets, helping push energy prices higher.Gas prices have recently climbed to a national average of around $3.80 per gallon, making every fill-up sting a little more for many already dealing with high prices for essentials.State and federal gas taxes also make a difference.Article continues below 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…

When it comes to retiring, 67 seems like the perfect age. If you were born in 1960 or later, you are old enough to collect full Social Security benefits, plus, because you’re over 65, Medicare has already kicked in.At 67, you’re still young enough to enjoy life. If you’ve been saving over the years, you likely have a decent nest egg to live off of. Even if you don’t have much saved, by having waited until age 67, Full Retirement Age (FRA), you won’t have to worry about a reduction in your Social Security benefits.It’s also likely that other people…

Asian fuel oil imports from Russia are on course to reach an all-time high this month, shipping data from Kpler and LSEG has shown, as reported by Reuters. Total volumes are seen reaching over 3 million tons, or 614,500 barrels daily, according to the publication. The record high imports from Russia come as a replacement for lost fuel oil supply from the Middle East amid the escalating war between the United States, Israel, and Iran. More than half of those 3 million tons are going to Southeast Asia, at between 1.7 million and 1.9 million tons, the data also showed,…

The typical home that went under contract in February spent 66 days on the market—the slowest February pace in a decade. The typical buyer scored 1.8% off the list price—the biggest February discount since 2023; sellers outnumber buyers, giving buyers negotiating power. Pending home sales and new listings both inched down last month, while home prices inched up. U.S. homebuyers are taking their time as we head into spring, which is usually the busy season for the housing market. The typical home that went under contract in February spent 66 days on the market. That’s the slowest February pace since…

Kerry Wan/ZDNETApple just launched the MacBook Neo, but we’re already seeing some discounts. Best Buy is selling devices for as low as $561 with its open-box discount. This means the product was either opened or returned, and it is still marked as “Good” quality by their Geek Squad team. The Neo has only been available for two days, so it’s unlikely that a lot of these products have been used extensively. They’ve likely simply been opened or just purchased and returned. If you’re looking to save a few extra bucks, it’s certainly worth checking out. Read the review: MacBook NeoYou might not see…

(Oil & Gas 360) – Despite Uncertainty Up High, Maximum Effort To Achieve Peace And Prosperity Has Growth Happening, Needing Good Workers + Ingredients.    The price of WTI crude oil jumping above $90 per barrel, with Epic Fury’s efforts to end decades of oil revenue funding terrorizing, death and destruction, has increased uncertainty.  The quick jump in the current month, closing futures oil contract for West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil, above $90 per barrel (Figure 1) is a reminder of the volatility of its high value.  Volatility not unusual is also evident in the big, quick drops in 2018 and…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Young professionals are increasingly building new lives and businesses overseas, drawn by the lifestyle, affordability and opportunity that foreign countries offer.Increasing numbers of U.S. taxpayers are launching start-ups and consulting firms (paywall), opening cafés and running small tourism ventures everywhere from Mexico to Portugal and Vietnam.But while the dream is compelling, the reality is complicated.Article continues below 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 Profit and prosper with…

You drive away from the dealership, elated that you bought your first electric vehicle. Then, six months later, you receive news that your car manufacturer won’t make EVs anymore. Great, now what do you do with an orphaned EV?This is the reality hitting the EV market now. While sales were robust in recent years, ABC News reported that EV sales were down 20% in January compared to December of last year. One reason for declining sales is that President Donald Trump eliminated the $7,500 EV tax credit as part of his One Big Beautiful Bill Act.Plus, the EV industry is…