Author: Money Mechanics

As the April 15 tax deadline approaches, it’s common to take a second look at your return and spot a few things you wish you’d done differently.But before you panic, it’s important to know that while some errors are easily fixed, others are much harder to change once your return is in the hands of the IRS.The key is knowing which mistakes are worth correcting. In some cases, rushing to change a minor detail can stretch your processing time out for months, only to lead to the same outcome. Here’s more to know. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Editor’s note: This is the second article in a two-part series on how to deal with a concentrated stock position. The first is 5 Ways to Manage Concentrated Stock (Plus, the Risks to Know). More people than ever are reaching out to me with a concentrated stock problem. People like “Mary,” whose company went public last year and now makes up 60% of her balance sheet, and “John,” who bought AAPL stock in the ’90s and decided after the iPhone came out that he may just never sell.In this article, however, I am going to talk about…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Retirement represents a profoundly important transition — one that should bring peace of mind, financial stability and the freedom to enjoy life on your terms.Yet even the most carefully designed retirement plan can be disrupted if underlying risks are not thoughtfully addressed.Effective retirement planning is not simply about accumulating assets — it is about anticipating challenges that may arise over decades of retired life and ensuring you are prepared to navigate them confidently. 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…

Gold (GC=F) June futures opened at $4,633.20 per troy ounce on Monday, 3.2% lower than Friday’s closing price of $4,787.40. Gold rebounded in early trading, moving to $4,739.40 by 6:55 a.m. ET. Silver (SI=F) May futures opened at $73.69 per ounce on Monday, 3.6% lower than Friday’s closing price of $76.48. The price of silver rose to $74.47 by 6:55 a.m. ET. The gold price and silver price today are facing multiple catalysts. The latest CPI report showed March prices increased 3.3%, the largest gain since April 2024. Higher gas prices related to the Iran war were the primary contributor.…

Lightning occurs when META 4, an Oil Products Tanker, sails into Muscat Anchorage on March 21, 2026 at Sultan Qaboos Port in Muscat, Oman. Elke Scholiers | Getty ImagesPresident Donald Trump ordered a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, dimming hopes for a quick end to the conflict in the Middle East and escalating a standoff with Iran that has already triggered the worst energy shock in history. The blockade would take effect at 10 a.m. ET Monday, targeting vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, including those on the Arabian Gulf…

Video calls are exhausting. You’re juggling screen sharing, managing participants, and dealing with spotty connections. The last thing you need is headache-inducing software.Zoom became very popular during the pandemic, but it’s not your only option for video conferencing. Google Meet integrates seamlessly with your calendar. Microsoft Teams works better for enterprises. Platforms like Whereby require zero downloads. I’ve tested these platforms many times over my career, reviewing B2B software, watching them evolve with each major update. Some got better, others stayed stagnant, and a few surprised me with features that genuinely improved my workday.Get more in-depth ZDNET tech coverage: Add us…

(Investing) – Wall Street analysts are mixed on U.S. natural gas outlook as near-term price weakness is expected to be offset by strong long-term demand growth driven by liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports and rising power needs globally. Natural gas prices have declined sharply in recent months, with benchmark Henry Hub prices down about 28% year-to-date, as a mild end to winter left inventories roughly 5% above the five-year average, Morgan Stanley’s report said. Analysts expect range-bound or slightly weaker prices in the near term, as seasonal demand remains soft through spring. Despite short-term weakness, demand fundamentals are strengthening as per…

Sometimes the best offense is a good defense. That’s what investors seem to be feeling. Technology stocks continue to be under pressure, and that money is flowing into traditionally defensive assets like gold, but there’s increased evidence that this rotation is expanding to include many blue-chip stocks. For example, The Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE: KO) stock is up more than 10% in February. Does this mean the tech trade is dead? Not likely, innovation may take a breather, but it doesn’t stop. However, much like the dot-com era, investors are wrestling with two competing themes. On one hand, there’s concern over…

Stay informed with free updatesSimply sign up to the US equities myFT Digest — delivered directly to your inbox.Carson Block, one of the world’s best-known short sellers, has said that AI could trigger a stock market upheaval on a scale bigger than the 2008-09 global financial crisis, reopening opportunities for investors who bet against US stocks after years of slim pickings.The founder of investment firm Muddy Waters told the FT that the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence would cause far-reaching economic and market disruption over the next few years, as job market dislocation feeds through to government finances and financial…

In-brief analysis March 23, 2026 Although homes can have a mix of bulbs for indoor lighting, 90% of U.S. households reported using light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs, according to the most recent results of the Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS). Over one-third of households (37%) used LED bulbs for all indoor lighting. In contrast, 5% of households reported using incandescent or halogen bulbs and 2% used compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs for all indoor lighting. With the emergence of more energy-efficient lighting options, indoor lighting trends have changed over time. In 2015, the share of households using…