Author: Money Mechanics

Google has updated its cloud storage policy for Android device backups. For existing users, the change will take effect 45 days after they receive Google’s notification email. Android device backups will count toward the 15 GB of free storage included with every Google Account. The company is also rolling out more detailed backup controls for devices running Android 9 and newer.For many users, the impact may be small because photos, videos and other media files already count toward the same 15 GB storage limit. However, adding device backups could push some accounts closer to — or over — that cap.If…

Even after paying off a mortgage, rising property taxes can be a significant financial challenge, especially for retirees living on fixed incomes.Recent data show that property tax bills nationwide average $4,427 annually per single-family home, a more than 3% jump from the previous year.But…several states are currently considering changes to their property tax systems. As a result, this November, many voters will decide whether to freeze taxable home values, expand homestead exemptions, or cap annual assessment spikes — changes that could provide relief to many homeowners struggling with affordability. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Become a smarter,…

Retirement has a lot of moving parts, and planning for them can be overwhelming.Taxes, investments, Social Security, estate planning, healthcare and income strategies all compete for attention, and many retirees end up postponing important decisions because they aren’t sure where to start.As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® and CEO of Peak Retirement Planning, I can tell you that the good news is that not every improvement requires a complete overhaul of your financial plan. 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…

In-brief analysis July 29, 2026 Data source: Standard International Trade Classification data published by the U.S. Census Bureau Note: Prices are adjusted for inflation. The value of energy trade between the United States and Canada fell by 11% in 2025 to an estimated $137 billion, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Energy trade value is the total value of energy imports and exports between two countries and is driven by commodity volumes and prices. Most of the U.S.-Canada trade value is U.S. energy imports from Canada—$111 billion in 2025—rather than…

Verisk, the data analytics and technology provider, has acquired McKenzie Intelligence Services (MIS), a geospatial intelligence and event response company that specialises in global real-time catastrophe and conflict event analysis.As per the announcement, MIS will integrate into Verisk’s Catastrophe and Risk Solutions division, enhancing its real-time geospatial intelligence within a more extensive portfolio that includes catastrophe risk modeling, global loss indexes, advanced analytics, and risk data. MIS provides swift post-event damage assessments, military-grade intelligence, and actionable insights that facilitate real-time decision-making following a significant loss event. From pre-event alerts to post-event exposure damage assessment and quantification, MIS provides insurers, reinsurers, brokers,…

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The debate about whether Americans should be allowed to hold private-market assets in their retirement accounts has, once again, produced more heat than light.Critics of recent proposals to open 401(k)s to alternatives such as private equity, private credit and real estate warn of systemic risk and suggest that ordinary savers can’t be trusted with anything more complex than an index fund. They’re solving the wrong problem.The question has never been whether Americans should have access to alternatives in their retirement accounts. Under existing tax law, they already can. Self-directed IRAs and Solo 401(k)s have permitted investments in real estate, private…

True luxury doesn’t always announce itself.While the San Francisco, Miami, and New York City luxury markets declare their status with record-setting deals and eye-watering price tags, Delaware keeps its luxury close the chest. The small state is not generally part of the national luxury conservation, but it should be.In June 2016, the statewide median listing price was $279,900. By June 2026, it had reached $499,450, a gain of roughly 78% over the decade. This outpaces the national gain of 66% over the same period, according to the latest Realtor.com® Luxury Housing Report.”The market also held its [COVID-19] pandemic-era gains rather than…

Generosity is one of the few money decisions most people make without running the math first. You write the check because something moved you, and the arithmetic shows up later, if it shows up at all. The ritual is familiar enough to be invisible. A donation goes out in December. A receipt comes back in January. The number lands on a tax return in April and then disappears into a filing cabinet until the next holiday season. Nobody checks the second half of the trip. Where the money actually went after it left the account, who controlled it once it…

Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesWhen they head to the polls in November, Americans will have a rare opportunity to use their voting power to directly shape tax policy. Ballooning government spending and growing tax burdens across the U.S. have led to the inclusion of 26 ballot initiatives concerning tax rates across 13 states. For 128 million American voters, particularly working-class and middle-class individuals bearing a significant tax burden, these ballot measures will test voter moods on increased government spending, as well as where that spending should come from. While California’s Prop. 40, authorizing a one-time, 5% “wealth tax” on billionaire…