Author: Money Mechanics

If you are like our clients whom we call Midwestern Millionaires — hardworking, frugal, diligent savers — the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) is a hot topic right now.While OBBB might seem like just another piece of legislation, it does create some beneficial opportunities for smart retirement planning decisions.In this article, I share 12 points that apply to those who are in or near retirement, have pensions and have $1 million or more saved and how you can make the most of them. Subscribe to Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Be a smarter, better informed investor. Save up to 74% Sign up…

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is on the verge of allowing major changes to the way exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and traditional mutual funds are structured. Specifically, an SEC ruling could allow dozens of asset managers to offer existing mutual funds as ETF share classes.That might sound like technical minutiae … a distinction without a difference. After all, investors already have thousands of ETFs and mutual funds to choose from. What difference would it make if the ETFs themselves were simply a share class of a mutual fund?Some of this comes down to taxes. There are very real differences in…

Sales tax holidays, crypto IPOs and visa bonds all made the headlines this week — but why? Test your knowledge of this week’s financial and business news.If you’ve been following Kiplinger, you should have no trouble. And if you slip up on an answer or two, you can follow the links below the quiz to refresh your memory.Stories making the newsRead more analysis on the stories making the news this week, from the Kiplinger team: Subscribe to Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Be a smarter, better informed investor. Save up to 74% Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters Profit and prosper with…

Key Takeaways Famous crypto investors Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss filed for an initial public offering for their crypto trading platform.The registration for the Gemini Space Station IPO noted that neither the number of shares nor their price has been determined.The Winklevoss twins said crypto is creating a new “Golden Age” in finance. Gemini Space Station, the cryptocurrency trading platform founded in 2014 by famed cryptocurrency investors Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, has registered to launch an initial public offering. In a filing with regulators, Gemini said that the number of shares and the price of the offering have not yet been…

Each week, in our Ask the Editor series, Joy Taylor, The Kiplinger Tax Letter Editor, answers questions on topics submitted by readers. This week, she’s looking at questions on the OBBB and tax rates. (Get a free issue of The Kiplinger Tax Letter or subscribe.)1. Income tax ratesQuestion: Did the “One Big Beautiful Bill” act (OBBB) extend the lower federal income tax rates for individuals that were going to expire after 2025? Joy Taylor: Yes. Federal income tax rates for C corporations, individuals, trusts and estates will stay the same. C corporations are taxed at a 21% rate. The individual…

Key Takeaways Dayforce is reportedly discussing a sale to private equity firm Thoma Bravo.Bloomberg said a deal could be announced within a few weeks.Shares of Dayforce took off on the news, but they remain lower year-to-date. Dayforce (DAY) shares soared more than 20% on indications that private equity firm Thoma Bravo is in talks to purchase the human resources software provider. Bloomberg reported that people familiar with the matter indicated that an agreement could be reached in as soon as a few weeks. They added that while the discussions are in the advanced stage, they could be delayed or stumble,…

Key Takeaways Major U.S. equities indexes were little changed Monday morning, ahead of retail sector earnings reports and comments from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell due later in the week.Novo Nordisk shares climbed after the Food and Drug Administration approved the drugmaker’s popular Wegovy weight-loss medicine to treat a serious liver disease.Dayforce shares surged following reports it’s held talks about a takeover by private equity firm Thoma Bravo. Major U.S. equities indexes were little changed Monday morning, ahead of retail sector earnings reports and comments from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell due later in the week. Dayforce (DAY) was the…

Dayforce Shares Soar on Report of Talks With PE Firm 1 hr 17 min ago Dayforce (DAY) shares surged Monday on indications that private equity firm Thoma Bravo is in talks to purchase the human resources software provider. Bloomberg reported that people familiar with the matter indicated that an agreement could be reached in as soon as a few weeks. They added that while the discussions are in the advanced stage, they could be delayed or stumble, and another suitor might emerge.  In a note to investors, analysts at Jefferies noted that considering Dayforce’s stock had lost 28% year-to-date as of Friday’s close…

Ed Tom ▬ August 11, 2025 Link to Report: Macro Volatility DigestWHAT STANDS OUT:In a complete reversal of the prior week’s market action, implied volatilities declined across asset classes last week on the back of robust tech earnings, the anticipation of potential Fed rate cuts, and optimism of a breakthrough in Trump-Putin talks to end the 3yr conflict. Equity market volatility led the decline, with all major measures of equity market risk (vol, vol-of-vol, & correlation) reverting towards the lowest levels of the summer. (see chart below)We published last Friday our comprehensive VIX index decomposition model, breaking down changes in…

Retail giant Walmart (WMT) is slated to report second-quarter earnings before markets open on Thursday, and investors see potential for shares to approach a record high in the days following.  Walmart stock is expected to finish the week roughly 4% above or below last week’s closing price, according to options prices. A move of that magnitude would put shares at either $104, their highest close since February, or $96, a nearly 1-month low.  Walmart stock has notched an average post-earnings move of about 4.2% over the past four quarters. Shares slid 0.5% after Walmart’s most recent report in May, when…