Author: Money Mechanics

(Image credit: Getty Images)Question: We are retired with $4.6 million and are comfortable, but health care is still complicated and expensive. My wife signed us up for a Medicare Advantage plan. I know the $0 premium and the dental perks were the big draw. But looking at our plans for the rest of the year — especially our travel — I’m getting a bit nervous.If we’re on a trip and I need to see a specialist, we’d likely have to pay out-of-network rates, which are huge. I have recently learned that original Medicare with a Medigap plan is essentially “borderless.”…

(Image credit: Getty Images)At the end of 2025, Americans carried a record $18.8 trillion of household debt. While interest rates have ticked lower, a 30-year mortgage is hovering around 6%, and credit cards charge over 20% on average.Debt is a reality for the vast majority of Americans, making Debt Awareness Week (March 16-22) a good time to remember that, for most of us, the goal shouldn’t be “no debt,” but rather, making sure your debt is working for you.That’s because while debt can certainly be problematic, it’s not inherently good or bad. It’s best viewed as a tool that can…

Key Takeaways Business structures impact tax obligations significantly.Sole proprietorships and partnerships report taxes on personal returns.C corps face double taxation on profits and dividends.LLCs can choose corporate taxation for liability protection.S corps pass profits and losses directly to shareholders, avoiding double taxation. A major consideration for anyone starting a business, or whose business has grown beyond a certain size, is choosing the right structure for tax purposes. This article compares how sole proprietorships, partnerships, limited liability companies (LLCs), C corps, and S corps are taxed and how business owners can decide which structure works best for their individual financial needs.…

Key Takeaways Gearing ratios measure the relationship between owner’s equity and debt.The debt-to-equity ratio is a primary example of a gearing ratio.High debt-to-equity ratios are not necessarily negative, given potential tax benefits.”Gearing” is more commonly used in Europe, while “leverage” is preferred in the U.S. Get personalized, AI-powered answers built on 27+ years of trusted expertise. Gearing ratios measure a company’s capital structure by comparing debt to equity, with the debt-to-equity ratio being one of the most commonly used metrics to gauge financial health. These ratios help investors understand how a company balances the benefits of borrowing, such as potential…

Key Takeaways Underwriters assess risk and help determine pricing for securities offerings.Principals buy and sell securities for their own accounts.Underwriting ensures that assets are appropriately priced to reduce financial risk.The principal role involves taking on direct ownership of securities with higher risk. Overview of Underwriting and Principal Roles Brokerage firms can take on different roles when they help companies raise money or trade securities. Underwriting and acting as a principal are two main roles. In underwriting, the firm helps a company issue new securities, such as stocks or bonds, and may buy them before selling them to investors. As a…

Is NFLX a good stock to buy now? We came across a bullish thesis on Netflix, Inc. on Investomine’s Substack. In this article, we will summarize the bulls’ thesis on NFLX. Netflix, Inc.’s share was trading at $98.32 as of March 9th. NFLX’s trailing and forward P/E were 39.14 and 31.35 respectively according to Yahoo Finance. movie Photo by Ron Lanch on Pexels Netflix, Inc. provides entertainment services worldwide. NFLX has entered a transformative phase, evolving from a growth-at-any-cost streaming platform into a highly profitable, global entertainment business with strong pricing power, rising margins, and accelerating free cash flow. The company closed…

U.S. shale producers could earn an extra $63.4 billion in 2026 if WTI Crude averages $100/barrel, benefiting those without Middle East exposure. Most producers are cautious, likely using windfall cash for shareholders, debt repayment, and hedging rather than increasing output due to price volatility. International supermajors with Middle East operations face losses, while consumers bear the highest costs, with U.S. gasoline spending rising sharply. Shale-focused US oil producers could generate $63.4 billion in extra cash flow if the U.S. benchmark averages $100 per barrel this year, intelligence firm Rystad Energy says. Following the oil price spike to $100 per barrel…

Homebuilding business executives maintain a guarded outlook on the homebuilding market, amid tepid demand, shrinking profit margins and weak consumer sentiment. The ongoing conflict with Iran could further complicate the outlook for builders.  The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI)’s builder confidence gauge remained subpar in March with a reading of 38. The gauge has been relatively flat since October. The good news is that the index has run notably higher the past few months than the average reading of 32 between June and September of last year.  The HMI survey reveals that 37% of…

georgeclerk/ iStock Unreleased via Getty ImagesFollow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.ZDNET’s key takeawaysGoogle Maps is introducing two new features.Ask Gemini lets you find answers conversationally.Immersive Navigation provides a new driving experience.Google Maps’ latest upgrade might be one of its biggest ever.  In a recent post, Google detailed two new features — Ask Gemini and Immersive Navigation. The first lets you find answers to questions with AI, while the second provides a totally new driving experience. Also: 41 hidden Google Maps settings and features every power user should knowThe Ask Gemini feature works as you’d expect if you’ve encountered…

Key Takeaways Raw materials are the fundamental inputs in the production of goods, serving as crucial factors in the global economy and influencing international trade and national GDP growth.They are categorized into direct and indirect raw materials, where direct raw materials are visibly used in the finished product (such as wood in furniture), whereas indirect raw materials support the production process but do not directly appear in the finished product.Manufacturing companies handle raw materials inventory with detailed accounting methods, considering costs like shipping and storage to ensure accurate budgeting and financial reporting.Understanding the difference between inventory classifications for raw materials,…